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

3. Absolute Monarchs of Europe
A quick guide

4. Philip II r. 1556-1598 Spain Hapsburg Family Catholic
Attempted invasion of England
Spanish Armada Defeated

5. King James I

6. James I and the clash with Parliament
James I wanted absolute power when he inherited the throne from Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth wanted absolute power too, but was better at flattering parliament to get her way
Always conflict between the royalty and parliament over $ - royalty wants $ for royal court and foreign wars

7. James I continued
Also annoyed people b/c he refused to make Puritan reforms (get rid of Catholic practices).
Hated when anyone told him what to do
Known for the King James bible – the Puritan translation of the old bible

8. Charles I 1625, James I dies and his son, Charles I, gets the throne
Always needed $ for war
The people hated the taxes (obviously)
Doesn’t he look like a pompous jerk?

9. More of Charles I
When parliament denied $ requests, he dissolved parliament
1628, parliament gets back together and asks Charles to sign the Petition of Right

10. Petition of Right No imprisonment without due cause
No taxation without parliament’s consent
No putting soldiers in private homes
No martial law during peacetime
Charles I signed the petition and then ignored it – even dissolved parliament again and levied mad taxes on the people

11. English Civil War
Since Charles I ruled over Scotland AND England, there were several religions
Charles I wanted ONE religion – ended up in Civil War when the Scots rebelled
War cost $, so Charles needed Parliament. Parliament hated him and wanted to limit his power
Supporters of Charles I = Royalists (Cavaliers)
The opposition supports Parliament = Roundheads

12. More Civil War
Under leadership of Oliver Cromwell, the puritan roundheads finally won (1646)
Took Charles I hostage, tried him in front of the public and executed him
The decapitation -

13. Oliver Cromwell
1649 he got rid of the monarchy and established a republican form of government
Sent most of the Parliamentary members home and eventually established a military dictatorship (he tore up the first constitution that his associate produced)
Since Ireland was under English rule, the Irish revolted against Cromwell and failed – 616,000 Irish were killed by war, plague and famine

14. Puritan Morality
Cromwell and the Puritans wanted to improve England’s morality
Abolished all “sinful” things – like theater
Cromwell was tolerant of other religions despite his deep Puritan beliefs (EXCEPT CATHOLICS)

15. Restoration and Revolution
English get sick of military rule and after Cromwell dies, they ask the older son of Charles I (Charles II) to rule England
Restoration of monarch = restoration
Allowed the return of theater and sports
Passed important guarantee of freedom: Habeas Corpus
“to have the body”
People need to know why they’re arrested
Could not be held indefinitely without trial

16. James II and the Glorious Revolution
James II got the throne after Charles II died
Everyone hated James b/c he was flamboyantly Catholic and gave his Catholic friends good jobs
James was eventually peacefully overthrown by his own daughter and her husband (Protestants)
William and Mary then ruled England

17. Political Changes
First Constitutional Monarchy where laws limited the ruler’s power
Bill of Rights:
No suspension of Parliament’s laws
No taxes w/o Parliament’s consent
Freedom of speech in Parliament
No penalty for complaining about the King

18. Political Changes Continued
Established a Cabinet
Cabinet was a link b/w the majority party in Parliament and the King
Became center of power and policymaking
Still exists today
Leader of Cabinet = Prime Minister
Who is the Prime Minister of England today???

19. Louis XIII & Cardinal Richelieu
France
Bourbon Dynasty
Louis not a capable leader
Richelieu basically ruled for him
Richelieu’s goals for France
Make king an absolute monarch
Make France most powerful nation in Europe

20. Louis XIV r. 1643-1715 France Bourbon Dynasty “I am the state”
Versailles
Symbol of wealth and power
Catholic
Repealed Edict of Nantes

21. Ivan IV a.k.a Ivan the Terrible
Russia
First “czar”
Distrusted nobles
Established a secret police
Killed own son

22. Peter I a.k.a. Peter the Great
Russia
Romanov Dynasty
Westernization of Russia
Wanted Western European Technology
Taxed beards and other Eastern influences
St. Petersburg
Easier access to the west

23. Catherine II a.k.a. Catherine the Great
Russia
Romanov Dynasty
Doubled size of Russia
Warm water sea port
Sided with nobles and made life bad for serfs

24. Maria Theresa r.1740-1780 Austria Hapsburgs Catholic Peasant reforms
War of Austrian Succession
Had to give up Silesia to Prussia
Seven Years War
world wide conflict
Austrian side lost

25. Frederick II a.k.a. Frederick the Great
Hohenzollern dynasty
Prussia
An atheist
Believed in religious toleration
Brilliant military leader
War of Austrian Succession, on winning side of 7 Years’ War
Treated subjects as if he were their father

26. Elizabeth I r. 1558-1603 England Last Tudor monarch Patron of the arts
Defeated Spanish Armada
Brits had dominant naval power until WWII