Bellwork Thurs 2/6/14 If the Enlightenment was about logic and equality… How do you think the absolute monarchs reacted to it?

Enlightened Despotism 22.3

What is Enlightened Despotism? a form of absolutism (or despotism) in which rulers were influenced by the Enlightenment & applied (some of) its concepts to their territories

Philosophe’s Influence Sought to redirect monarch’s power toward: o Logical economic & political structures that helped the whole nation o Freedom of thought (open to new ideas)

Enlightened Despots Tended to allow: oreligious tolerance ofreedom of speech and the press othe right to hold private property Most fostered the arts, sciences, and education Greater attention to merit & hard work in bureaucracy (instead of the buddy- reward system)

Enlightened Despots

Frederick the Great King of Prussia

Frederick II of Prussia r AKA Frederick the Great Self-described “first servant of the people”

New Policies Silesia = manufacturing district Initiated agricultural improvements Religious Toleration oCatholics & Jews allowed to settle in predominately Lutheran territory

New Policies Cont. Legal System Reform oEfficiency oUnified regional law to match state law (more central authority) oDecreased nobility’s influence Abolished torture School Code of 1763 o All kids 5-13 must go to school

However… Peasants still burdened by disproportionate taxes

Joseph II King of Austria

Joseph II of Austria r Co-ruled w/mom, Maria- Theresa from 1765 until her death in 1780 In many ways, the most enlightened of all the monarchs…

Centralization of Authority Austria  very diverse (lots of cultures and ethnicities) Maria-Theresa began some Enl. policies such as: oMore efficient tax system oclergy & nobility taxed o Expanded primary education

Joseph II’s Reforms Goals: o extend his borders o exert his authority over areas his mother chose to stay out (irrational to have more than 1 leader)

Joe’s Reforms (cont.) Tried to est. German as sole language of the empire (irrational not to all speak the same language) Didn’t work out, and eventually had to rescind these orders

Joe’s Reforms (cont.) Religious toleration oLutherans, Calvinists, & Greek Orthodox treated equally to Catholics oJews: oRelieved of certain taxes & exclusion oGranted the right to private worship oStill did not have equality with other subjects

Joe’s Reforms (cont.) Created laws to limit authority of landowners over peasants oAbolished serfdom Land Taxation (GASP!!) oAll landowners  pay taxes oPeasants no longer had to bear burden of taxes alone o Died shortly after this decree & it was never implemented (his brother Leopold was forced to repeal it…)

Catherine the Great Empress of Russia

Catherine The Great r Germanic Princess & wife/widow of Peter III Approved (& possibly aided in) the assassination of her husband

CTG’s Reforms Brought West to Russia oEx.: Diderot - paid him & offered to publish his Encyclopédia in Russia when it was banned by French Gov’t “Charter of Nobility” oGave nobles complete control over serfs oLocal offices given to local nobles (not royal offices, though)

CTG’s Reforms Cont. Expansion of the small Russian urban middle class (vital for trade) Continued drive for warm water ports (fought Ottoman Empire) Created hospitals & orphanages Limited religious toleration Slight restriction of the use of torture by the government

Not So Enlightened Despot

Louis XV r Great-grandson of Louis XIV Relatively ineffective king Drove France into deeper debt

Attempts at Enlightenment Parliaments –Replaced w/ courts where judges could not own, sell, or inherit office –Portrayed Louis XV as tyrant Economics –Gave up price controls on grain (1763) to open France to a free market –Reversed in 1770 (grain shortage  famine)

Louis XVI r Restored old parliaments