Chapter 18 - Absolutism

German Peasants War

First example of religious wars and atrocities

- Occurred in the Holy Roman Empire over the spread of Lutheranism

- Involved German nobles protecting Martin Luther vs Charles V.

- German nobles wanted to gain power from Charles V.

- Settled by Peace of Augsburg; Charles V facing too many challenges, forced to give in.

French Wars of Religion

Centered on French Kings persecuting French Protestants.

- Huguenots; French protestants influenced by Calvin. Small portion of population.

- Mostly French nobles that wanted to challenge the political power of the king.

- After decades of conflict, and an estimated 2-4 million killed, Henry of Navarre (Huguenot leader) wins. Becomes King Henry IV.

- Surprisingly converts to Catholicism; knew he would never be accepted as a protestant. Attempts to appease both sides.

- Catholics okay because he converted- Huguenots felt they had one of their own as king.

Edict of Nantes

Ended French Wars of Religion by declaring Catholicism the official religion of France but guaranteeing the Huguenots religious and political rights.

Spanish Wars of Religion (vs Netherlands)

William the Silent (Prince of Orange) led Dutch resistance/effort for independence

- Destroys Catholic Church to provoke harsh response by Philip II.

- Philip sends army to massacre Dutch citizens.

- Dutch band together in response, join William, push for independence.

- Loss for Philip and Spain, Dutch gain independence and it begins the golden age of the Dutch Republic

Spanish Wars of Religion (vs England)

Philip II sent Spanish Armada to destroy England for

1.) having helped the Dutch gain independence

2.) being a protestant kingdom

- England's great naval experience/ships defeat Spanish Armada

- Remaining Spanish ships sunk in a storm

- Devastating loss, cost bankrupts Spain. Never will be the dominant power in Europe again.

Thirty Years War

Last of the religious wars. Begins because the Peace of Augsburg did not settle all Protestantism in the Holy Roman Empire.

- Expands to nearly all nations in Europe.

- Opportunity to gain land and power.

- Peasants are caught in the destruction; estimated 4-12 million killed.

- Holy Roman Empire completely destroyed.

Peace of Westphalia

Officially ended the Thirty Years War;

- Brought changes/a new period

- Identity/loyalty no longer to a lord, now to a nation (national identity)

- Importance of international relations (diplomacy)

- Idea of Christendom (single Christian kingdom) not achievable

- Holy Roman Empire ceased to exist.

Protestant religions

Split of Christianity from Catholicism. Common protestant religions were Calvinism, Lutheranism, and Anglicanism

Origins of Absolutism

People began to think only a strong monarch could stop the dissent and growth of factions/division that led to;

- Religious atrocities

- Religious wars

Henry IV

Non-Absolute monarch. Won the French Wars of Religion for the Huguenots. Would take the throne as the French king and immediately convert to Catholicism so that his rule would be accepted. Passed the Edict of Nantes to end the French Wars of Religion.

Huguenots

French protestants influenced by John Calvin

Philip II

Absolute monarch from Spain;

- Forced Catholicism

- Reconquered Muslim areas on Iberian Peninsula

- Saw Spain as chosen by God to fight Protestant Heretics- Formed Holy League (alliance) to defend Catholic nations and peoples. Major victories (Turks at Lepanto) but also major defeats.

- Religious war with Netherlands (defeat); William the silent prompts Spanish aggression to unify followers

- Religious war with England (defeat); Spanish Armada

Holy League

Name given to Philip II's coalition to defend Catholicism wherever challenged in Europe. Won victories against the Turks and the Battle of Lepanto, suffered losses against the Netherlands and England

William the Silent

Defeated Philip II in the Netherlands. Ushered in the golden age of the Dutch Republic.

Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin

Governed for Louis XIII and Louis XIV before they were old enough to take the throne. Attempted to consolidate power for the future monarchs with harsh rule. This shaped how Louis XIV learned to rule.

Louis XIV

Considered to be the best example of an absolute ruler.

- Called himself the sun king as the source of light for the French people.

- Eliminated government officials ​that were too much of a threat.

- Eliminated nobles that challenged him.

- Kept remaining officials and nobles distracted with court life at Versailles.

-Promoted his religious beliefs ​Catholicism, persecuting French Huguenots.

- Fought wars with the rest of Europe to prove his superiority

Frederick William

Absolute monarch from Prussia.

- Attempted into Europe's dominant European power.

- Expanded and modernized the military.

- Led to the emergence of the Junkers where he combined his advisors and generals for complete loyalty and obedience.

Junkers

Prussian individuals who served in government offices and as commanders in the military

Ivan IV

Absolute monarch from Russia.

- Became known as Ivan the Terrible for his terrible deeds

- Expanded Russian territory and crushed the Russian nobility (Boyars) that challenged him.

- Did little to stop a terrible famine "time of troubles" in which the peasants suffered

- Killed his son and only heir in a heated argument.

Peter the Great

Absolute monarch from Russia.

- Wanted to modernize Russia by attempting to copy the western powers.

- Made men shave their beards and shorten their coats.

- Defeated Sweden in a war to gain access to a port on the Baltic Sea that allowed him to trade with western powers.

- Tried to keep government officials in line using fear.

Bloody Mary

Known for the persecution of religious dissenters, in this case English portestants which she had burned at the stake

Elizabeth I

- Tudor Dynasty ends with her. Does not have an heir (uses this to avoid conflict with France and Spain).

