AP Euro Unit 3- Absolutism and Constitutionalism

Included: European Absolutism, English Civil War, European Balance of Power, 16th Century, TEXTNOTES Absolutism in Central and Eastern Europe, Limited Monarchies and Republics

What types of crises were happening in Europe in the 1600s?

Economic, environmental, rebellion, religious hysteria

Name a few revolts of 1600s Europe

30 Years War, Dutch Revolt, Catalan Revolts, The Fronde

Example of Economic failure in 1600s Europe

Profits of the Age of Exploration began to level off which led to a recession

Example of environmental crises in 1600s Europe

“Little ice age” which caused temperatures to fall, crops to fail, widespread famines

Catalan Revolts (1640-1659)

Peasants in the Spanish region of Catalonia rebelled against the king in response to high taxation and foreign wars but were ultimately defeated

The Fronde (1648-1653)

Princes, nobles, and peasants joined force against the king of France but were ultimately defeated

How did people use accusations of witchcraft for their own purposes?

-Catholics accused Protestants of witchcraft and vise versa
-Accusations were made against poor, women, other people that weren’t liked
-People blamed witchcraft for other problems in society

What is witchcraft?

Any pagan practice, usually involving people who made potions, helped with bad luck, and explained superstitions

How did the fear of witchcraft impact European society in the 1600s?

There was widespread hysteria, trials, and executions

European Absolutism

System of government where the monarch holds absolute political power and cannot be challenged

How was European Absolutism different from the New Monarchies?

It was a further centralization of the government, more monarch power than the New Monarchies

How does absolutism impact the rest of society?

Aristocrats, nobles, peasants, and the church lose power

True or False- Most European monarchs in the 1600s had absolute power.

False- absolutism was not easily achievable but was a goal/mindset of many monarchs

Why did European nations turn to absolutism?

It was a response to the national crises

Secular Political Theory

-Held the main ideas of sovereignty and separation of church and state
-A government has control over laws but does not rule citizens on basis of religion

Sovereignty

A government that had complete control over laws and is not challenged by any other institution or outside force

Divine Right Theory

Gives justification to the king’s right to the throne and to make any decision he wants, saying God chose him to be king so he has to answer to no one except God

Why weren’t there as many wars of religion in the 1600s despite religion still being a part of many European’s lives?

The 30 Years war had calmed the Catholic/Protestant battle and many states decided to make their laws less strict on religion

What are some marks/traits of absolutism?

Strong monarch with total executive, legislative, and judicial power, strong bureaucracy, large centralized army, promoted economic growth

How did absolutionist monarchs appease the wealthy class so they did not want to rebel?

They promoted economic growth so the wealthy could continue to grow richer and feel satisfied in their wealth

Cardinal Richelieu

Louis XIII’s chief minister who ended up having most control over France and used it to centralize the monarch’s power

How did Cardinal Richelieu rise up in power?

He negotiated and advised the government on Huguenot rebellions

What did Richelieu do when Louis became king at 13?

He made most of the decisions, ordered a network of spies to keep track of noble activities, planted intendants assigned to provinces to make sure the king’s will was carried out

King Louis XIV of France (The Sun King)

Focused on further centralizing monarch power, committed French to several costly wars, returned to persecuting Huguenots

Who was Louis XIV’s chief minister?

Cardinal Mazarin (Richelieu’s protege)

Why was Louis XIV called the Sun King?

He gave himself the title to show his importance, authority, and legitimacy

What is the royal court?

The household of the king including those who work in the palace

Where did Louis XIV relocate his court and thus the government of France?

The Palace of Versailles

Palace of Versailles

Where King Louis XIV relocated, a 1660 Baroque palace 12 miles outside Paris

Courtiers

Wealthy nobles who lived in the palace and served as members of the court

Why did thousands of courtiers live in King Louis XIV’s Palace?

They had the false notion of privilege, closer to the king=closer to power

How did the Palace of Versailles create an illusion of power for nobles?

