1. Absolute Monarchs

2. Phillip II – Spain (Hapsburg)
Father was Charles V – Holy Roman Empire
Great grandparents – Ferdinand and Isabella
Aggressive; added territory for Spain
Married “Bloody Mary” (Tudor)
Europe’s “most Catholic King”
Persecuted and expelled Muslims/Jews – hurt economy
Incredible wealth in gold, silver through exploration
Golden Age of art and literature (Don Quixote by Cervantes, Velasquez, El Greco)

3. Phillip II
Population increase; inflation; competition from other countries in trade
Conflicts with the Cortes (legislature)
Improved the navy
Dutch Protestant revolt
Defeat of his Spanish Armada 1588 (by England - Elizabeth) – permanently weakened Spain
Strong centralized government
Heavy taxation
Built “El Escorial” palace

4. Louis XIV – France (Bourbon)
Mazarin helped rule from age 5-23
Strengthened French power
Increased military
Weakened power of nobles (appointed intendants – gov’t officials)
Colbert - Finance Minister furthered industry, built roads, canals, trading posts in N. America; mercantilism
The Sun King built palace at Versailles
Revoked Edict of Nantes – lost thousands of Protestants which hurt science, culture, etc.
Flowering of French art and literature
Wealth from trade with Canada
Fought costly wars; heavy taxation

5. Louis XIV
Henry or Navarre (Henry IV) had passed Edict of Nantes – religious toleration
Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes
Heavy debt from spending, extravagant lifestyle
Lost much land due to 7 Years’ War against GB (also fought in America – French and Indian War)
Thirty Years’ War – religious wars; costly
L’etat c’est moi – I am the state
Protestants suffered (Huguenots)
Never called the Estates General into session

6. Maria Theresa – Austria (Hapsburg)
“Enlightened Despot”
Increased royal power; weakened nobles
Abolished local self-govt.
Seized Church lands, controlling Church
Standardized currency; reduced taxes
Tried to reform government
Improved economy; taxed nobles & clergy
Lowered taxes on the people
Staunch Catholic; seized Church lands and controlled the Church

7. Maria Theresa Intolerant of other religions
Lost 7 Years War with Prussia, lost Silesia
Stopped Prussia from taking Austria
Daughter was Marie Antoinette! (future Queen of France)
Created Codex Theresianis to improve civil rights
Outlawed torture and capital punishment
Supported public schools (government)

8. Joseph II – Austria (Hapsburg)
“Enlightened Despot” – Single leader but did good things for the country
Strong central government
Strong Catholic
Many reforms for Austria
Abolished serfdom and feudal dues
Abolished hereditary privileges – upset nobles
Funded hospitals, orphanages, insane asylums, poor houses

9. Joseph II Free food for the poor Supported parks, gardens, arts
Lifted restrictions on Jews
Educational opportunities
Loved by the commoners but not the nobility

10. Frederick the Great – Prussia (Hohenzollern)
“Enlightened Despot”
Autocratic rule (non democratic)– forced to watch friend beheaded as a child
Believed ruler should be like a father
Allowed Junkers (landholding nobility) to be officers in army
Rigid society and military
Produced strong militaristic state
Expanded Prussia’s size; unified provinces
Created modern bureaucracy (agencies/depts.)

11. Frederick the Great
Imposed high tariffs (tax on imports) to control foreign trade – helped economy
Supported industry
Took Silesia from Austria (rich in minerals)
Encouraged religions toleration
Fought Seven Years’ War with Britain (and won)
Fought against Maria Theresa (Austria) and won
Calvinist

12. Ivan III (the Great) – Russia (Vasilyevich)
Refused to pay tribute and freed Russia from Mongol rule
Faced off but both sides retreated
Extended Russia’s borders through conquest
Moscow becomes most important city
Byzantine crumbled – many Orthodox fled to Moscow
Became center of Royal Court; city flourished
Built autocratic government
Trivia: first marriage at age 12

13. Ivan the Terrible – Russia (Vasilyevich)
First to be crowned czar (tsar)
Grand Prince of Moscow at age 3
Good period – added lands to Russia, revised Russia’s code of law, ruled justly
Reformed tax collection
Bad period – after wife died – executed many boyars (landowning nobles); used secret police (Oprichnina, later Cheka, KGB)
Killed own son in an argument
Construction of St. Basil’s Cathedral
Turmoil after Ivan’s death – grandnephew, Michael Romanov began Romanov Dynasty (will last until the Communist Revolution in 1917!)

14. Peter the Great – Russia (Romanov)
“Enlightened Despot”
Period of serfdom & agriculture
Mongol rule had cut Russia off from Renaissance & Age of Exploration
Visits west and sought western influence
Westernization and modernization of Russia
Introduced potatoes, first newspaper, improved women’s status, encouraged education
Needed warm-water ports (“windows” to the west)
Heavy spending, inflation, taxation

15. Peter the Great Could be cruel and tyrannical
Made men dress like Europeans, shave beards
Modernized and strengthened army
Built St. Petersburg on Baltic coast (after Saint)
Built St. Basil’s Cathedral
Thousands of serfs died from disease, work, etc.
Eastern Orthodox
Died rescuing a man from drowning (became sick)

16. Catherine the Great – Russia (Romanov)
Most educated, cultured, well read; wrote several books
Some reform attempts – religious toleration, abolition of torture, capital punishment; most not enforced
Crushed peasant rebellions
Gave power to nobles over serfs
Strengthened and expanded Russia
Longest ruling female leader
Supported arts; impressive collection
Promoted Russia’s first standard currency

17. Catherine the Great Supported education Expanded trade
Crushed peasant rebellions harshly
Did little to alleviate suffering of the people
Strictly controlled the Orthodox Church
Intolerant of Muslims and Jews
Leader of Russia during the American Revolution

18. Henry VIII – England (Tudor)
Act of Supremacy – Broke with Catholic Church
Became head of Anglican Church; wanted to marry Anne Boleyn
Seized and sold Church lands; burned monasteries
Expanded Royal Navy
Centralized government
Forced nobles to pay for wars and expenses

19. Henry VIII Imprisoned, tortured, executed enemies (& wives)
Religious conflicts between Protestants and Catholics
Marries 6 times
Ignored Parliament at times
Had 6 wives, two beheaded
Built many palaces

20. Elizabeth I – England (Tudor)
Powerful and popular Queen
“The Virgin Queen” (colony of Virginia)
Daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn
Strong leader; expanded central govt.
Strengthened military, especially navy
Economic prosperity
Supported voyages of exploration (& raids on Spanish ships – Sir Francis Drake)

21. Elizabeth I - England Popular – aroused British nationalism
Inflation due to conflicts with Catholic Spain and Ireland
Supported the arts: The Elizabethan Age – golden age (Shakespeare)
Defeated Spanish Armada in 1588 – turning point for England...exploration/colonization
Never married – ruled 34 years
Supported Dutch Revolt against Spain

22. Ferdinand (Aragon) & Isabella (Castille) - Spain
Financed voyages of Columbus
Claimed New World for Spain
Huge Spanish empire; great wealth due to exploration
Strong Catholic nation
Reconquista – Defeated/expelled Muslims (Moors) from Spain
Lost merchants, artisans, professionals
Hurt the economy and culture of Spain
Ruled without the Cortez (legislature)
Spanish Inquisition – Church court that executed thousands (Muslims, Jews, heretics)