How did the basic structure of society in E. Europe become different from that of W. Europe? How did the rulers of Austria, Prussia, and Russia manage to build powerful absolutist states?

 3 aging empires: A. Holy Roman Empire B. Republic of Poland C. Ottoman Empire  3 emerging states: A. Austria B. Prussia C. Russia

Never strong … & 30 Years’ War delivered final blow 1648

 emperor  elected  Habsburgs bargain w/ electors to keep title  imperial diet  authority to raise troops & taxes lost after 30 Yrs. War

Brandenburg-Prussia Austria

 elected king + constitutional liberties  weak central authority – power lay in szlachta & regional diets

 Once a might military power:  janissaries  devshirme  sieges on Vienna in 1529 & 1683 Ottoman print of devshirme in Bulgaria. Every fifth Christian child taken.

1923 – dissolution

 Similar paths of development up to 1300:  trade, towns, pop.   expansion into frontier   opportunities for socioeconomic advancement

 Diverged after 1300: Western EuropeEastern Europe serfdom abolishedserfdom reestablished weak lordspowerful lords urbanagrarian strong middle classweak middle class strong states – strong central authority weak empires – weak central authority

How did eastern European landlords return peasants to serfdom? (1) restricted movement (2) took land and  labor obligations

How were eastern landlords able to enforce their changes to the condition of the peasantry? Controlled local justice.

Why did serfdom reemerge in eastern Europe? economic interpretation: 14 th -15 th c. agricultural depression & pop.  Problem: labor shortage! Solution: tie peasants to land Prosperity returns but landlords finish the process W. Europe had same events but did not reinstate serfdom…

Why did serfdom reemerge in eastern Europe? political interpretation: Western EuropeEastern Europe What happened strong monarchs = landlords  power weak monarchs + war = landlords  power Different concepts of mon. authority monarch has sovereignty and protects his people monarch is only 1st among equals; does not protect his people PeasantsMore powerNo power TownsStronger / kept privilegesWeak / lost privileges

 Monarchs vs. landlords  successful monarchs gained power in 3 key areas: 1)taxation 2)army 3)foreign policy

Habsburg domains to 1795.

 Habsburgs (losers!) turn inward & eastward to strengthen the Austrian state  reestablish control over Bohemia

At the start of the war, the Bohemian Estates revolted unsuccessfully – Habsburgs crush them! Habsburgs take land/power from Protestants and give it to Catholics = new nobility loyal to Habsburgs Habsburgs reestablish control over Bohemia, eliminate Protestantism & reinforce serfdom (est. the robot)

 1529 & 1683 – unsuccessful Ottoman sieges on Vienna  Habsburgs acquire Hungary & Transylvania from Ottomans new Habsburg state = Austria, Bohemia, + Hungary

 1 Habsburg ruler  each state keeps its own gov’t  Pragmatic Sanction (1713) – Habsburg possessions never to be divided, must be passed to 1 heir  Hungary not fully integrated  1703 Rákóczy revolt

 Ferdinand II (r )  crushes Bohemian Estates & creates new loyal Bohemian nobility  Ferdinand III (r )  consolidates German-speaking provinces (Austria, Styria, Tyrol)  creates permanent standing army  Charles VI (r )  Pragmatic Sanction (1713)  Rákóczy’s revolt

 strengthened central authority:  unified Brandenburg, Prussia, lands along the Rhine  forced Estates to accept taxation  created permanent army  factors enabling his success:  war/invasion threats – produced support for army  successful bargaining w/ Junkers

 strengthened royal authority:  great military!!! ▪ but few wars … ▪ even civil society became militarized – rigid, disciplined  strengthened bureaucracy  eliminated Junker threat

 Similar to W. Europe up to ≈1250:  Christian (though Eastern Orthodox)  territories unified (11 th c.)  feudal social structure  political fragmentation at various times  : Russia becomes quite different due to Mongol rule

Russia is vast. It crosses 2 continents: Europe and Asia.

The Mongol Empire was the largest contiguous empire in history. In the 13 th c., the Mongols conquered the area around Moscow and Kiev.

 unified the eastern Slavs  allowed Russian princes who served them well to retain some authority Muscovite princes served Mongols well  they were rewarded … over time Muscovite princes consolidated power.

 1 st to stop recognizing the Mongols as Russia’s leaders Hello Russian absolutism!  Sources of legitimacy – what legitimized the new Russian rulers: 1.tsars continued Mongol policies 2.got the cooperation of the nobles 3.tsars believed they had to carry on Byzantine legacy (Orthodox Xtianity ; Moscow as “Third Rome” after Constantinople)

 1 st to take title of “tsar”  wars of expansion  successful in the E. – took Mongol land  unsuccessful in the W. (Poland-Lithuania)  subjugated boyars – reign of terror  service nobles demand more from peasants  peasants flee and form independent outlaw groups = Cossacks  urban traders & artisans bound to towns so Ivan could tax them  limited middle class (vs. W. Europe)

 fighting over who would be tsar (Ivan IV’s son died heirless)  bloody Cossack rebellion led by Ivan Bolotnikov (nobles crushed it)  famine and disease  invasions by Sweden and Poland [period ended when the nobles elected Michael Romanov (r )]

 What were his policies?  What made him “great”?  Was he really great?

 tsar: term for the Russian ruler (like “king”)  Muscovy: archaic name for Russia  Muscovite: contemporary term for someone from Moscow or archaic term for someone from Russia