Enlightened Despots

Cath da great

• Took over gov after the arrest of her husband

• wanted to westernize

• introduced enlightenment to rus elite

• tried to modernize industry and agri

• proposed reforms based on montesquiu

• recommended allowing rel tolerance and abolishing torture and cap punishment

• these changes proposed in 1776 went nowhere

• The 1773 serf uprising changes her views

• gave nobles all right over serfs

joey da II of the HRE and Austria (1765-1790_

• most extreme reformer

• reformed legal system

• freedom of press

• freedom of worship

• abolished serfdom

• 90% went out the door after his death

Freddy da great(1740-1786)

• Prussian king

• granted relig freedoms

• reduced censorship

• got rid of torture

• wanted to get rid of serfdom but didn’t want to anger the Junkers

• never really changed soc struc

• Main contribution is the attitude of a king being a servant of state

• wanted to modernise the country

changes

Lasting change of enlightenment on monarchs

• The monarch is a servant to the state

• The monarchy exists to serve the citizens