1. Absolute Monarchs
How do they compare??

2. Young Louis XIV

3. “L’etat, c’est moi” “I am the state.” King Louis XIV – the “Sun King”
Source of all political authority in France

4. Louis XIV 1643-1715 ABSOLUTE MONARCHY--Sun King French language
Estates General not called
Revokes Edict of Nantes
Versailles
Distrust of Nobility
Undermines and controls nobility

5. The Orangery

6. Louis XIV’s Chapel

7. Palais de Versailles

9. Creation of Russian Empire Reforms
Peter the Great
Creation of Russian Empire
Reforms
Westernization
Education of nobles
Etiquette
German and French at court
Angered clergy, Old Believers, and old noble families
Standing army
Built up the fleet
Expanded territory to the Baltic
Capital at St. Petersburg
Became dominant power in the Baltic region
Problems
Primitive transportation
Lack of raw materials and capital
Absence of sizable merchant class
Acquired new territory at the expense of Sweden, Poland, and the Turks
Extensive knowledge of weapons
More comfortable with dockworkers and artisans than nobles when traveled to the west
2/3 of the revenue went to the military during peacetime
Old Believers--schismatic group of the Russian Orthodox Church who refused to accept the reforms of Michael Romanov

10. Western Customs Forced Russian nobility to adopt western customs
Western European clothing (short coats)
Shave beards
Women ordered to attend parties

11. Russian Boyars

12. St. Petersburg

15. Tokugawa Ieyasu 1600-1616 Completed unification of Japan
Began the Tokugawa shogunate
Wants to weaken daimyo who still ruled at the local level
Keeps them busy in Edo [Tokyo]
Left families behind when they returned home
Enlarged castle at Edo
Made daimyo help pay for cost
Restored centralized power to Japan
On deathbed told his son
“Take care of the people. Strive to be virtuous. Never neglect to protect the country.”
Brought order to Japan for centuries
Feudalism
Haiku and kabuki dances
Feared growing numbers of Christians
Banned Christianity
Focused on ridding country of Christians

17. Osaka Castle

18. Main Gate of Hiroshima Castle

19. ConclusionSimilarities
All rise to power after years of warfare
(better to have strict dictator than chaos and war)
Built strong armies
All raise heavy taxes
Expanded territory
Created a strong centralized power
Brought nobility under control
Drew advisors from middle class
Encouraged better manufacturing and trade
Brought church under government control
Did not allow religious toleration