Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism Chapter 5 Section 1

Main Ideas During a time of religious and economic instability, Philip II ruled Spain with a strong hand. When faced with crises, many heads of government take on additional economic or political powers.

Introduction Charles V became the Holy Roman Emperor and ruled much of Germany. The first time since the late 700s that a European ruler controlled so much territory.

A Powerful Spanish Empire Charles V (King of the Holy Roman Empire) retired and divided his land. Gave his brother, Ferdinand, Austria and the Holy Roman Empire. Gave his son, Philip II, Spain, the Spanish Netherlands and the American colonies. Turn to the map on page 153. How is the map different than today?

Philip II’s Empire Philip was 1580, Captured Portugal very religious hard working suspicious aggressive 1580, Captured Portugal Became the richest king in the world.

Philip’s Military Philip had a huge army of about 50,000 soldiers. He was able to support the army due to his wealth. The Spanish Armada was the world’s most powerful navy.

Defender of Catholicism When Philip became king, Europe was still in the middle of religious wars. What movement caused these wars? (Unit 1) Philip felt it was his duty to defend Catholicism. 1571, Philip declared war on the Ottomans. Philip sent out his armada and won the battle.

The Defeat of the Spanish Armada Philip next sent his armada to battle the English Protestants. This time he lost. This seriously weakened Spain, but because of its wealth it appeared to remain strong.

Golden Age of Spanish Art & Literature Turn to pages 157-158 in your text. Read the paragraphs under Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature. Outline the paragraphs using the following format. Complete this on a left page in your notebook. I. Main Heading (Topic) A. Important Fact or Main Idea 1. Supporting detail a. Specific detail

The Spanish Empire Weakens This time period had become a materialistic one. The Americas had made Spain temporarily wealthy due to the gold and silver they supplied. This treasure helped cause long-term economic problems.

Inflation One of Spain’s problems was severe inflation. Inflation = decline in the value of money, accompanied by the rise in the prices of goods and services. Two main causes: Growing population  Demand for more food. Silver flooded the market  Decreased its value.

Taxes Spain had expelled Jews and Muslims in the 1500s. Lost many valuable artisans and businessmen. Spain’s nobles did not have to pay taxes. Tax burden fell on the lower classes. Could never get ahead and develop their own business. Therefore, no middle class developed.

Making Spain’s Enemies Rich The same companies that started in the Middle Ages still dominated business. Old-fashioned methods High prices Spaniards turned to France, England & the Netherlands for cheaper goods. This only made the other countries richer. These countries were Spain’s enemies.

Borrowing Money In order to finance wars, Spain had to borrow money. Spain borrowed money from German and Italian bankers. Sent shiploads of silver to repay the debts. Philip had to declare Spain bankrupt three times.

The Dutch Revolt Spain had to keep an army in the Spanish Netherlands to keep the people under control. Spain = Catholic; Dutch = Calvinist Spain = poor economy; Dutch = prosperous middle class Philip raised taxes in the Netherlands and tried to crush Protestantism.

The Dutch Revolt (cont.) 1566, Protestants swept through Catholic churches. Philip sent an army to punish the rebels. 1,500 Protestants and suspected rebels were executed in a single day. The Dutch and Spanish fought for 11 more years. Seven northern provinces of the Netherlands united and declared their independence from Spain. Ten southern provinces stayed under Spanish control.

The Independent Dutch Prosper The seven northern provinces became known as the United Provinces of the Netherlands. They were different… They practiced religious toleration. They formed a republic, not a kingdom. Each elected a governor, whose power depended on the support of merchants and landowners.

Dutch Art & Dutch Trading Empire Turn to pages 159-160 in your text. Read the paragraphs under the headings Dutch Art and Dutch Trading Empire. Write a MINIMUM of five sentences summarizing the four paragraphs. Complete this on a left page.

Absolutism in Europe Although, Philip lost his Dutch possessions, he was a forceful ruler in many ways. He tried to control every aspect of his empire’s affairs. Following Philip, many rulers would claim the authority to rule without limits on their power.

The Theory of Absolutism Absolute monarchs – kings or queens who held all of the power within their states’ boundaries. Their goal was to control every aspect of society. Believed in divine right – the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth. An absolute monarch answered only to God, not to his or her subjects.

Growing Power of Europe’s Monarchs Growing middle class supported the monarch because they promised a peaceful, supportive climate for business. Church authority broke down and gave the monarchs greater control. Colonies were used to supply wealth to the Europeans.

Crises Lead to Absolutism Religious and territorial conflicts between states led to almost continuous warfare. In response, governments built huge armies and raised taxes. Led to unrest and revolts by peasants. In response to the crises, monarchs tried to increase their own power. Regulated religious worship and social gatherings. Goal: To free themselves from the limitations imposed by the nobility and by representative bodies such as the Parliament.