1. “Enlightened
Despotism”

2. Enlightened Despotism
Ruling with the ideas of the Enlightenment
What are those ideas?
Conflicted relationship
Enlightened AND military
Reformer or Despot
Reformer:
Embraced reforms introduced by Philosophes
Despot:
Goal: strengthen the monarchy
Examples: Frederick II, Joseph II, Catherine II

3. Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786)
1712 -– 1786.
Succeeded his father, Frederick William I (the “Soldier King”).
He saw himself as the “First Servant of the State.”

4. Enlightened? Why or Why not?
Frederick II
Writer himself
Placed Voltaire in his court (Patronage)
Economics
Government support of farmers
But, high taxes on peasants
Noneconomic policies
Religious tolerance
But, Protestants held political office
Personal monarchy
Enlightened? Why or Why not?

5. Catherine the Great (r. 1762-1796)
German Princess Sophie Friederike Auguste of Anhalt-Zerbst.
1729 -– 1796.

6. Catherine The Great Russia Pubic relations Before her…
Create image of enlightened leader
Before her…
Dynasty in shambles
Needed to be an absolute monarch
Befriending the Nobles
Economic growth
expand middle class
Territory expansion
War with Ottoman Empire

7. The Partitions of Poland
What about Poland?
The Partitions of Poland
- 1772
- 1793
- 1795

8. Russian Expansionism in the Late 18c

9. Joseph II of Austria (r. 1765-1790)
1741 -– 1790.
His mother was Maria Theresa.

10. Joseph II Cold…but, wanted to improve the life of his people
Centralized authority
Education: continue Maria Theresa’s policy
Ecclesiastical polices
Favored religious toleration
Religion under control of the state
i.e. priests were government employees
Reform
Uniform and rational law
Abolished serfdom and increased peasant rights

11. Joseph II of Austria

12. How did the Enlightenment change the world?
Democratic Revolutions
America in 1776
Europe
especially in Paris in the late 1780s
Every Western European government on the defensive.

13. New forms of civil society arose
clubs, salons, fraternities
private universities
lending libraries
professional/scientific organizations

14. Conservatives called it a disease
once reformers began to criticize established institutions, they didn’t know where and when to stop

15. Power to the individual
full civil and legal rights
political and social force to be reckoned with.