1. Absolutism in Eastern Europe
Overview of the HOP RAP the three aging Empires the HOP give way to the emerging empires the RAP.
Absolutism in Eastern Europe

2. Holy Roman Empire
Religious divisions because of the Reformation and the religious wars.

3. Ottoman Empire
Unable to maintain possessions in Eastern Europe because of Austria and Russia
Built on Expansion
Sultan had absolute power
After 1560 the decline leads to its gradual disintegration
Suleiman the Magnificent
Most powerful world ruler of the 16th c.
Nearly conquered Austria, captured Belgrade, nearly ½ of eastern Europe belonged to him
Tolerant of religion

4. Poland
Liberum VETO
By 1800 Poland ceased to exist and was carved up by Russia, Austria and Prussia

5. W. Absolutism v. E. Absolutism
Limited nobility
Strong Middle Class
Near freedom from Oppression
Powerful nobility
Weak Middle Class
Oppression of peasantry (serfs)

6. Serfdom in E. Europe from 1300
Revival of serfdom to battle bad economy after 1300 (Black death was hard on nobility)
Kings and princes issued laws restricting peasants movements
Confiscation of peasant lands
Monopolized legal system
Robot: non-serf peasants were required to work 3-4 days without pay per week

7. Serfdom
Herediatry serfdom reinstated by Poland, Russian and Prussia
1574: Poland nobles have complete control over peasants
1694: tsar rescinded 9 year limit on runaway serfs
Growth of estate agriculture in Poland and e. Germany
Food prices increase
Surpluses were sold to foreign merchants to feed west.

8. Why in East and not West? In the west the Black Death helped labor
Political reasons were more plausible
Nobles had more power (needed by monarchy)
Constant warfare
Eastern kings couldn’t control landlord policies
Peasants were weaker politically
Landlords undermined medieval privileges of towns and urban classes

9. The Habsburgs
& the
Holy Roman Empire

10. H: Holy Roman Empire rise of Austria
Ruler of Austria was usually selected as HR Emperor
War of Spanish Succession and Treaty of Utrecht caused the concentration of Hapsburgs in Austria
Includes: Naples, Sardinia, Milan, Belgium (Utrecht), Hungary and Transylvania= Got the last two out of battles with Ottomans.

11. Austrian Empire:

12. Ineffective rule of HRE causes them to focus inward and eastward to consolidate.
Reorganized Bohemia = Absolutism
Centralized Austria Proper
Serfdom intensifies.
Austria is NOT a national state; very multinational
No single constitution or administration each region has a different legal relationship to Emperor.

13. Habsburg Family Crest

14. Important Hapsburgs. Ferdinand II (1619-1637)
Took control of Bohemia during 30 years war.
Ferdinand III ( )
Centralized government in old provinces of Austria proper.

15. Leopold I 1658-1705 Restricted Protestant worship. Siege of Vienna
Successfully repelled Turks at gates of Vienna in 1683

16. Schönbrunn Palace

17. Schönbrunn Palace

18. Schönbrunn Palace

19. Charles VI: 1711-1740 PRAGMATIC SANCTION
Maria Theresa inherits his empire

20. Holy Roman Empire: 1750

21. The Hohenzollerns
&
Brandenburg-Prussia

22. Prussia & the Austrian Empire: 1721-72

23. P: Prussia the HOHENZOLLERNS
Began as just Brandenburg and was one of the 7 electors.
By 17th c. not really involved with HRE
Marriages give more control in Germany
Princes had little power over the nobility.

24. Prussian Family Crest

25. FREDERICK WILLIAM: the Great Elector
Strict Calvinist but tolerant
Admired Swedish system of gov’t and economy
Louis wars and struggle for Baltic cause constant crisis
Invaded by Tartars
Weakens noble estates and increase demands for more money and larger army
Refuse to join reps of towns to resist absolute power.

26. The Great Elector
Oversaw militarism and created most significant army in Europe
Uses Militarism and taxes to unify
Increase military spending through heavy taxes
Junkers
Dominated Brandenburg and Prussia
Subjugation of serfs to compensate for loyalty
Encourages industry and trade

27. King Frederick I aka. Frederick III of Brandenburg
1st “King of Prussia” The Ostentatious
Most popular
Wanted to imitate Louis XIV
Encouraged Education
Fought 2 wars with Louis

28. Frederick William I “The Soldiers King”
Most important involving Absolutism
Created Militarism
“Sparta of the North”
Most efficient Bureaucracy
Junkers remained officers for loyalty
Established 1,000 schools

29. Frederick II: “The Great”
“Enlightened Despots”
Most powerful and famous
Increased territory at expense of Austria

30. RISE OF RUSSIA

31. Rise of Moscow Ivan I Ivan the Great Cooperated with Mongols
Awarded title Great Prince
Ivan the Great
United principalities
First ruler of the independent state.

32. The First Czar
Ivan IV Became king of Russia in He was 3 years old.
His mother along with some boyars ruled for him until 1544.
Struggled for power with nobles (boyars)

33. Rule by TERROR Ivan turns against boyars in 1560.
He thought they had poisoned his wife (Anastasia).
He kills them and takes their lands.
Beats his pregnant daughter-in-law and then kills his own son.
Kind of went crazy.

34. “Time of Troubles” Followed the Terrible’s death
Ivan’s heir is weak. He was physically and mentally unable to rule Russia.
He dies without an heir.
Period of famine, power struggles and war
Cossack bands
Sweden and Poland conquered Moscow
Elect

35. Rise of the Romanovs The boyars fight over who will be king.
Elect Ivan’s wife Anastasia’s grandnephew.
Lasts from 1613 to 1917 and the Russian Revolution.
Michael Romanov comes to power in 1613.
The Romanov’s strengthened the government
They also restored order to Russia.

36. Peter the Great Becomes czar in 1696. Begins to reform Russia.
Traveled to Europe to get ideas on how to westernize or modernize Russia.

37. Russia Is cut off geographically from Europe.
Culturally isolated and different from the rest of Europe.
Different religions.
They were slavic and had different traditions than the rest of Europe.
They grew beards and wore more drab clothing.

38. Reforms and Westernization
Brings Orthodox Church under state control
Reduces power of great landowners
Modernizes army by having European officers train soldiers.
Brings other Europeans engineers, scientists.
Introduces potatoes
Starts first newspaper
Raises women’s status
Adopts Western Fashion
Advances Education
Table of Ranks

39. St. Petersburg Peter wants a seaport to make western travel easier.
Great Northern War
1703 begins the building of the city.
Took a long time and many die of disease.