The Enlightenment Spreads

A World of Ideas Salons – social gatherings where philosophers, writers, artists, and other great intellects met to discuss ideas

Diderot’s Encyclopedia Marie-Therese Geoffrin Financed Denis Diderot’s project known as an Encyclopedia – Was a large set of books to which many leading scholars of Europe contributed articles and essays – The first volume was published in 1751 – It angered the French government and the Catholic Church so the censors banned it It supposedly fostered “moral corruption, irreligion, and unbelief The Encyclopedia was just an example of what was actually going on – The Enlightenment was growing amongst the middle and upper classes, those who could afford books and were literate and just low enough to be annoyed by those in power

New Artistic Style Neoclassical Style Emerges – Baroque – grand, ornate design – Versailles is a really good example of Baroque architecture – Then (as always) styles started to change to neoclassical: Artists and architects used lighter, simple, and elegant styles that borrowed ideas and themes from classical Greece and Rome This becomes known as the neoclassical style because it is “new classical”

New Artistic Style Changes in Music – Old Style: dramatic organ and choral music Johann Sebastian Bach of Germany George Friedrich Handel of England – During the Enlightenment a lighter style of music known as classical emerged Franz Joseph Haydn Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig van Beethoven

New Artistic Styles Changes in Literature – This is the first time you get novels in the modern sense, lengthy works of prose fiction They have plots, use suspense, and explored character thoughts and feelings They were widely popular with middle-class audience who liked the stories written in everyday language – Samuel Richardson wrote Pamela which is widely considered the first English novel Its about a young serving girl who refuses the advances of her master

Enlightened Despots – monarchs who embraced the new ideas and made reforms that reflected the Enlightenment spirit

Frederick the Great Born to the House of Hohenzollern to Frederick William I of Prussia and Princess Sophia-Dorothea – the sister of George II of Britain King of Prussia ( ) – With his ally Great Britain, he helped to spark the Seven Years’ War by invading French Saxony Which he ended up losing land in by the way, only barely managing to hold onto Silesia which made him popular – Known more for his Enlightenment changes: Known for calling himself the “first servant of the state” Granted religious freedoms Reduced censorship Improved education Reformed the justice system and abolished the use of torture But there were limits – He did not personally agree with serfdom but needed the support of his wealthy landowners to make his changes so serfdom stayed

Joseph II King of Austria ( ) – Son and successor of Maria Theresa – Introduced legal reforms and freedom of the press – Supported freedom of worship – Abolished serfdom and orders that peasants be paid for their labor with cash The nobles didn’t like this too much – Unfortunately, most of these changes were undone after Joseph’s death in Vienna in 1790 He died very lonely, for all the changes he had tried to make in the country He had been married twice but both of his wives had died because of smallpox and he had no children His brother, his successor, did not visit him at all when he was ill

Catherine the Great Ruled Russia from 1762 – 1796 Wrote many letters to Voltaire 1767 she formed a commission to review Russia’s laws – She presented a list of reforms based on Montesquieu and Beccaria Allowing religious toleration Abolishing torture and capital punishment – Unfortunately, none of these goals were implemented and she had to settle for limited reforms She favored (and tried to end serfdom) until 1773 when there was a massive uprising of peasants – Her army crushed the rebellion and she decided to keep the support of the nobles and her throne

Catherine con’t She wanted a port in the Black Sea, because without it Russia is pretty much landlocked – She got it after two wars with the Ottomans She also expanded Russian control into Poland – This would help to remove Poland from the map for more than a century because not only would this spark Russia grabbing land but Prussia and Austria did the same This was known as the First Partition of Poland