1. Warfare & Conflicting Interests of States
The Old Regime
Warfare & Conflicting Interests of States

2. The Old Regime
1715 – Louis XIV dies and warns his grandson and heir Louis XV to not “imitate my love of building nor my liking of war”
the newly growing British and Prussian empires were ambitious – they take the fighting into North America and Asia, turning European conflicts into global conflicts

3. Eastern Europe Powers are Russia and Brandenburg Prussia
The Old Regime
Eastern Europe
Powers are Russia and Brandenburg Prussia
Russia had defeated Sweden and is interested in Poland
Prussia also wants Poland and land of the Austro-Hungarian Empire
The Austro-Hungarians prepared to defend their own…

4. The Old Regime
Russia
Peter the Great had modernized Russia’s government and military and made them the dominant Northeastern European power…this also made enemies…
everything that Peter had worked for in his life begins to fall apart when he dies…

5. The Old Regime
Catherine the Great
Obscure princess from a little German state, she was married off to Peter III who was tyrannical and intellectually limited (grandson of Peter the Great) – he disliked her and lost supporters
She conspired with aristocratic army officers and has him assassinated – she is now tsarina of Russia

6. The Old Regime
Catherine the Great
She is intelligent and charismatic → wants to expand Russia
Friends with French philosophes like Diderot and Voltaire
Relaxed constraints on the press and took land away from the church – she reforms education and opens schools for girls

7. Ottoman Empire Suffered defeat at the hands of Russia
The Old Regime
Ottoman Empire
Mustafa III, Sultan of the Ottoman Empire
Suffered defeat at the hands of Russia
Economy suffered, population grew and they could not compete commercially with Europe
Uprisings of Arabian provinces where religious reform (Wahabism) challenged the power of the sultans
Ultraconservative Sunni Islam

8. The Old Regime
Brandenburg-Prussia
Frederick William I – unquestioned absolutism, centralized military that took 70% of the budget
The middle classes cannot rise through military ranks
Slave-like serf poor
Avoided war, promoted economy, fills treasury and welcomes religious refugees
1740 Frederick the Great (Frederick II) uses power to go after Austria…

9. Austria Maria Theresa is the empress in 1740
The Old Regime
Austria
Maria Theresa is the empress in 1740
Austria is a set of semi-autonomous territories
Weak hold on Hungary
Nobles dominated their serfs, serfs paid to nobles not the crown

10. The Seven Years’ War (1756-1763)
1762: tsarina Elizabeth of Russia dies, successor likes Frederick the Great (Prussia) and withdraws from the War – just Austria and France vs Prussia and Britain now
1763: peace in Europe, but the fighting had/has spread to colonies in India, Caribbean and North America

11. Warfare
Armies becoming more professional with paid soldiers, but still a lot of citizen conscripts
More reliable weaponry
Mobile cannons, artillery and cavalry
Ability to mobilize and coordinate troops

12. Warfare War now more about strategy than brute force
Attempt to avoid “big wars”, but when they happen..
Row by row infantry firing muskets into other side, artillery fire and cavalry charging in
Largest ships had 100 cannons and they shot at each other point blank

13. Colonial Rivalry: France vs Britain
Britain vs France – colonial rivals, opposite sides of the Seven Years’ War in Europe as well
France: Louis XIV dies in 1715 – Louis XV ( ) still believes in Absolutism, but he has taxation problems…the parlements help the nobles sidestep taxation
Louis XV abolishes the parlements in 1770 but on his death 4 years later, Louis XVI reinstates them…