1. Unlimited Governments of Europe
Notebook #8
Analyze the characteristics of limited governments and unlimited governments that evolved in Europe in the 1600s and 1700s.

2. A. Unlimited Govts. of Mainland Europe
monarchs in Europe were
shocked by events in England
they became stricter & created
unlimited govts.
France- King Louis XIV (14th)
set the model of absolutism:
he ruled for 72 years
banned the Estates-General
(French assembly) from
meeting

3. overruled the Edict of Nantes, which had protected the rights of French Protestants
he controlled taxes, the military, & business
he fought wars to increase France’s power
he died & left France in debt & with many enemies
Frederick the Great of Prussia & Maria Theresa of Austria followed his example

4. B. Russian Absolutism 1689-1725 Peter I (Peter the Great) ruled Russia
his title was czar
he believed in divine right &
used France as a model
he made himself head of
Russian Orthodox Church
and crushed nobles’ power
Peter strengthened Russia:
brought in experts to Westernize Russia
built up the military & expanded borders

5. 1762 German princess Catherine II poisoned her Russian husband & took power
she thought about reforms but
changed her mind after a
peasant rebellion
her focus was to expand the
empire
called Catherine the Great
died in 1796, the last of Europe’s
major absolute monarchs
ideas of equality & freedom were taking hold in Western Europe & U.S.