There were elaborate daily ceremonies and strict etiquette that had to be followed to be granted titles by the king

Who was considered the most Absolute of Absolutes?

King Louis XIV of France

What are some examples of King Louis XIV’s absolutism in practice?

-He took full control of foreign policy religious authority and taxation
-He pacified powerful nobles to prevent challenges to power
-His system was copied by other aspiring absolutists
-He made French culture the most influential across Europe

Why was King Louis XIV still not FULLY in absolute control?

Local systems still had different individuals in power and royal officials still had to bribe them to do the king’s will

Why wasn’t the Holy Roman Empire involved in the rise of absolutism?

The Peace of Westphalia had broken it up into sovereign states who began gaining power independently (Prussia + Austria)

Which two German states became powers in the 1600s?

Prussia and Austria

Hohenzollern Dynasty

The family that ruled a small northeastern principality, gained some west Germany area that eventually became Prussia

What did the state of Prussia look like?

Three disconnected masses in what was formerly the HRE (Germany)

Frederick William the Great Elector (1640-1688)

Built up the state of Prussia by building a standing army of 40,000 men, establishing the General War Commissariat to levy taxes and support, and became the chief instrument for governing the state

Junkers

Members of the aristocracy (wealthy class) who were officials of the Prussian state

How did Frederick William the Great Elector gain support of the nobles in Prussia?

He made a deal that he would run the government but they had power over peasants, no taxation land highest army ranks

True or False- Serfdom was reinforced in Prussia.

True

Frederick III (1688-1713)

Son of Fredrick William the Great Elector who further contributed to strengthening Prussia, was granted title of King for helping the Holy Roman Emperor

True or False- Austria emerged from the house of Hapsburg.

True

What areas of Germany became part of Austria?

Traditional Austrian possessions, Bohemia, and parts of Hungary

Leopald I (1658-1705)

Head of Austrian empire when it was established but could not expand east like he wanted due to the Ottomans

Treaty of Karlowtz

Gave Austria control of Hungary, Transylvania, Croatia, and Slovenia

What did the state of Austria look like?

A collection of territories with their own political life but under a Habsburg emperor

Which state ended up gaining more control in Italy?

Austria (due to France/Spain conflict, War of succession)

Ivan IV the Terrible (1533-1584)

First tsar of Russia who expanded the territories eastward but was blocked from going west

Boyars

Russian nobility that was crushed by Ivan's dynasty

Time of Troubles

Resurgence of aristocratic power after Ivan's dynasty

Michael Romanov

New tsar chosen after the Time of Troubles, his dynasty lasted until the Russian revolution

What was Russian society like under the tsar?

Stratified society- Tsar with most power, upper class aristocrats, working class, peasants in serfdom

Peter the Great (1689-1725)

Leader of Russia who aimed to modernize the state and took inspiration from the west

What changes did Peter the Great make to Russia?

He created a Navy, reorganized the army, reorganized the government much like western nations

How did Peter the Great use western ideals to reorganize Russia's government?

He created a standing army by enlisting peasants, divided Russia into provinces, created a table of ranks for nonnobles to acquire noble status, increased exports, took control of the Russian orthodox church, made etiquette for society and reforms for women

Battle of Poltava

After Peter the Great's attack on Sweden failed, he reorganized and made a successful attack, earning Russia some new territories

Which dynasty was Queen Elizabeth the 1st from?

Tudor Dynasty

Which dynasty was new to England in 1603 and looking to become absolutists?

Stuart Dynasty

James I

King of Scotland who succeeded Elizabeth (her cousin) and hoped to become an absolute monarch

True or False- Parliament liked Queen Elizabeth.

True

True or False- Parliament liked King James I.

False

True or False- Parliament liked King Charles I.

False

Which radical group was most upset by the rise of absolutist kings in England?

Puritans (intense Protestants)

Petition of Right (1628)

Law passed by Parliament that was meant to restrict royal taxation, imprisonment, martial law without Parliament's approval

What did Charles I do in response to the Petition of Right?

