absolutism id terms

noblesse d'epee (sword nobles)

traditional warrior aristocracy in France who resisted centralization of royal power

noblesse de robe (robe nobles)

French aristocracy that gained power and status through service in royal bureaucracy or purchase of offices

Louis XIII

French king (1610–1643) whose reign, directed largely by Cardinal Richelieu, strengthened absolutism by suppressing Huguenot political power (Siege of La Rochelle, 1628), expanding the use of intendants to enforce royal authority in the provinces, reducing noble independence, and involving France in the Thirty Years’ War to weaken the Habsburgs and increase French influence in Europe

intendants

royal officials sent to the provinces to enforce royal decrees and reduce noble power in France

Louis XIV

Sun King” (1643–1715), epitome of absolutism who centralized power, built Versailles, and claimed divine right;

Cardinal Mazarin

chief minister for Louis XIV during his youth

Fronde

series of noble and peasant uprisings (1648–1653) in France against Mazarin and centralization

Bishop Jacques Bossuet

served as a tutor to King Louis XIV's son and became a respected member of the French Academy. He was deeply influential in shaping the moral, political, and religious discourse in France, advocating for the importance of a stable monarchy and the role of divine justice.

L' état c'est moi

phrase attributed to Louis XIV meaning “I am the state

Jean-Baptiste Colbert

implementation of mercantilist economic policies as Finance Minister under Louis XIV, which strengthened France's economy through state control, manufacturing support, and colonial expansion. He also served as Secretary of State for the Navy and championed cultural patronage, founding scientific and artistic academies that left a lasting legacy.  

Marquis of Louvois

Louis XIV’s war minister who built France’s professional standing army and pursued expansionist wars

War of the Spanish Succession

conflict (1701–1714) over Bourbon succession to Spanish throne

Treaties of Utrecht

ended the War of the Spanish Succession (1713)

Cardinal Fleury

chief minister under Louis XV who provided stability and peace

Hohenzollerns

ruling dynasty of Brandenburg-Prussia that built a strong absolutist state

Frederick William

reign laid the groundwork for the rise of Brandenburg-Prussia, transitioning it toward centralized absolutism and enhancing its political and military power. He is recognized for establishing order and security during a tumultuous period, setting the stage for future Hohenzollern rulers.

Junkers

Prussian landed nobility who supported absolutism in exchange for control over serfs

Maria Theresa

Habsburg ruler of Austria who fought to maintain power after the Pragmatic Sanction

Pragmatic Sanction

1713 decree by Charles VI to secure inheritance of Habsburg lands by his daughter Maria Theresa

Muscovy

medieval Russian principality that expanded and eventually became the foundation of centralized Russia

Ivan IV ("The Terrible")

first tsar of Russia who centralized power

boyars

Russian nobility who often resisted centralization but were eventually subdued by tsars

Romanovs

Russian dynasty beginning in 1613 that consolidated autocracy and expanded Russia

Duma

Russian assembly of nobles and advisors to the tsar

Peter the Great

Russian tsar (1682–1725) who modernized army

"Window to the West"

Peter the Great’s policy of westernizing Russia and gaining access to the Baltic Sea for trade

St. Petersburg

new Russian capital built by Peter the Great as a symbol of modernization and absolutism

Battle of Poltava

1709 The battle ended Sweden's status as a major power and marked the beginning of Russian supremacy in eastern Europe.

James I

first Stuart king of England who believed in divine right monarchy, clashed with Parliament;

Charles I

known for his conflict with Parliament, which led to the English Civil War and his subsequent execution in 1649. He is also recognized for his staunch belief in the divine right of kings, his attempts to impose religious uniformity, his patronage of the arts, and the lasting impact of his reign and execution on the balance of power between the monarchy and Parliament in Britain.  

Ship Money

by King Charles I without parliamentary consent during his Personal Rule (1629-1640), to fund the royal navy. Initially levied on coastal towns to provide warships, Charles extended the tax to inland counties, which provoked significant opposition and legal challenges

Petition of Right

1628 parliamentary document limiting royal authority

Triennial Act

law requiring Parliament to meet at least once every three years

Writ of Habeas Corpus

legal protection against arbitrary imprisonment

Long Parliament

English Parliament (1640–1660) that resisted Charles I and limited monarchy

New Model Army

disciplined parliamentary army led by Cromwell

Pride's Purge

removal of moderate members of Parliament by the army

"Rump" Parliament

the remnant of Parliament after Pride’s Purge

Act of Settlement

1701 law ensuring Protestant succession in England

Interregnum

period between the execution of Charles I and the Restoration

Test Act

English law barring Catholics from public office

Whigs

political faction opposing absolute monarchy

Tories

political faction supporting royal authority and Anglican Church

James II

Catholic Stuart king whose attempt at absolutism and religious tolerance led to the Glorious Revolution

English Bill of Rights

1689 document establishing parliamentary sovereignty and constitutional monarchy

Robert Walpole

Britain’s first de facto prime minister