1. THE AGE OF ABSOLUTE MONARCHS

2. Essential Questions:
1.How did Europe’s rulers achieve absolute power?
2. To what extent are Louis XIV (France), Peter the Great (Russia), and Charles I (England) examples of absolute monarchs?

3. The Age of Absolute Monarchs
By the end of the Renaissance, new nations were formed in Europe
Many of these nations were ruled by powerful kings with unlimited power known as absolute monarchs
The era from to mid-1700s was known as the Age of Absolutism
How did European kings gain so much power?

4. The Rise of Absolute Monarchs
During the Middle Ages, European kings were not very powerful
Instead, feudal lords had real power because they controlled local manors and had the loyalty of knights
The Catholic Church was the dominant religion in Europe
The Pope had power over the peasants

5. The Rise of Absolute Monarchs
The Crusades stimulated trade and led to the rise of cities in Europe
This trade sparked the Renaissance and weakened the power of feudal lords. People had other ways to make money (with trade).
As feudalism declined, the power of kings increased

6. As feudalism declined, the power of kings increased
During the Hundred Years War, new weapons like the cannon and longbow weakened the power of the nobles and knights
As feudalism declined, the power of kings increased

7. As the power of the church declined, the power of kings increased
The power of the Catholic Church weakened as a result of the Crusades and the Protestant Reformation
As the power of the church declined, the power of kings increased

8. The Rise of Absolute Monarchs
During the Renaissance, European kings taxed merchants and bankers and used the wealth to build powerful armies
Monarchs used their power to build centralized governments to control their nations
Some monarchs used overseas exploration to gain colonies and to increase their wealth and power

9. By 1600, some European kings had become absolute monarchs
Absolute monarchy is a government in which one king should hold ALL the power within a country
Peter the Great of Russia
Frederick the Great of Prussia
Absolute monarchs controlled all aspects of their nations, including taxes, religion, the military, and the economy
Louis XIV of France
Maia Theresa of Austria
Phillip II of Spain

10. The Rise of Absolute Monarchs
Absolute monarchs believed in divine right, the idea that God created the monarchy and kings answered only to God, not the people

11. Louis XIV (the 14th), King of France 1638-1715

12. By the time Louis XIV came to power, France was an absolute monarchy
Louis XIV’s reign
By the time Louis XIV came to power, France was an absolute monarchy
Louis XIV ruled France for 72 years and was the classic example of an absolute monarch
Louis XIV believed that he WAS the government, (“L’etat c’est moi”): “I AM THE STATE” He excluded nobles from government decisions and hired bureaucrats to collect taxes and enforce laws
Louis XIV believed that he was the government, “L’etat c’est moi”
Louis weakened the power of the nobles by excluding them from his councils
He hired loyal bureaucrats to collect taxes & enforce his laws; He made sure they communicated with him often

13. Louis XIV
Louis XIV called himself the “Sun King” because he felt that French power emanated from him
Louis XIV had a positive impact on France:
His economic advisors used overseas colonies and mercantilism to generate new wealth $$$
Louis hired Jean Baptiste Colbert to oversee the French economy:
Colbert promoted manufacturing to make France self-sufficient
He encouraged colonization & settlement in Canada
He created one of the most powerful armies in Europe
With this wealth, Louis built a powerful army and transformed France into the most powerful nation in Europe
He regulated manufacturing to make France self-sufficient

14. Louis XIV Louis XIV also had a negative impact on France:
He involved France in expensive wars that failed to gain France new lands and led to massive debts
Louis promoted art not to glorify God or human potential, but to glorify himself
Playwrights like Molière wrote comedies
Opera and ballet became popular
Architecture promoted the wealth of France
War of Spanish Succession

15. He used wealth and art to glorify himself, including constructing a massive palace called Versailles, where he forced the French nobility to live under his watchful eye

17. Peter the Great of Russia 1682-1725

18. Russia before Peter the Great
Russia’s was influenced by the Byzantine Empire but was conquered by the Mongols
Ivan III successfully liberated Russia from the Mongols and ruled as the first czar
(“caesar” or “king”)
Over time, czars expanded Russia’s borders, increased their power over the nobles, and created an absolute monarchy

19. But Russia was not as advanced as Western European nations
Peter the Great
By the time Peter the Great became czar in 1682, Russia was a large empire
But Russia was not as advanced as Western European nations

20. Most Russians were feudal peasants working for nobles (called boyars)
Russia had no advanced industry, no overseas colonies, and an economy of small-scale farmers
1200s-1700s—Russia was isolated from Western Europe; knew very little of the ideas of Western Europe:
Missed out on ideas of Crusades, Renaissance, Age of Exploration
During Middle Ages, Russia looked to Constantinople, not Rome—became Eastern Orthodox Christians (thought Catholics & Protestants were heretics)
Russia was very “behind the times” in relationship to western Europe:
Most of Russians were feudal serfs
Long beards worn to show status
Did not have advanced industry
Intellectually isolated from ideas of Renaissance & Scientific Revolution
Wanted to modernize Russia & make Russia a major European power
Most Russians were feudal peasants working for nobles (called boyars)

21. Czar Peter the Great wanted to modernize and “Westernize” Russia to catch up with Europe
While in Europe, Peter learned new ideas about shipbuilding, manufacturing, government organization, city planning, music, and fashion

22. Adopted a European calendar Improved farming techniques
When he returned from Europe, Peter imposed new reforms to Westernize Russia:
Adopted European fashions by banning beards for men and veils for women
Adopted a European calendar
Improved farming techniques
Used mercantilism as an economic policy
Modernized the army and navy
Created iron and lumber factories
Peter made changes in Russia:
Made himself head of the Orthodox Church (like Henry VIII in England)

23. Peter expanded Russia’s borders and built a new “European-style” Russian capital at St. Petersburg

24. Charles I of England-- The Start of Limited Monarchy in England

25. England before Queen Elizabeth I
Unlike other nations in Europe, England had a limited monarchy rather than an absolute monarchy
In 1215, nobles forced King John to sign the Magna Carta which limited the king’s power and protected citizens’ rights
During the Middle Ages, English nobles revolted against a cruel king who overtaxed them

26. England before Queen Elizabeth I
Parliament is a legislative group of commoners and lords who work with the king to pass laws and taxes
The Magna Carta created a “limited monarchy” and led to the formation of Parliament in 1295

27. After Mary’s death in 1558, Elizabeth became queen
Elizabeth ruled for 45 years and became the greatest monarch in English history
Elizabeth refused to share power with a man and never married (she was known as the “Virgin Queen”)

28. During her reign, Elizabeth worked with Parliament to settle important issues
One of the most important issues was to determine what religion England would be: Anglican or Catholic?
Elizabeth and Parliament passed the Act of Uniformity which made Anglicanism the official religion of England.

29. After Elizabeth’s death in 1603, the Stuart family assumed
the monarchy
Unlike Elizabeth, these Stuart kings refused to work with Parliament and tried to create an absolute monarchy in England

30. …which led to the trial and beheading of Charles I in 1649.
Conflicts between Parliament and Charles I led to the English Civil War in 1642…
…which led to the trial and beheading of Charles I in 1649.
There was a short lived republic in England until 1660 when the monarchy was reestablished under Charles II.
In 1689, Parliament was fed up with James II and asked his daughter Mary to be queen…

31. England After Elizabeth
…William and Mary’s overthrow of James II was the Glorious Revolution, Parliament required the new monarchs to sign a Bill of Rights
The Bill of Rights protected citizens from their gov’t:
The king cannot tax or overturn Parliament’s laws
Protected freedom of speech
The army cannot be used as a police force
No excessive bail