1. The Age of Absolutism Renaissance Begins Reformation Begins 1550 1420
Philip II
Louis XIV
Peter the Great
Frederick the Great
Queen Elizabeth
Renaissance
Begins
Reformation
Begins
1550
1420
Age of Exploration
Begins
Absolutists begin
To reign
1350
1517

2. Europe during a period of crisis:
RELIGION:
Religions were becoming highly militant, especially the Calvinists & the Catholics.
FRANCE: Wars on religion ( )
Persecuting Protestants
Huguenots = French Calvinists [Protestants]
The King, Henry of Navarre is a PROTESTANT!
King Henry of Navarre

3. 1572 – St. Bartholomeu’s Day Massacre
Slaughtering of the Huguenots, while Huguenot Henry of Navarre marries French princess Catherine

4. King Henry Navarre’s Solution
He Changes to Catholicism in order to keep the people happy
“France is worth a mass”
He then declares the EDICT OF NANTES: Catholicism is the official religion of France, but Huguenots could worship
In the end he is stabbed to death over religion
Henry has 3 sons who will rule poorly

5. Europe during a period of crisis:
ECONOMIC & SOCIAL:
INFLATION – influx in gold and silver coming in from the Americas.
WITCHCRAFT – because of the Inquisition there was an increased worry of witches.
THIRTY YEARS WAR – Dispute in Germany over the Peace of Augsburg (1555).

6. Thirty Years War In short:
all European powers ended up being involved, and it destroyed the Holy Roman Empire
PEACE OF WESTPHALIA: German states could determine their own religion

8. ~ Western Civilization, Margaret L. King, 2000
“It is God who establishes kings. They thus act as ministers of God and His lieutenants on earth. It is through them that he rules. This is why we have seen that the royal throne is not the throne of a man but a throne of God himself.”
~ Western Civilization, Margaret L. King, 2000

9. How to solve this continual crisis?
SOLUTION  ABSOLUTISM
What is it?
System in which ruler holds total power
Idea of divine right of kings- God gives rulers the power to rule, so they can’t be wrong
Needed someone strong enough to solve all of these problems of crisis in Europe:
CENTRALIZATION

10. Philip II of Spain Dealt with the religious crisis
Known as: the most CATHOLIC king.
First goal: consolidate all lands given to him, and to do this he enforced strict Catholicism:
Spain
Netherlands
Possessions in Italy
Possessions in the Americas
When Philip died he had the most populous empire in the world, and he was the most bankrupt.

12. Elizabeth of England
Becomes leading Protestant nation
New Act of Supremacy: naming her “only supreme governor”
Feared Spain and France allying so she sends out Sir Francis Drake
Philip II thinks of invading England:
Extend Catholicism
The famous Spanish Armada is defeated

13. France and Absolutism- Henry’s Sons
Louis the 13th
Louis the BAD Ruler
Louis XIII- Louis was actually a very weak king
He needed Cardinal Richelieu help to rule
Believed in Absolute Rule

14. Cardinal Richelieu Before Louis comes to the throne, Richelieu:
Revokes Edict of Nantes
Sets up spies against the nobles to weaken their Gov’t power
He believes in Gov’t by the middle class, intendants

15. Louis XIV of France
Best example of an absolute monarch – Sun King. “L’état c’est moi”
His court was the best example of culture in the world.
His court was imitated throughout Europe.
Builds Palace- Versailles

16. Louis XIV

17. Threats to Louis XIV’s Life!
The Nobles Attack!!
During religious war (30 yrs war) Louis was in the street
A noble threatened Louis’s life and scratched his face with a sword
Louis NEVER FORGOT THIS and hated the nobles because of it

18. Cardinal Mazarin
Louis XIV came to the throne at age 4 and was thus Mazarin was his “kingmaker”
As a ruler
Raised taxes
Ended 30 yrs war
Strengthened Gov’t

19. LET’S TAKE A TOUR. . . .SHALL WE. . . .
Palace at Versailles
Louis XIV built this grand palace for himself with his people’s taxes.
It cost and estimated $2.5 billion in 2003 dollars.
This palace is the embodiment of his absolute power.
It took 36,000 workers and 6,000 horses
Served 3 purposes:
Personal household of the king
Chief offices of state were here
Power subjects came to find favors
LET’S TAKE A TOUR SHALL WE
FIELD TRIP!!!!

21. Hall of Mirrors: Considered the most beautiful room
17 tall mirrors on one side
Windows open to the garden
Statues, chandeliers, and painted ceiling

22. Gardens at
Versailles:
Still kept fully intact today
Originally built with:
5,000 acres of gardens, lawns, and woods
1,400 fountains

23. Fountains at Versailles:
Fountains at Versailles: *Because so much water was needed to run them, it was only done for special events *However, when the king would walk the garden the servants would turn them on for Louis, and turned off when he walked away.

24. Bedroom at Versailles:
*Chief valet awoke Louis at 8:30
*100 nobles awaited outside his canopy bed to be able to dress him.
*Only 4 would be allowed the honor of handing Louis his slippers or holding his sleeves for him.

25. Louis the Sun King 500 Servants
Wanted everything around him to be fancy- feasts, people fighting to dress him,
Patron of Arts-
Ballet, Art and Music- to Glorify the king

26. Louis controls the Nobles
Because of his run-in with the nobles when he was young (riot during which he was threatened with a sword), he distrusts the nobles- takes away much of their political power
Strengthened the Middle Class Intendants- the civil service who collect taxes & police
Solution- invite nobles to your palace (Versailles) and make sure that you can watch everything they do… have power over them through keeping them CLOSE!

27. Louis’s Help Ruling Jean Baptiste Colbert- Minister of Finances
Mercantilism- tries to make France self- sufficient
No Trade= no gold leaving the country
Import Tariff
Colonies for Natural Resources

28. Good Try Louis
Louis aimed to expand France by invading the Spanish part of the Netherlands
Ended up getting in the war of the Spanish Succession
Thanks a lot Louis!
This warring brought about dismal losses and heavy taxing
Upon his death, France was extremely ecstatic

29. Germany After the 30 years war:
Over 300 “Germanies”
2 most powerful states:
Prussia
Austria

30. Frederick the Great of Prussia
Built foundation for a newly made state of Prussia.
Known as: Royal Drill Sergeant:
Created the 4th largest army (40,000) in Europe
Frederick the Great with Voltaire

31. Frederick plays papa to his people
Frederick wanted to be a protective leader to his people
He encouraged religious toleration and reform within Prussia
Aimed to be honest and responsible
Great legacy is his military strength and his expansion of Prussia’s power

32. Peter the Great A czar during the Romanov Dynasty
Peter was a giant man- 6 feet tall, and had a HUGE temper.
Was known to knock people unconscious if they defied him
During a trip to the West, nobles tried to rise up and take over the throne- Peter came back and taught the rebels a lesson!!!

33. Peter the Reformer!
Took a trip to the West and borrowed much of what he saw from the Europeans.
Etiquette
Culture – beards shaved
women don’t have to cover their faces
Modernized the army (210,000 men) and navy.
To rule more effectively he set up a “police state” and governed through provinces.
Made Russia as important as Europe by his death.
St. Petersburg – window to the west

34. = Travels of Peter