1. The Absolutism & Constitutionalism
Unit 3
The Absolutism & Constitutionalism

2. European Population

3. European Wars

4. Political Absolutism Theoretical Supporters
Ruler is the emblem of the state
Ruler above national assembly
Nobility controlled by ruler
More controllable bureaucracy with career officials instead of nobles
More control over the church
Large standing armies
Theoretical Supporters
Jean Bodin, Thomas Hobbes, Bishop Jacques Bossuet

5. Political France Henry IV (Bourbon) 3 Estates Strict Hierarchy of rank
Agrarian
Henry IV (Bourbon)
Limited Nobility of the Sword
Created a new nobility more beholden to him (Nobility of the Robe)
Duke of Sully – enhanced monarchial power through mercantilism

6. Economic Mercantilism under Sully Systematic bookkeeping
Favorable balance of Trade
State sponsored monopolies
Government operation of all mines
Improved transportation
More efficient tax system
Reduced national debt

7. Political
Louis XIII
Cardinal Richelieu was key advisor – increased absolute power of monarch
Increased taxation (to fund army)
Intendant System
Weaken the nobility
Middle-class officials given more power
More efficient government
Each of 32 districts had its own intendant responsible for justice, police, and finance

8. Political Louis XIV “L’tat, c’est moi” – “I am the state” Sun king
King at age 5 – Cardinal Mazarin acted as his regent
The Fronde
Nobles revolted against Mazarin (Louis ages 5-11)
Divisions amongst nobles allowed a divide and conquer strategy to work
Influenced Louis XIV’s distrust of nobles and his acts against them

9. Political Louis XIV Versailles
Ended Estates General, limited Parlements, and arrested opposition
Corvees – forced labor as a tax
Edict of Fountanbleau – ended toleration of Huguenots
Suppressed Jansenists (Catholics with Calvinist ideas)
More advanced Mercantilism under Jean Baptiste Colbert

10. Political Louis XIV Problems Wars
Focused on Army without much effort on Navy
Over taxed the peasants
Too Many Wars
Wars
War of Devolution: invaded Spanish Netherlands
Second Dutch War: invaded Southern Netherlands
War of the League of Augsburg: Protestants led by William of Orange
War of Spanish Succession:
Charles II – too much inbreeding in Habsburg line – unable to procreate
Philip Anjou Charles II’s nephew and Louis XIV’s grandson to inherit throne
Coalition formed to oppose this possible combination of France and Spain

11. Louis XIV Wars

12. Political Spain Philip II Lacked middle class
Escorial Palace
Large empire
Lacked middle class
Removed some of brightest minds (Moors and Jews)
Loss of trade with colonies (British and Dutch competition)
High debt
Taxes too harsh on peasants
High inflation
Poor work ethic

13. Political RAP to HOP Eastern Europe Out with old empires
Holy Roman Empire
Ottoman Empire
Polish Empire
In with new powers
Russia
Austria
Prussia
RAP to
HOP

14. Political Differences in Eastern Absolutism Similarities
Strong monarchy
Weak middle class
Oppressed peasantry (serfdom)
Monarch used threat of war to control opposition
Similarities
Large Standing Armies
Heavy taxation

15. Social Serfdom Farmers property of their nobles Had no rights
Less solidarity and power then peasants in the east
Kings were simply the top noble and benefitted from serfs as the nobles did
Robot – Serfs had to work 3-4 days a week for their noble without pay

16. Political Russia Peter the Great
Sister and mother both served as his regents until he was 22
Sister tried to have him killed
Strelski (Royal Guards) revolted – he put it down
Forced enlistment with 25-year enlistments in army (quota per town)
Reduced power of boyars (nobles) through Table of Ranks
Service led to control over serfs

17. Political Russia Peter the Great
Created new capital in St. Petersburg – Winter Palace
Tried to Westernize Russia (beards, clothes, education, capital)
Heavy taxation
Turned Orthodox Church into a part of the government.
Ruled by Decree (what he said was law)
State monopolies

