1. Absolute Rulers in Europe

2. Philip II of Spain

3. Philip II of Spain Devout Catholic
Drove Muslim Moors & Jews out of Spain
Tortured, killed or exiled thousands of Protestants
Attempted to aid a Catholic in regaining the throne of France

4. Philip II of Spain Devout Catholic The Spanish Armada
In attempt to re-Catholicize England, he attacked England with 130 ships & 19,000 soldiers.
Spain loses in shocking defeat
Wars and Inquisition cost Spain tons of money

5. Philip II of Spain Escorial Philip’s palace
Unlike Louis XIV, his palace was bland & simple
Each room only had a few pieces of furniture

6. Philip II of Spain Decisions…Decisions Legacy Philip was indecisive
Always ask advisors for help, but…
Frequently didn’t listen to them
Often took a great deal of time to make decisions and on many occasions waited too long
Legacy
Left Spain bankrupt
Went from richest country in the world to one in bankruptcy

7. Peter the Great

8. Peter the Great A Renaissance Man Shipbuilding
Served in military & navy
Loved to wrestle
Fascinated by architecture
Builds St. Petersburg
Dabbled in carpentry

9. Peter the Great Westernize and Modernize
Peter believed Russia was years behind the rest of Europe
Invited European engineers, architects, artists, merchants, shipbuilders, and craftsmen to Russia in order to catch the country up to the rest of Europe

10. Peter the Great Reforms
Changed Russian calendar to coincide with rest of Europe
All noble children (ages 10-15) had to be taught geometry and mathematics
Outlawed beards unless you paid a special tax
Created poll tax to build up manufacturing
Organized a Russian army and built a navy

11. The Enlightened Despots

12. Maria Theresa of Austria

13. Maria Theresa
Reduced the power of local leaders and increased the power of the crown, but did so to benefit the people of Austria
Reformed the tax system
Reduced taxes on peasants, while raising them on nobility
Opened public schools
Removed capital punishment from penal code
Outlawed torture
Decency police
Cut down on quality of life crimes

14. Maria Theresa
Limited the amount of labor nobles could force peasants to do
Sent people to unlived rural areas to increase farm production
When poor weather left many hungry and starving, Maria Theresa ordered the wild animals of her private forest killed since they were eating the peasants food source

15. Joseph II Son of Maria Theresa Expanded many of his mother’s reforms
Chose officials based on their talents and merits rather than status (meritocracy)
Abolished feudalism
Practiced religious tolerance

16. Frederick the Great King of Prussia Granted religious freedom
Improved education
Relaxed censorship laws
“first servant of the state.”

17. Catherine the Great Empress of Russia
Wrote letters to Enlightenment thinkers
Built schools and hospitals
Promoted education of women
Tried to end torture
After peasant revolts Catherine overturned many of her reforms