The New Monarchies: 15 c – 16 c

Characteristics of the New Monarchies 1.They offered the institution of monarchy as a guarantee of law and order. 2.They proclaimed that hereditary monarchy was the legitimate form of public power  all should accept this without resistance. 3.They enlisted the support of the middle class in the towns  tired of the local power of feudal nobles. 4.They would have to get their monarchies sufficiently organized & their finances into reliable order.

Characteristics of the New Monarchies 5.They would break down the mass of feudal, inherited, customary, or “common” law in which the rights of the feudal classes were entrenched. 6.The kings would MAKE law, enact it by his own authority, regardless of previous custom or historic liberties  What pleases the prince has the force of law! 7.Divine Right – The idea that God created the monarch Y that the monarchy and the monarch acted as God’s representative on Earth

England  stability under the Tudors France  consolidation of power. Spain  unification by marriage. HR Empire  different model: the cost of decentralization.

Ferdinand & Isabella of Spain The Madonna of the Monarchs

Kingdoms of Spain: 1492

Charles V (1555) Devout Catholic Controlled –Spain –Spanish American Colonies –Parts of Italy (Holy Roman Empire) –Austria –The Netherlands

The Empire of Philip II

Philip II’s Empire “His smile and his dagger were very close” Inherited: Spain Spanish Netherlands American colonies Gained control of: Portugal Parts of Africa India The East Indies

The Wealth of Philip II Between 1550 & 1650 Spain acquired –339,000 pounds of gold –16,000 tons of silver Spain claimed between ¼ & 1/5 of every ships treasure

Defender of Catholicism 1571 – Pope calls to fight against the Ottoman Empire (Muslim) Philip sends over 200 ships to Lepanto Spanish Armada is defeated by Protestant England

Golden Age of Spain El Greco – Domenikos Thotokipoulos “The Greek” –Art showed deep Catholic faith

Diego Velazquez Painted to reflect the pride of the Spanish Monarchy

Don Quixote de la Mancha 1605 – “The birth of the modern European novel” Some believe it mocks chivalry & the Middle Ages Others believe it is about an idealistic person longing for the past

Fall of the Spanish Empire Economic: Severe inflation –Too much silver found Expelling the Jews & Moors –Were Spain’s artists & businessmen Taxes –Nobles did not pay them –Burden went to the lower class

Fall of the Spanish Empire Economic: Guilds manufactured expensive goods Spain purchased goods from foreign nations Kings borrowed money to finance wars Spain went bankrupt three times!

Fall of the Spanish Empire The Dutch revolt –The Dutch were Protestant –Taxed for Spanish wars –1579 – Became the Netherlands