1. I. Louis XIV, the Sun King: The Model for European Absolutism
II. The Gravitational Pull of French Absolutism
III. Holland and England: Limited Central Power
IV. Breaking the Bank: Diplomacy and War in the Age of Absolutism:
1650–1774
V. The Decline of European Absolutism, the Example of Louis XV:
1715–1774
VI. Capitalism and the Forces of Change
VII. Social Crises During the Capitalist Revolution

2. I. Louis XIV, the Sun King: The Model for European Absolutism
A. Foundations of Absolutism
Jacques Bossuet
Thomas Hobbes (1588–1679)
Leviathan
Louis XIII
Marie de’ Medici
Louis XIV (1643–1715)
Cardinal Richelieu (1585–1642)
Cardinal Mazarin (1602–1661)
The Fronde (1649–1653)
1685, Edict of Nantes revoked B. The Functioning of French Absolutism
Versailles
Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619–1683)
Mercantilism
Bullionism
Marquis de Louvois (1641–1691)
Minister of War

3. II. The Gravitational Pull of French Absolutism
A. Prussia
Hohenzollerns
Frederick William (1640–1688)
Frederick I (1688–1713)
Frederick William I
(1713–1740)
General Directory
civil service
supreme court
nobles taxed
Frederick II (1740–1786)

4. II. The Gravitational Pull of French Absolutism
B. Russian Absolutism
Peter I (1682–1725)
Siberia
Catherine (r. 1725–1727)
Anna Ivanovna (r. 1730–1740)
Elizabeth (r. 1741–1762)
Catherine II (r. 1762–1796)
C. Habsburgs
Leopold I (1657–1705)
Maria Theresa (1740–1780)
Count Haugwitz, Minister

5. II. The Gravitational Pull of French Absolutism
D. The Germanies, the Scandinavian States, and the Iberian Peninsula
Frederick III (1648–1670), Denmark
Charles XI (1660–1697), Sweden
Weak kings
Alfonso VI (1656–1668), Portugal
Charles II (1665–1700), Spain Portugal
Pedro II (1683–1706)
John V (1706–1750) Spain
Philip V (1700–1746)
E. Poland: The Tragic Exception to the Rule
Partitions: 1774, 1792, 1795

6. III. Holland and England: Limited Central Power
A. The Dutch Experiment
stadtholders
John Oldenbarnveldt (1547–1619)
B. The English Debate: Crown v. Parliament
James I (1603–1625)
1628—Petition of Right
1629–1640—no Parliament
1640—“Short Parliament”
“Long Parliament”—20 years
C. The English Civil War
Parliament v. Royalists
Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658)
1646—Charles king
1648—executed
Levellers—outlawed
“Rump Parliament”
Cromwell, Lord Protector
Instrument of Government, 1653
Interregnum
D. Restoration and “Glorious” Revolution
Charles II (1660–1685)
James II (1685–1688), Catholic
Crown to Mary Stuart, William of Orange
= “Glorious Revolution”
Bill of Rights
E. Whigs and Tories
Hanoverians
George I (1714–1727)
George II (1727–1760)
Robert Walpole
First Prime Minister
George III (1760–1820)
Tories (conservatives)
George Grenville (1712–1770)
Minister

7. IV. Breaking the Bank: Diplomacy and War in the Age of Absolutism: 1650–1774
A. From Westphalia to Utrecht: The Dominance of France
Great Northern War (1709–1721)
Russia v. Sweden
War of the Spanish Succession (1701–1713)
Role of Women
Sarah Churchill Queen Anne (r. 1702–1714)
Mary of Modena
Madame de Maintenon
Princess des Ursins
Treaty of Utrecht (1713)
Philip V, King of Spain

8. IV. Breaking the Bank: Diplomacy and War in the Age of Absolutism: 1650–1774
B. From Utrecht to Paris: An Unstable Balance —1748—“War of Jenkins’s Ear”
Peace of Aix-la-Chapelle, 1748
1756–1763—Seven Years’ War
Peace of Paris, 1763
France loses North American lands
C. Economic Consequences of War
Mercantilism
smugglers
often 50%+ of imports
Crisis of public finance
Britain’s state debt: 13 m pounds

9. V. The Decline of European Absolutism, the Example of Louis XV: 1715–1774
Après moi, le déluge
Estates-General
Last called in 1614
Cardinal Fleury
Jeanne-Antoinette Poisson
Madame du Barry

10. VI. Capitalism and the Forces of Change
A. Expanding Capitalism
Banks
Fuggers, Augsburg
Bank of Amsterdam, 1609
Bank of England, 1694
Joint-stock Companies
East India Companies (English, Dutch, French)
B. The Growth of Free Enterprise
Capitalistic agriculture
Jethro Tull (1674–1741)
Charles Townshend (1674–1738)
Robert Bakewell (1725–1795)
Arthur Young (1741–1820)
Enclosure Act, 1750–1800
40–50,000 small farms lost
Domestic System
from 1500
Lloyds of London, 1688
Stock Exchanges
London, 1698
Bourse, Paris, 1724

11. VII. Social Crises During the Capitalist Revolution
A. The Few Rich and the Many Poor
First and Second Estates, France
less than 2%
Peasants, 80%
French Third Estate
diverse
B. The Challenge of Population Growth
C. Oppressive Conditions for Women
D. The Prevalence of Human Misery
E. Protests, Riots, Rebellions
1700s—73 peasant rebellions
Russia, Pugachev revolt, 1773–1775