1. Absolute Monarchies in Europe
Chapter 21
World History

2. Absolutism in the Age of Absolutism
Philip II of Spain
Louis XIV of France
Frederick II (The Great) of Prussia

3. Growing Power of European Monarchs
The power Monarchs of Europe grew in this for the following reasons:
The decline of Feudalism and growth of cities
The growing middle class supported monarchs because they promised peace which was helpful for business
The wealth of the colonies paid for monarchs’ ambitions
Church authority broke down because of the Reformation
Crises in Europe…

4. Crises Leads to Absolutism
The 1600’s was a period of great upheaval
Continuous warfare over land and territory in Europe
This warfare meant armies needed to be built
These Armies meant more taxes
These taxes meant unrest and even, sometimes, revolt!
The 1700’s meant monarchs would impose their rule
Some regulated religious worship and social gatherings
Some created new government agencies to control the economy
Most wanted to gain more power away from their people’s government such as parliament
All of these monarchs strived to live like Louis XIV of France

5. BIG IDEA (For Section 2)
After a century of war and riots, France was ruled by Louis XIV, the most powerful monarch of his time

6. Before Louis XIV…
Louis XIV’s grandfather, Henry IV, was a converted Huguenot King
He was stabbed to death by a fanatic

7. Before Louis XIV… Louis XIV’s father, Louis XIII, was a weak king
He appointed the powerful Cardinal Richelieu to be his chief minister

8. Before Louis XIV…
Cardinal Richelieu increased the power of the French crown 2 ways:
First, he forbade Huguenot cities to build fortifications
He also ordered nobles around France to take down their fortifications
Without these internal enemies, the kings of France became the Absolute rulers of France

9. Writers Turn Toward Skepticism
With these changes in political power and society, France had an intellectual movement known as skepticism
Skepticism is the idea that nothing can ever be known for certain.
This movement was symbolized by two icons: Michel de Montaigne and Rene Descartes

10. Writers Turn Toward Skepticism
Montaigne believed that a new belief will constantly replace an old belief, and on and on… so nothing is absolutely true
Descartes also believed there are no truths but was a founder of the scientific method where things could be proven to be absolutely true

11. Louis XIV Comes to Power
The efforts of Henry IV and Richelieu laid the foundation to Louis XIV’s reign in France
When Louis XIV came to power at age 5, another cardinal was really ruling France, Cardinal Mazarin

12. Louis XIV Comes to Power
While Louis was growing older, the French noble rebelled and caused riots against Marazin’s rule
Mazarin who already ended the 30 Years War, also defeated these nobles as well
The violence these nobles caused also made Louis XIV at an early age hate nobles

13. Louis XIV takes control of France
Mazarin died when Louis was 22 years old
Louis’ first move as king was not having nobles on his councils

14. Louis XIV’s Intendants
Louis chose to increase the power of his intendants
Intendants collected taxes and administered justice
By making local intendants report directly to him, Louis was directly in charge of all the tax money of France

15. Louis XIV’s Brilliant Minister of Finance
Louis XIV’s most important appointment was perhaps Jean Baptiste Colbert
Colbert believed heavily in mercantilism as well as believing France should become self-sufficient
By keeping industry within France and gaining raw materials from colonies, France’s economy rose greatly

16. Louis XIV as the “Sun King”
In his personal finances, Louis spent a fortune to surround himself with luxury.
When he woke up in the morning, at least 100 nobles were at his bedside to see him awaken
The four highest nobles would help dress

17. The “Sun King” build Versailles
However, those are just the beginning of why he was referred to as “The Sun King”
He decided to play the title role in “The Sun King” his favorite ballet.
Even more notable, he builds the immense Palace at Versailles which cost the French 25% of their entire economy to build and maintain.
Louis moved all his nobles to Versailles and ran it like a small, incredibly wealthy village of nobility.

18. Quick Facts About Versailles
67,000 meters squares of floor area inside
(Prudential Center in Newark has only 65,000)
2,300 Rooms
67 Staircases
2,153 Windows
2,014 acres of palace grounds, 230 of which are gardens
€135 million for seven years of a recent restoration

19. Louis XIV as Patron of the Arts
Louis XIV’s creation of Versailles is obvious of how he patronized the arts
No one since Augustus Caesar spent more on the arts then Louis
However, this art was different from Rome or the Renaissance because the art was ALL ABOUT LOUIS and his power

20. Louis XIV’s Disastrous Wars
Six years after Marazin’s death Louis launches a war against the Dutch
12 years after, he only gains several towns in the region
He fights other smaller wars which just forces all his enemies to join together including:
The Netherlands
England
Austria
Sweden
Spain
These countries were now collectively larger then France

21. War of Spanish Succession
As the King of Spain dies in 1701, Louis XIV’s grandson, Philip, was promised the throne
As Philip takes the throne, England, the Dutch, Portugal, Austria, and smaller states fight against this until 1714
The War of Spanish Succession ends on the condition that the Spanish and French Thrones never unite.

22. Britain as winners of these wars?
Great Britain becomes the biggest winner of these wars for a few reasons:
The had the right Gibraltar, a fortress that controls the entrance to the Mediterranean Sea
The right to acquire slaves from Africa granted by Spain
Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, and the Hudson Bay of Canada

23. Louis XIV’s Death and Legacy
Louis XIV’s 54 year reign ends in 1715, when the announcement of his death was celebrated because of all his failed wars
On one side, Louis left his country as the most powerful country in Europe and French art, literature, and culture was supreme.
On the other side, Louis put France into constant warfare and construction/ running Versailles plunged France into incredible debt.
While he ruled with absolute power, Louis set up his heirs for the French Revolution by them overtaxing the people of France.