1. King or Queen has complete control over government & its people
The Age of Absolutism
16th & 17th Centuries
System of government
King or Queen has complete control over government & its people
Autocracy
Centralized Government
Nation states

2. Monarchs based their claim on Divine Right Authority comes from God
Absolutism
Monarchs based their claim on Divine Right
Authority comes from God
Similar to “Mandate of Heaven”
Monarchs are “Above the Law”
Common features- Strong armies, limited representative bodies, high taxes, people-few rights

3. Breakdown of Feudalism/Rise of Nation states Continuous Warfare
Absolutism
Breakdown of Feudalism/Rise of Nation states
Continuous Warfare
Need for money
Exploration
Declining influence of the Church

4. Effects of Absolutism Regulation of religion & society
Loss of power by nobility & legislatures
New government Bureaucracies
Huge building projects, palaces
Costly wars; taxes
Peasants bear burden
Wars

5. 1556 Holy Roman Emperor & King of Spain Charles V divides empire
Absolutism in Spain
The Hapsburg Monarchy
1556 Holy Roman Emperor & King of Spain Charles V divides empire
Son Phillip II rules Spain, Netherlands & Italy

7. Philip II (1556-1598) Promoted “Golden age of Spain”
Wealth from colonies helped buildup military; improved navy
Incredible wealth– gold/silver
Made Spain most powerful country in Europe
Defender of Catholicism
Europe’s most Catholic king
1588-Spanish Armada defeated by
England (Elizabeth I)
1600’s Spain power declines
Financial problems – high inflation

8. Phillip II “Golden Age” – Velasquez, El Greco Centralized government
Married “Bloody Mary”
Persecution & expulsion of Jews/Muslims hurt economy
Built “El Escorial” palace
Phillip II

9. Spanish Armada Defeated
1588
Spanish Armada Defeated
"Protestant Wind"

10. The Bourbon Monarchy Absolutism in France
Henry IV increases power of govt. & decreases power of nobility
Edict of Nantes – gave religious freedom
Louis the XIII strengthens & builds up military
Cardinal Richelieu subdues nobles & Huguenots (French Protestants), strengthens economy

11. "The Ultimate Absolutist"
Louis XIV
"The Ultimate Absolutist"
Known as “The Sun King”
Ruled for 72 years
Mercantilist policies; high tariffs
Built the strongest army in Europe
Expanded bureaucracy
Limited power of nobles
Never called the Estates General
Persecuted the Huguenots
French Protestants
Revoked Edict of Nantes

12. The Sun King
L’etat c’est moi”

13. Built Lavish palace at Versailles
His successors inherited enormous debts (costly wars & extravagance)

14. Louis XIV
Lost much land due to French & Indian War (7 Years War) GB defeats Fr. & Indians in American colonies
Poor crops hurt the people
Became king at age 4; Mazarin helped him rule; expanded France
Expelled Huguenots; hurt economy
Heavy debt from spending, extravagant lifestyle
Colbert – Finance Minister supported sale of French products
Supported arts and education

19. Absolutism in Russia
Early Czars Ivan III & Ivan IV (Terrible) used harsh methods to unify Russia & strengthen monarchy
1480 Ivan III (Great) drives Mongols from Russia
Moscow key city
Autocratic govt.
Trivia – married at 12

20. Ivan the Terrible First to use term czar (tsar)
Good period – Russia expanded, code of law, ruled justly
Bad period – executed many boyars – landowning nobles; used secret police
Killed son in an argument
Turmoil after death
1613 Michael Romanov begins Romanov Dynasty
300 year dynasty until Russian Revolution! (communism – 1917)

21. Ivan the Terrible kills his child & heir

22. Toured Europe learning new technologies
Peter The Great
Grand Embassy tour
Toured Europe learning new technologies
Ruled with absolute authority
Westernization/Modernization
Introduced western ideas
Laws, technology, culture
Men shaved beards; dressed western

23. Built largest army in Europe
Won territory from Sweden along the Baltic Sea
St. Petersburg becomes “Window to the West”
Major trading port & new capital

24. Centralized power
Reduced power of the nobility
Brought Orthodox Church under his control
First newspaper
Introduced potato
Waterways, canals, mining, textiles

25. Peter the Great Education, arts, music, science
Expanded Russia’s borders
Improved status of women
Appointed officials based on merit & service
Peter the Great

26. Russia under Peter the Great

28. Peter the Great Excessive spending
Peasants/Serfs required to work on roads/canals or serve in military; thousands died
Heavy taxation
Put Orthodox Church under state control

29. Peter the Great
Could be cruel and tyrannical; executed thousands to challenged his power
Died saving a man from drowning

30. Abolished torture and capital punishment
Catherine the Great
Most educated monarch
Abolished torture and capital punishment
Supported arts; first currency
Education, trade, religious toleration

31. Didn’t enforce reforms (esp. torture/capital punishment
Catherine the Great
Negatives
Negatives
Didn’t enforce reforms (esp. torture/capital punishment
Little to alleviate suffering
Controlled Orthodox Church
Intolerant of Muslims & Jews
Crushed peasant rebellions harshly

32. Catherine the Great Longest ruling female leader of Russia (34 years)
Leader of Russia during American Rev.

33. Early Checks on English Monarchs
1215 King John forced to sign Magna Carta
Limited King’s powers
1295 Edward I establishes Parliament
Lawmaking body
House of Lords & House of Commons

34. Parliament Keeps the Monarchy in Check
Parliament successfully blocked attempted shifts to absolute rule
The Tudor Monarchs( ) generally worked well w/ Parliament
Henry VIII & Elizabeth I
                      
                   
Henry VII
Henry VIII
Edward VI

35. Had absolutist tendencies (Strong belief in Divine Right); unpopular
The Stuart Monarchs
Had absolutist tendencies (Strong belief in Divine Right); unpopular
Imprisoned w/out trial
James I & son Charles I consistently clashed with Parliament over finance & foreign policy
Angered Puritans
Mary I
Elizabeth I
James I

36. Known as the Puritan Revolution (1643)
The English Civil War
Known as the Puritan Revolution (1643)
Charles’s Cavaliers vs. Roundheads led by Oliver Cromwell (Puritan)
Charles I is overthrown by forces loyal to Parliament
Beheaded in 1649
Shocks country

37. Cromwell & the Commonwealth
England became a Republic called the Commonwealth
At first Cromwell & Parliament share power
1653 Cromwell assumes Title of Lord Protector & rules as a dictator, Puritan intolerance of Anglicanism; severe moral code; harsh
Cromwell brutally put down revolts in Ireland & Scotland

38. Cromwell as Lord Protector

39. Restoration & The Glorious Revolution
Upon Cromwell’s death, Parliament restores Stuart Monarchy to throne
“Restoration”
Charles makes some reforms; observes Magna Carta; Habeas Corpus Act
James II became unpopular due to absolutist policies
Parliament overthrows James II & asks William & Mary to assume throne (Glorious Revolution)

40. Bloodless Revolution
1688-William & Mary forced to sign English Bill of Rights is signed
Guarantees Parliament’s superiority over the Monarchy
England becomes a Limited Monarchy (Remains today)

41. English Bill of Rights King could not suspend laws
King could not interfere with courts
No taxes levied in peace time
Freedom of speech
Frequent sessions of Parliament
Subjects had right of bail, petition, freedom from excessive fines, bail, cruel punishment
Monarch must be Protestant
Freedom from arbitrary arrest
Freedom of religion
Censorship of press not allowed