He refused to call Parliament and attempted to collect taxes without their support

What are some examples of things Charles I did that upset the people of England?

-He taxed coastal towns for military defense but spent the money elsewhere
-He married a Catholic French Princess and introduced more Catholic rituals into the Anglican church

What happened when Charles I was forced to call Parliament for the first time in 11 years?

Parliament immediately discussed how to limit his power. They passed the Triennial Act and abolished the king's power to tax.

Triennial Act

Law stating Parliament will meet every three years without consent from the king

What was the Parliament splitting before the New Model Army was formed?

Radicals vs. Moderates

True or False- King Charles attempted to arrest the radicals of Parliament, but the moderates did not support.

True

The New Model Army

The army of Parliament composed of radical Puritans

Who were the sides of the English Civil War (1642-1649)?

Parliamentarians (Roundheads) vs. Royalists (Cavaliers)

What did the New Model Army succeed in doing?

They captured Charles I in 1646 and recaptured him in 1648

The Rump Parliament

The Parliament with only radical Puritans (Presbyterians kicked out) who decided Charles I was guilty and beheaded him

What was the Parliament splitting after the New Model Army was formed?

Puritans (put king on trial for treason) vs. Presbyterians (restore king, limit his power)

Oliver Cromwell is notable for forming this type of government in England (for a time)

Military Dictatorship

Oliver Cromwell

Leader of the New Model Army who rose in ranks during the Civil War and eventually lead the nation of England in absolute power as a military dictator

Instrument of Government 1653

England's new constitution drafted by the army

Lord Protector of the Commonwealth

Cromwell's title as holding all executive power

What happened after Cromwell's death?

The monarchy was restored and Charles II (son of beheaded king) was put on the throne. The same problems that started the civil war happened.

What was Charles II's main problem with Parliament?

They wanted to make the Church of England the official religion and passed laws limiting the rights of other groups (like Catholics)

What was the Parliament splitting around James II's crowning?

Whigs (wanted ban against James II) vs. Tories (supported law of succession)

How did Parliament feel about James II?

They did not like that he was Catholic and attempted to pass a law banning James II from claiming the throne

Declaration of Indulgence

Issued by King James II to undo all the anti-Catholic laws in England and appoint Catholics to important positions

William of Orange III and Mary Stuart

William was the leader of the Dutch Republic and Mary, his wife, was James II's daughter. They were offered the English throne by nobles who did not like James and ran the government according to Constitutionalism.

Revolution Settlement 1688

Parliament declared James II's kingship null and publicly offered it to William and Mary

Why was the transition to William and Mary's kingdom violence free "glorious"?

When they raised an army to invade, James II fled to France

Constitutionalism

Government with limits to its power based on written rules

English Bill of Rights

Law passed that outlines the Rights of Parliament
-Could make laws and levy taxes without challenge
-Free elections to office with no interference from king
-Armies could only be raised with consent from Parliament
-Right to bear arms, have a jury, free from excessive bail

What did William and Mary's leadership lead to?

Eventually, Parliament had sole authority and monarch became only a figurehead

What types of things were limiting to absolute monarchists?

Local institutions, provincial privileges, interest groups

Sejm

The Polish diet dominated by landowners

Why was Poland ultimately a weaker monarchy?

The sejm's power stopped the unification under a monarch and the Liberum veto made it easy for the sejm never to meet. The result was Poland's power was decentralized in different estates making it hard to rule and easy to invade.

Sigsmund III (1587-1631)

Swedish king of Poland who wanted to expand the Polish empire to include Russia, Finland, and Sweden, but failed

After Poland merged with Lithuania in 1569, what was it's government system?

Assembles of nobles elected the king and limited royal power, peasants kept in serfdom

What were the two parties of the Dutch Republic?

House of Orange and The States General (Republicans)

Stadholder

An official in each province of the Dutch Republic that led the army and maintained order