Modernization of Europe

Kingship in the Middle Ages

Medieval political theorists viewed kings as deriving power from God, sharing political power with feudal lords, clergy, etc.

Absolutist Theory

There must be only one sovereign in every state who holds all legitimate power and should never be actively resisted.

Divine Right of Kings

A particular version of absolutist theory insisting that a ruler's power is derived solely from God.

Sovereignty

The ultimate supreme power in any state, characterized by freedom from external control and formal acknowledgment by other states.

Jean Bodin

Published Six Books of the Commonwealth in 1576, arguing that sovereignty was absolute and indivisible.

Raison d’état

A political philosophy principle that justifies actions taken by the state to protect its self-interest.

Louis XIV

The French king who assumed responsibility for governance in 1661; known for the centralization of monarchical power.

Storming of the Bastille

A pivotal event on July 14, 1789, symbolizing the fall of royal authority and the start of the French Revolution.

Declaration of the Rights of Man

Fundamental document from the French Revolution outlining the natural rights of individuals, adopted on August 26, 1789.

Sans-culottes

Radical group of common people in late 18th-century France advocating for social and economic equality during the French Revolution.

Reign of Terror

Period from September 1793 to July 1794 marked by extreme measures to eliminate perceived threats to the revolution.

Coup of Thermidor

The event that led to the fall of Robespierre and the end of the Reign of Terror.

Napoleon Bonaparte

French military leader and statesman, who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and established the Consulate.

Code Napoleon

Civil code established by Napoleon that replaced local codes of the Ancien Régime, promoting equality before the law.

Battle of Trafalgar

Pivotal naval engagement in 1805 establishing British naval supremacy and thwarting Napoleon's invasion plans.

Continental System

Napoleon's policy to blockade British trade and weaken Britain's economy during the Napoleonic Wars.

First Treaty of Paris

Moderate treaty after Napoleon's first defeat, reducing French territory back to its 1792 borders.