1. Absolute Monarchs in Spain & France
Preview:
Imagine that you are a monarch in an imaginary country. Write a proclamation to your subjects explaining your ideas for governing AND discuss your expectations for them as your subjects
Read what you wrote—are you an absolute monarch or a limited king?

2. The Age of Absolutism
Spain and Philip II

3. The Rise of Philip II of Spain
Ferdinand & Isabella’s grandson, Charles V, divided the Hapsburg territories into two separate kingdoms in 1555: Spain & Austria
Through treaty & arranged marriages, the Hapsburgs took control of the Netherlands, Austria, parts of Italy, & were always named Holy Roman Emperor
The Hapsburgs became powerful under Ferdinand & Isabella who encouraged overseas exploration of the Americas
Charles V’s son, Philip II, became king of Spain in 1556
Philip II was born into the Hapsburg Dynasty the most powerful royal family in Europe
Their grandson, Charles V,
Lands in Spanish Empire were too large so Charles V divided Hapsburg territory into 2 empires:
Ferdinand (Charles V’s brother)—received Holy Roman Empire (Austria)
Philip II (Charles V’s son)—received Spain & American territories; became the most powerful monarch in Spanish history

4. Philip as an Absolute Monarch
Philip II controlled every aspect of governing the Spanish Empire:
He was hard working but never accepted help from anyone
He never trusted any of his advisors (“His smile & his dagger were very close”)

5. Philip’s Accomplishments
As king, Philip controlled Spain, the Netherlands, & colonies in America but Philip took Portugal & its colonies in Africa & India too
This brought Spain great wealth, which Philip used to build a strong army & the Spanish armada
Philip used his navy to defend Catholicism against English Protestants & Ottoman Muslims

6. Spanish Armada unsuccessfully attacked Protestant England

7. Catholic Fleets Successfully Defended the Mediterranean Sea from Ottoman Muslims in the Battle of Lepanto

8. The Spanish Golden Age of Art
Under Philip, Spain entered its golden age from 1550 to 1650:
Huge supplies of gold & silver made Spain Europe’s most powerful country (mercantilism)
Artists like Diego Velázquez & El Greco showed devotion to Catholicism & their king
Cervantes wrote Don Quixote, the 1st modern European novel

9. Philip’s Palace: El Escorial

10. The Decline of Spain
Despite his leadership, Spain declined during Philip’s rule
The influx of gold led to massive inflation & prices soared;
Spain did not manufacture anything to sell to it bought all of its goods from other countries
The Netherlands broke away from Spain in 1579
In-breeding ended the Hapsburg Dynasty in 1700
This is Charles II, the last Hapsburg king of Spain (read story of Charles’ deformities)

11. The Age of Absolutism
France & Louis XIV

12. The Rise of Louis XIV of France
Before Louis XIV was king, France was deeply divided between Catholics & French Protestants called Huguenots
Henry was assassinated in 1610 & his son Louis XIII became king but he was too young so Catholic Cardinal Richelieu ruled for him
In 1572, Catholics led the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre of hundreds of Huguenots but failed to assassinate Henry IV who was next in line to be king
Louis XIV was born into the Bourbon Dynasty in France
Henry IV was the 1st Bourbon king; He issued the Edict of Nantes allowing religious toleration in France
Cardinal Richelieu strengthened power of the French king by reducing the power of the nobles & Huguenots
By the time Louis XIII died & his son Louis XIV became king, Richelieu had created an absolute monarchy in France

13. Louis as an Absolute Monarch
Louis XIV believed that he was the government, “L’etat c’est moi”
Louis weakened the power of the nobles by excluding them from his councils
He hired loyal bureaucrats to collect taxes & enforce his laws; He made sure they communicated with him often
He called himself the Sun King

14. Louis XIV’s Accomplishments
Louis hired Jean Baptiste Colbert to oversee the French economy:
Colbert promoted manufacturing to make France self-sufficient
He encouraged colonization & settlement in Canada
He created one of the most powerful armies in Europe
Fronde---versailles

15. France’s Golden Age
Louis promoted art not to glorify God or human potential, but to glorify himself
Playwrights like Molière wrote comedies
Opera and ballet became popular
Architecture promoted the wealth of France

16. Louis XIV’s Palace: Versailles

19. The Growth of France
From 1667 to the 1680s, Louis engaged France in wars to expand his territory
In 1700, Charles II of Spain died without an heir & Louis XIV tried to unify Spain & France; Other European nations fought the War of Spanish Succession to keep a balance of power in Europe

20. Comparing Philip & Louis