1. Crisis and Absolutism in Europe
Landscape with Merchants (1630), by Claude Lorrain

2. I. Wars of Religion Reformation created Opponents & Conflict
Protestants and Catholics battled for territory & authority
No room for compromise
“only one TRUE faith”
Compounded by Monarchies
One Ruler promoting One Faith
Belief of Nobles?

3. I. Wars of Religion French Wars of Religion (1562- 1598)
Monarchy, vast majority of subjects were Catholic
Half of nobility were Huguenots
French Protestants influenced by Calvin
Peasants side with Huguenots. Why?
Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre(1630), by Francois Dubois

4. I. Wars of Religion French Wars of Religion (cont.)
After many battles, Huguenots win
Henry of Navarre
Political leader of Huguenots
Takes throne as Henry IV
Converts to Catholicism, why?
Edict of Nantes (1598)
Catholicism still official religion…
But Huguenots free to worship, hold public office
Henry IV

5. I. Wars of Religion: Militant Spanish Catholicism
Philip II, the “Most Catholic King”, wanted more control over his lands
Used religion to do so
Resistance in Spanish Netherlands
Calvinists destroy Catholic statues
William the Silent, prince of Orange
12yrs of war = Dutch independence
Spain has large empire (where?)
But also very large debt
King Philip II of Spain

6. I. Wars of Religion: The England of Elizabeth
Inherits throne from “Bloody” Mary
Repeals Catholic-Friendly laws
Sought to balance power of France and Spain
If one seemed to be gaining power, she favored the other
Led to war with Spain
Spain wanted a Catholic England
Spanish Armada fails
Queen Elizabeth I of England

8. Battle on the Charles Bridge (1648), Petri Krohn
I. Wars of Religion
The Thirty Years War ( )
Battle over religion, politics, territory
Begins in Holy Roman Empire
Calvinists nobles (Protestants)
Ignored by Peace of Augsburg
Hapsburg Emperors (Catholic)
France, Spain, others get involved
Struggle for European dominance
Devastated German people, land
Peace of Westphalia (1648)
All German states able to choose religion
France now dominant, end of H.R.E.
Battle on the Charles Bridge (1648), Petri Krohn

9. II. Rise of Absolutism Religious crisis creates need for stability
Requires strong rulers that resist change
Absolutism
System where ruler has total power
“Who put this guy in charge?”
Justification: Divine Right of Kings
King receives power from God
Responsible only to God

10. King Louis XIV of France
Rise to power
1643 Louis takes throne, age 5
Cardinal Mazarin rules for him
Stops rebellion, strengthens crown
Dies when Louis is age 23
Louis XIV takes complete control
Builds myth of “Sun King”
King Louis XIV, the “Sun King”

11. King Louis XIV of France (cont.)
Palace at Versailles (VURH- sigh)
Personal household of King
Many nobles moved in as well
Louis encouraged it. Why?
Place where powerful subjects came to find favors, offices
Center of elite French culture
Examples?
The Palace at Versailles

12. Reception of Le Grand Condé at Versailles,
II. Rise of Absolutism
King Louis XIV of France (cont.)
Religious Policy
Goal: maintain religious harmony
Anti-Protestant policies
Hoped to Convert Huguenots
Destruction of churches, schools
Huguenots flee
Economy & War
Adhered to mercantilistic policies
Waged four wars for fame, land
On deathbed: Regretted war, overspending
Reception of Le Grand Condé at Versailles,
by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1878)

13. Wars of King Louis XIV War of Devolution 1667-1668 Spanish Netherlands
Gains 12 Dutch cities, costs $
The Dutch War
Treay of Nijmegen=neutrality
Gains Comte-Franche (land); loses $
War of Spanish Succession
Who will lead Spain? Hapsburg or Bourbon?
Bourbon becomes King of Spain, but France loses N. American territories and Netherlands