18. Peter’s Russia

19. Political Prussia Had been a minor principality Hohenzollern dynasty
Increased domain through marriage
Frederick the Great Elector
Made Prussia a strong militaristic state in order to protect it from invasion
Heavy taxation
Reliance on the Junker nobility
Encouraged industry and trade

20. Political Prussia Frederick I (first king of Prussia)
Fought in 2 wars against France to help build Kingdom (War of League of Augsburg & Spanish Succession)
Frederick William I
Sparta of the North
Rigid and disciplined society
4th largest army (80% of revenues went to army)
Avoid war through deterrence
Junker officers

21. Political Austria Habsburg dynasty Traditional HRE
After War of Spanish Succession, they became only Habsburg line
Multinational State
Less of an absolutism
Leopold I
Prevented defeat during siege of Vienna
Charles VI
Pragmatic Sanction – ensure the ascension of daughter (Maria Theresa)

22. Artistic
Baroque art is associated with absolutist monarchs and used to support Monarch (Louis XIV depicted as a Roman God)
Versailles example of the art – political mix

24. Social Women Aristocratic women became more literate
More emphasis on manners in higher classes to separate themselves
Middle Class tries to imitate upper class

25. Social The Gentry in England
England had a system that allowed movement from the middle class to the upper class through economic success
Allowed to participate in the House of Commons (lower house)
Relied on legal precedent
Willing to pay taxes as long as they kept political influence in parliament

26. Political The Dutch Netherlands A republic Economic powerhouse
Dutch East India Company major player in trade
Amsterdam center of commerce
Statholders governed local areas and led the military
During crisis, each province would elect same statholder (House of Orange)
Representatives sent to the Estates General

27. Political England History of Parliamentary government
Tudors had interacted well with Parliament and had given protestant nobles Catholic Land as incentive to create Anglican church
Elizabeth I last Tudor (Heirless)
Stuarts from Scotland took throne (more absolutist)

28. Political England James I
Calvinists wanted to make Anglican church less hierarchical
James “no Bishop, no King”
Needed more taxes to solve Elizabeth’s huge debt
Dissolved Parliament twice over taxation issues
Flaunted wealth and male lovers

29. Political England Charles I Needed to subdue Scottish resistance
Saved money by quartering soldiers in English homes
Forced loans that he would not repay
Petition of Right – forced Charles I to sign – limited his power
Dissolved Parliament
Needed more money
English Civil War in 1642

30. Political English Civil War Anglicans (Cavaliers) supported the king
Puritans (Roundheads) supported the opposition – Oliver Cromwell
Cromwell led the New Model Army
Charles surrendered and was executed
Pride’s Purge – the New Model Army removed all non-Puritans from Parliament (Rump Parliament)

31. Charles I loses his head

32. Social New Sects/social groups Levellers – more egalitarian society
Diggers – no private ownership of land
Quakers – Pacifists who rejected church authority (allowed female preachers)

33. Political Interregnum in England Between Kings
Cromwell led what became a military dictatorship of Puritan rule
Cromwell invaded Ireland
Upon his death, Cromwell’s son was unable to hold the “Commonwealth” together
Charles I’s son asked to rule as Charles II

34. Political Charles II Stronger Parliament than before
Political parties developed
Tories: nobles, gentry and Anglicans
Whigs: Middle Class and Puritans
Test Act: Tried to limit the ability of those who refused to receive the Sacrament of the Church of England from holding office and voting

35. Political James II Openly Catholic King
2 daughters were raised Protestant
Had a son in 1688 who would be Catholic
Parliament asked William of Orange (married to James II’s daughter) to defeat their own king and be their next king
The Glorious Revolution

36. Political English Bill of Rights Limited the power of monarchy
Parliament chose monarch
King can’t dissolve parliament
William and Mary forced to sign

37. Intellectual Thomas Hobbes John Locke
Writes Leviathan as a support for absolutism and divine right
John Locke
Writes about Natural Rights (Life, Liberty, and Property)
Supports a constitutional monarchy – used as foundation for American democracy/revolution