- Progressive ruler who had been focused on needs of English people.

- Worked well with parliament.

- Ended religious persecution

James I

- Cousin of Elizabeth, ascends the throne beginning the line of Stuart kings.

- Believes in divine right of kings; kings chosen by God to rule and as a result answers only to God.

- Signals change in English monarch's relationship with parliament.

- Persecutes puritans; strong believer in Catholicism

Charles I

Absolute monarch from England

- Son of James I

- Takes beliefs of James I even further; fight with parliament and non-Catholics intensifies

- Puritans flee over religious persecution (to American colonies)

- Parliament passes Petition of Right; restricts power of king (cant tax, imprison, quarter troops, institute martial law). Charles objects on basis of divine right theory

- Starts the English Civil War

Petition of Right

Restricted English monarchs ability to imprison citizens, quarter troops, and institute martial law

English Civil War

Conflict between the Cavaliers and the Roundheads over supporting the monarchs right to power or parliaments right to power.

Roundheads

Supported parliament in the English Civil War

Cavaliers

Supported the monarch (Charles I) in the English Civil War

Oliver Cromwell

Not supposed to be, but maybe the most absolute of any figure

- Leads forces of parliament

- Calls army New Model Army; heavily disciplined, no drinking. Army surprisingly effective, believe they are fighting for God.

- Defeat Cavaliers

- Purges parliament of those that opposed him. Those that remain are known as Rump parliament.

- Finds parliament difficult to deal with, Republic becomes military dictatorship under his rule.

- Places many restrictions in society; no drinking , dancing, gambling, etc.

New Model Army

Followed Cromwell's progressive policies against swearing, drinking, gambling, and dancing. Believed they were fighting for God, highly motivated army

Rump Parliament

- Follow influence of Cromwell

- Executed Charles I; Uncommon practice to kill kings/former, horrifies Europe

- Abolish monarchy for republic; Cromwell selected leader

Charles II

- Invited back as part of the Restoration.

- Causes problems with parliament. Favors Catholicism and divine right theory.

- Parliament issues Test Act that only Anglicans could hold military and government offices.

Test Acts

- Series of acts passed to prevent Charles II from placing Catholics in military or government offices. Return to laws restricting people based on religionterm-32

James II

Absolute monarch from England

- More extreme than his brother. Immediately defies Test Act and appoints Catholics.

- Religion again a source of conflict. Parliament fears religious persecution.

- Tension emerges over who will inherit throne. Parliament decides they will wait him out because he has no heir; can replace with somebody more

William and Mary

- Part of the Glorious Revolution

- She is protestant daughter of James II and married to King of the Netherlands.

- Invited by parliament to remove James II from the throne.

- Plan works and James II flees with baby son

- Accepts the throne on condition of agreeing to English Bill of Rights that protect powers of parliaments and basic freedoms for the English people.

Glorious Revolution

- Parliament encourages William and Mary of the Netherlands to lay claim to her right to be the English Queen.

- Called the Glorious Revolution because no blood has to be spilled, upon William and Mary landing troops in England and parliament sending assistance, James II flees

English Bill of Rights

- Begins new form of government; constitutional monarchy

- Protects the power of Parliament; right to exist, make laws, levy taxes, and for citizens to receive trials by jury

- Secures basic freedoms for the English people

Toleration Act of 1689

Ended religious conflict in England. Citizens no longer would be persecuted for religious beliefs

Blackstone

Wrote Commentaries on the Laws of England in which he suggested the need for common law; standardizing the legal system across the nation.

Thomas Hobbes

Writes the Leviathan, argued that humans are not guided by reason and morals but their struggle for preservation. Results in social contract where people agree to absolute rule to preserve order

John Locke

Writes the Two Treatises on Government, humans guided by freedom and equality. All have certain natural rights with which they were born (life, liberty, property). Against absolute rule.

Economic Crises

Europe experienced economic troubles at this time as a result of inflation, colonies producing less silver, and loss of Muslim and Jewish artisans and merchants as a result of the religious conflict

Social Crises

Warfare, plague, and famine contributed to population decline in central and southern Europe. Also struggled with witchcraft accusations as a result of the heightened religious zeal from the period.

England

While most European nations went deeper into Absolutism, this nation adopted a new type of government, Constitutionalism, because of their issues with religious persecution, civil war, and absolutism.

Evaluation of Absolutism

The more absolute the ruler, the worse the quality of life for citizens. The less absolute the ruler, the better the quality of life for citizens.

Mannerism

Art movement that

- Sought to break down High Renaissance principles of balance, harmony, and moderation

- Figures to show suffering, heightened emotions, religious ecstasy; not be as a realistic as possible

- El Greco perhaps best example; works reflected tensions of religious upheavals of the Reformation

Baroque

Art movement that

- Followed Mannerism and favored by Catholics

- Tried to blend classical ideas of Renaissance with spiritual feelings of religious revival

- Subject matter of artwork to convey/display power and strength

- Bernini perhaps the best example; St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican

Shakespeare

- Writes during the Elizabethan era and popularizes theater

- Theater open to even the lower classes (Globe Theater in London)

- Several genres; tragedies, comedies, histories, best known for dramas

- Focus on understanding/conveying the human condition

Cervantes

- Writes in Spain, famous for Don Quixote

- Focuses on perspective of characters and mankind views/perceives the world happening around them as they come to grip reality.