1. Enlightened Despotism: Absolutism with a Smile

2. What was “Enlightened Despotism”? Definition: Absolutist states influenced by the ideals of the Enlightenment Equality of all under law Support for “natural” rights religious toleration freedom of speech, press right to private property limits on torture/capital punishment Patronage of Arts & Education

3. Europe in the 18th Century Exceptions: France Britain Poland Enlightened Despotism: Austria Prussia Russia

4. France: Louis XV, 1715-1774 Problems left by Louis XIV Lazy, weak Easily influenced Seven Years’ War Enormous Debt Madame de Pompadour Louis XV

5. Great Britain: King & Parliament Parliament Powerful Aristocracy Peers (H of Lords) Landed Gentry (H of Commons) Unequal Representation New cities lack MPs “Pocket Boroughs” King Hanover Dynasty Relied Heavily on Prime Ministers (Walpole, Pitt) George I George II George III

6. Important Prime Ministers William Pitt, the Elder (1757-61) Favored empire Won Seven Years War Robert Walpole (1721-42) Handled Parliament Dispensed Patronage Peaceful Foreign Policy Low Taxes William Pitt, the Younger (1783-1806) Maintains Patronage system French Rev & Nap. Deals with George III’s insanity

7. Partition of Poland Rivalry between Austria/Prussia/Russia First Partition (1772) Second Partition (1793) Third Partition (1795) Prussia (West Prussia) Russia (E. Poland) Austria (Galicia)

8. Austria: Maria Teresa War of Austrian Succession Pragmatic Sanction Prussia gains Silesia Centralizes tax collection 10 royal districts Modernizes military Very Catholic, not open to social reforms Maria Teresa, 1740-1780

9. Austria: Joseph II “Philosophy = lawmaker of my empire” 6,000 decrees/11,000 laws Abolished serfdom Free trade No death penalty Equality of all in law Complete religious toleration Restrictions on Catholic Church Patronizes arts, music (Mozart) Alienates upper classes, Church, ethnic minorities Joseph II, 1780-90

10. Prussia: Frederick II (“The Great”) Highly educated Friend of Voltaire “King = First Servant of State” Limits on torture Some freedom of speech/press Complete religious toleration BUT only goes so far Maintains serfdom Strengthens Junker class Militaristic Frederick II, 1740-86

11. Catherine the Great Well-educated Patron of Arts & Literature Friend of Voltaire, Diderot Instruction (1767) Questioned serfdom Questioned torture/capital punishment Advocated equality in law All talk... No action! Catherine II, 1762-96

12. Catherine the Great (cont.) Strengthened “boyars” 50 districts controlled by nobles Charter of the Nobility (1785) Pugachev’s Rebellion (1774) repression of peasantry Expands territory West (Poland) South (Crimea, Black Sea) Emelian Pugachev

13. Red = Russia (c. 1650) Green = acquisitions of Peter the Great Purple = acquisitions of Catherine the Great

14. Miscellaneous Nations Sweden: Gustavus III (1771-92) reasserted power of monarchy enlightened reforms Spain--Bourbon administrative reforms Portugal Marquis de Pombal (1699-1782) Limited power of nobles and Church Netherlands--domination of politics by oligarchs and House of Orange

15. Final Evaluation How enlightened were enlightened despots? Which went the furthest? What were they most concerned with? What limits on reform existed in these states?