Age of Absolutism Test Study Guide

Characteristics of Absolute Monarchs

They had centralized, unrestricted power, could choose things like religion, speech, censorship over their people, ruled for life, and were usually very hostile.

Divine Right

What was used for justification of absolute monarchs, where they basically said that they were God's chosen person to rule over the land, and they acted as a representative of God on Earth.

Philip II of Spain's Inheritance

When he inherited the throne, he was given the Spanish Netherlands, parts of Italy, and some parts of the American Colonies.

King Philip II's Seizure in 1580

Philip seized the Kingdom of Portugal after the Portuguese King died.

Philip II's Palace

The Escorial was Philip II's massive granite palace in Spain. It was where he primarily resided.

Philip II's Relationship with the Arts

Monarchs and nobles that lived with him became patrons of the arts, like El Greco and Diego Velasquez. He was also a major patron of the arts, and a devout Catholic.

Reason for the Revolt in the Spanish Netherlands

The Netherlands revolted because they were primarily Calvinist, and they hated being oppressed by Philip II's Catholic Rule.

Queen Elizabeth I's Support

She supported Protestant forces because both them and the Spanish Netherlands were Protestant, and Philip thought that he needed to take care of the English first so that way he could get rid of the Protestant insurrection in the Spanish Netherlands.

Spanish Attempted Invasion of Britain

The Spanish's attempted invasion of Britain led to their defeat, which was a huge upset victory, and eventually led to the demise of Philip II's rule over Spain, as the Spanish were no longer the strongest military.

Reasons for Decline of Spain under Philip II

Inflation and Taxes, expulsion of Jews and Muslims, no taxes on the noble class, making other countries rich, and the Dutch Revolt and other wars of expansion.

Edict of Nantes

An Edict signed in 1598 declared that Huguenots (French Protestants) could live in peace in France and establish houses of worship in some cities.

Bourbons

A French Royal Dynasty that started with Henry IV, who was originally a Huguenot and converted to Catholicism on behalf of his war-weary country.

King Louis XIV's Nickname

Sun King.

Quote Associated with King Louis XIV

I am the state.

Duration of King Louis XIV's Rule

He ruled for 72 years.

Cardinal Mazarin

Worked with King Louis XIV.

Intendant system

A system where there was a series of government agents, each over various districts, acting as agents of the king, collecting taxes, and enforcing Louis' laws, which weakened the power of the nobility.

Palace of Versailles

King Louis XIV's royal palace.

Nobles at Versailles

King Louis XIV forced nobles to live part of the year at the Palace of Versailles to keep an eye on them and created rules that provoked hostility between nobles.

Edict of Nantes

Canceled by Louis XIV to achieve religious uniformity, showcasing his absolute power, leading to Huguenots fleeing France and decreased revenue.

Spanish Netherlands invasion

King Louis XIV invaded the Spanish Netherlands in 1667.

Dutch Netherlands invasion

King Louis XIV invaded the Dutch Netherlands in 1672.

Charles II's promise

Charles II promised Louis XIV's grandson the throne to unite Spain and France under the French Bourbons.

War of Spanish Succession

A conflict caused by several countries collaborating to prevent the unification of Spanish and French thrones.

Treaty of Utrecht

Allowed Louis's grandson to remain king of France and Spain as long as the thrones were not united; Britain gained Gibraltar and the right to slave trade.

Louis XIV's impact on successors

He plunged France into staggering debt and resentment due to heavy taxation, leading to a sour impression of his future heirs.

Peace of Augsburg

Allowed Princes to decide the religion of their territory, signed in 1555.

Thirty Years' War causes

Caused by HRE Emperor Ferdinand II closing Protestant Churches, leading to a revolt by Bohemian Protestants.

Thirty Years' War year range

1618-1648.

Treaty of Westphalia significance

Abandoned the idea of a Catholic Empire ruling Europe, recognized independent states, and marked the beginning of the modern state system.

Families after Thirty Years' War

The Habsburgs from Austria and the Hohenzollerns from Brandenburg and Prussia (Germany) fought for dominance.

War of Austrian Succession leaders

Frederick II and Maria Theresa.

Seven Years' War

Occurred from 1756-1768, involving Austria, France, and Russia against Prussia, starting with Prussia's attack on Saxony.

Peter the Great's royal family

Peter the Great is from the Romanovs.

Peter the Great and the Russian Orthodox Church

Placed it under state control, abolishing the office of Patriarch, increasing centralized government power.

Peter the Great

He modernized the military, reduced power of landowners, introduced new foods, started a newspaper, introduced new clothing, advanced education, and even changed the new year from Sept. 1st to Jan 1st.

Warm-water port

Russia sought a warm-water port to make it easier to communicate with and travel to the west.

St. Petersburg

He established the city of St. Petersburg, which was built by Serfs.

Peter the Great political cartoon

It's like a picture of Peter shaving a man's mustache, and it basically is telling how he's forcing them to adopt western cultures.

Magna Carta

King John signed the Magna Carta to Grant Rights to nobles and urban elites, and this established the system of Parliament.

Tudor monarchs

Monarchs who ruled England from 1485-1603.

James Stuart

He ruled after Queen Elizabeth I and had struggles with Parliament, similar to Queen Elizabeth, and he has worse financial debt than she does.

Charles I dissolving Parliament

He dissolved Parliament for the first time when he was in a war with Spain and France, and he urgently needed money.

Petition of Right

He was forced to sign a Petition of Right when he called upon parliament again in 1628, and then ignored it.

Charles I reaching out to Parliament

He had tried to force Presbyterian Scots to accept the Anglican prayerbook, but that didn't work, they revolted, and they're threatening to invade England.

English Civil War

Charles I tried to arrest Parliament officials, and this backfired.

Oliver Cromwell

He led the roundheads during the English Civil War.

Significance of Charles I's execution

The first time a monarch had faced public trial and execution.

Oliver Cromwell's rule

He was an absolute monarch, that eventually became a dictator.

Restoration

The name of the period of Charles II's reign.

Habeas Corpus

Gave a prisoner the right to trial, to see a judge before they were detained or executed. This prevented rulers from just immediately sentencing people to death.

Concerns about James II

He was Catholic and violated English Law. Parliament protested against him, but he shut them down by dissolving them.

Glorious Revolution

The bloodless abdication of James II's Rule.

English Bill of Rights

The English Bill of Rights stated that: No suspending of Parliament's laws, No Levying taxes without specific grant of parliament, No interfering with freedom of speech of Parliament, No penalty for a citizen that petitions to the King about grievances.

Constitutional monarchy

The events of the English Civil War and beyond led to the creation of a constitutional monarchy, where the monarchy would work with Parliament as a partner instead of just a roadblock.