Unit 8 Age of Absolutism

Which political philosopher argued in Leviathan that a ruler needed absolute power to protect people from their own selfishness?

Thomas Hobbes

What was Bishop Jacques Bossuet's main argument for supporting absolutism?

He believed rulers needed absolute power to reward good and punish evil as God would.

Which French monarch referred to himself as the "Sun King" and is considered the best example of absolutism?

Louis XIV

What role did Versailles Palace play in Louis XIV's control over the nobility?

He required nobles to live there part of the year so he could keep an eye on them.

How did finance minister Jean Baptiste Colbert help Louis XIV strengthen his rule?

He made financial reforms that enabled Louis to build Versailles and support a large army.

What were the two major mistakes Louis XIV made that weakened France?

Costly wars in Europe and revoking the Edict of Nantes in 1685.

What was the consequence of Louis XIV revoking the Edict of Nantes for French Protestants?

Thousands of Huguenots fled France, weakening the economy and society.

What was the Pragmatic Sanction and why was it important for Austria?

A document signed by European powers to allow Maria Theresa to inherit the throne.

Which Prussian dynasty cooperated with the Junkers to establish absolutism?

The Hohenzollern Dynasty

How did Frederick II the Great of Prussia strengthen his power through warfare?

He gained territory by attacking Austria in the War of the Austrian Succession and the 7 Years' War.

What event involved Austria, Prussia, and Russia dividing a neighboring country's land among themselves?

The Partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795)

How did Peter the Great try to reduce the power of Russian nobles, the Boyars?

He banned their long beards and sleeves, and personally cut them with scissors.

Why did Peter the Great fight the Great Northern War against Sweden?

To gain access to the Baltic Sea, a "window to the West."

What new capital did Peter the Great build as part of his westernization efforts?

St. Petersburg

What were the three major goals Peter the Great successfully completed?

Made his power absolute, gained access to the Baltic Sea, and westernized Russia.

Which English monarchs attempted but failed to establish absolutism under the Stuart Dynasty?

James I and Charles I

What were the three rebellions Charles I faced that weakened his rule?

Scottish Rebellion (1637), Irish Rebellion (1641), and England's First Civil War (1642-1646)

Name one strategic mistake made by Charles I that helped Parliament win the Civil War.

He left control of London in Parliament's hands.

Who led Parliament's military forces to victory and later ruled as Lord Protector?

Oliver Cromwell

What happened in England shortly after Oliver Cromwell's death?

The monarchy was restored.

What does the term Absolutism mean in the context of European monarchies?

Making the ruler's power absolute and unchecked by other institutions.

How did Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin contribute to Absolutism in France before Louis XIV?

They laid the foundation for Absolutism by strengthening royal power over the nobility.

What symbolic phrase is often attributed to Louis XIV, even though he didn't say it?

“L'État, c’est moi” or “I am the state.”

How large did Louis XIV grow the French army during his reign, making it the largest in Europe?

400,000 soldiers

What was the name of the Protestant French group that fled after the Edict of Nantes was revoked?

Huguenots

What major ruling house did Maria Theresa belong to, and what challenge did she face upon ascending the throne?

The Habsburg Dynasty; her right to rule was questioned despite the Pragmatic Sanction.

What was the significance of the Partitions of Poland (1772, 1793, 1795)?

Austria, Prussia, and Russia completely divided and eliminated Poland as a sovereign state.

What visible changes did Peter the Great enforce to make Russian nobles appear more like Western Europeans?

He banned long beards and sleeves and personally cut them off.

What title was given to Oliver Cromwell after his victories over Charles I and the Irish and Scottish forces?

Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland

What were the four main reasons Parliament defeated Charles I in the English Civil War?

1. Controlled London, 2. Allied with Scotland, 3. Controlled the Navy, 4. Military leadership of Oliver Cromwell