14. Reception of Le Grand Condé at Versailles,
II. Rise of Absolutism
Pros:
Efficient government
In touch with people
Wealth
Cons:
Taxation system
Peasants and nobility
Reception of Le Grand Condé at Versailles,
by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1878)

15. King James I of England and Scotland
III. Changes in England
English Revolution
Tudor Dynasty ends, enter James I
King of Scotland
Believed in Divine Right of Kings
Role of British Parliament?
Roots from Magna Carta
Assumed King shares ruling power
Puritans (English Calvinists)
Wanted less moderate Church of England
Gentry, landowners, Parliament
King James I of England and Scotland

16. III. Changes in England English Revolution (cont.) Charles I
Supports Divine Right of Kings
Refuses power to Parliament
Imposes more religious ritual
Many Puritans head to America
1642: Civil War
Cavaliers: support King Charles
Roundheads: back Parliament
Led by Oliver Cromwell
Charles I
Oliver Cromwell

17. III. Changes in England English Revolution (cont.) Oliver Cromwell
Defeats, executes Charles I
Cleans house in Parliament
Abolished monarchy, declared England a commonwealth
Frustrated by Parliament, set up military dictatorship
Restoration
Cromwell dies, monarchy returns
Charles II: Catholic sympathizer
James II: Devout Catholic. conflict?
Charles II
James II

18. III. Changes in England Glorious Revolution
James II had 2 Protestant daughters
His successor would be Protestant
had son with 2nd wife, a Catholic
William of Orange (Dutch)
Son-in-law of James II (Mary)
Invited by English nobles to invade
“bloodless” Glorious Revolution
William and Mary are monarchs
Accepted a Bill of Rights from Parliament
Legitimized role of Parliament
Granted individual rights
No Catholic could be monarch
Solidified Constitutional Monarchy
William and Mary

19. IV. Eastern Absolutism: Prussia
Fredrick William the Great Elector
Small, open land, no natural defense
Builds 4th largest army in Europe
Creates General War Commissariat
Levy taxes, oversees army
Runs civil services
Bureaucracy = chief tool for rule
Son becomes King Frederick I
The Prussian State & Frederick William, the Great Elector

20. IV. Eastern Absolutism: Austria (the Hapsburgs)
Holy Roman Empire collapses
Expand south & east (defeat Turks)
Gain large territory, but never becomes full absolutist state…
Many different national groups
Lack of common identity, culture
Seal of the Hapsburgs

21. Russian Expansion, St. Petersburg, and Peter the Great
IV. Eastern Absolutism
Absolutist Russia
Continual expansion (p. 446)
Ivan IV (“Ivan the Terrible”)
First czar, Russian for “Caesar”
Crushed power of Boyars (nobles)
“Time of Troubles” = anarchy
Peter the Great, 1689
Claims Divine Right of Kings
Determined to Westernize
Updates Army, founds Navy
St. Petersburg = window to West
Russian Expansion, St. Petersburg, and Peter the Great

22. William I and William the Great of Prussia
IV. Eastern Absolutism
Effects of Enlightenment in Eastern Europe
Prussia
Frederick I
Strong bureaucracy to serve King
Strong state through strong army
Frederick II (Frederick the Great)
Big army to watch over bureaucrats
Abolished torture
Limited free speech & religion
Kept rigid class system, serfdom
William I and William the Great of Prussia

23. IV. Eastern Absolutism: Enlightenment in Austria
Maria Theresa (Empress in 1740)
Tried to centralize Austrian Empire
Give more power to state
ease conditions of serfs
Joseph II, Maria’s son
Abolished serfdom, death penalty
Absolute religious toleration
Failure, alienates those he tried to help (too much too soon)
Maria Theresa and Joseph II of Austria

24. Catherine the Great of Russia
IV. Eastern Absolutism
Enlightenment in E.Europe (cont)
Russia
Catherine the Great ( )
Open to Enlightenment ideas of reform
But does nothing, favors nobility over peasants
Absolutist ideals help gain territory to the south and east
Catherine the Great of Russia