Absolutism in Eastern Europe

Austria Need to rebuild power after Thirty Years War and end of Spanish Habsburgs Do gain land in Peace of Utrecht Need to assert power over diverse ethnic groups Ferdinand II gave Protestant lands to Catholic nobles to gain support Consolidates power in Bohemia Weak nobility Forced labor (serfdom) Religious Unity Permanent Army

Schonnbrun

Hungary By 1718 Austria conquers Hungary and Transylvania back from the Ottoman Empire Hungarian nobles rise up against absolutism Protestants were freer under the Ottomans Want local control Accept Habsburg rule in return for local freedoms

Pragmatic Sanction 1713 HRE Charles VI declares that Habsburg lands are to never be divided even if it means a woman takes the throne Would pass to his daughter Maria Theresa Has to win over European agreement Frederick the Great of Prussia still invades Silesia upon Charles’ death

Prussia Brandenburg, Prussia, and Rhine Territories ruled by the Hohenzollern family Frederick William the Great Elector (r.1640-1688) brings “Junkers” (landowning, noble class) in line Gains the right to tax permanently by maintaining noble privileges Gives out jobs in civil service (Bureaucracy) Estates (Local assemblies) weakened by 30 years war Welcomes religious minorities from other nations Army + Money = Absolutism

Frederick William I (r.1713-1740) Builds Prussian military Best in Europe Important to Prussian culture Seeks to avoid war Builds efficient, loyal bureaucracy Ends local representative assemblies

“Mongol Yoke” Mongols conquer much of Eastern Slavic peoples Rule with ruthless force Nobles (Boyars) serve as tax collectors for Mongols Moscow (Muscovy) is favored Ivan III (r.1462-1505) of Moscow is able to conquer much of region Breaks from Mongol control

Moscow’s claims to power Ivan III’s claims Moscow is “Third Rome” following fall of Constantinople (Byzantine Empire) Takes the title of Tsar/Czar, claims divine right Support of local nobility (Boyars) Gives greater control of serfs Creation of service nobility Makes Russia center of Orthodox Church

Ivan IV the Terrible (r.1533-1584) Defeats last Mongol khans Creates multiethnic empire Distributes land in return for noble support Had to work for the czar Uses Oprichnik (spies) to watch nobles Monopolizes industry Increases serfdom to stop peasant flight to join the Cossacks Rebels (against autocracy) led by Stenka Razin

Time of Troubles 1598-1613 Vicious angling for the throne while fighting Sweden and the Cossacks Nobles combine to put down Cossacks Michael Romanov chosen as Tsar Beginning Romanov dynasty Thought to have no connections Works to crush representative government

Russian etc. Divisions in Russian church Continued Cossack rebellions Divided over fall of Constantinople and reforms and modernization Continued Cossack rebellions Conquer Ukraine

Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725) Travels Europe to learn modern (Western) technology and skills, brings advisors to Russia Forces adoption of western dress and hair Increases power during war with Sweden The Great Northern War (1700-1721) Charles XII defeated by Russian winter Ends Sweden’s role as a major player Russia gains access to Baltic Sea for trade Standing army 75% of budget New military academies 25 year recruits

Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725) Requires nobles to serve in military, administration, or court Make them dependent on him Table of Ranks- Gives status based on position in gov. rather than birth Secret police crush dissent Abolishes position of Patriarch in Church, replaces with Holy Synod Administration jobs based on merit Open to non-nobles Efficient bureaucracy Ruled by decree (absolutism) Builds factories and mines Industrial serfs State regulated monopolies

St Petersburg Built in short period of time by conscript labor Based on Western ideals, highly regulated Gives Russia port on the Baltic Sea Forces nobles to live there

Ottoman Empire Islamic state, expands as far as Vienna Absolutist until the end of Suleiman the Magnificent’s reign Conquered peoples organized into “millets,” small autonomous, religious units