State Building and the Search for Order in the Seventeenth Century

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to state building, absolutism, and cultural developments during the 17th century in Europe.

Absolutism

A political system in which a single ruler holds absolute power over government and is not bound by laws.

The Peace of Westphalia

A series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648, marking the end of religious wars in Europe and the recognition of state sovereignty.

Louis XIV

King of France from 1643 to 1715, known for his absolute monarchy and the construction of the Palace of Versailles.

The Witchcraft Craze

A period of mass hysteria between the 16th and 17th centuries where thousands were accused of witchcraft and subjected to trials.

Divine Right of Kings

The doctrine that kings derive their authority from God, not from their subjects.

Thirty Years' War

A religious conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Europe from 1618 to 1648 that involved many European powers.

The Dutch Republic

The first nation to develop a constitutional government, recognized for its maritime and economic dominance in the 17th century.

The Glorious Revolution

The 1688 overthrow of King James II of England, leading to the constitutional monarchy under William and Mary.

Mercantilism

An economic policy that emphasizes government regulation of economy to augment state power at the expense of rivals.

Baroque Art

An artistic style characterized by dramatic effects, bold colors, and emotional intensity, often used to promote the power of the church and monarchy.

Peter the Great

Tsar of Russia who implemented sweeping reforms to modernize Russia and establish it as a great power.

The Rump Parliament

The English Parliament after the purge of its more moderate members, which enacted radical changes and tried King Charles I.

The English Civil War

A series of conflicts from 1642 to 1651 between Parliamentarians (Roundheads) and Royalists (Cavaliers) over governance of England.

Jean Bodin

A late 16th-century political theorist who argued for sovereignty and absolute power of kings.

Cardinal Richelieu

Chief minister to Louis XIII, who strengthened the monarchy and centralized the government in France.

Edict of Nantes

A 1598 decree by Henry IV of France granting religious freedom to Huguenots, later revoked by Louis XIV.

The Test Act

A 1673 act that stipulated only Anglicans could hold military and civil offices in England.

Oliver Cromwell

Leader of the Republican New Model Army who ruled England as Lord Protector after the execution of King Charles I.

The Fronde

A series of revolts by French nobles between 1648 and 1653 that challenged the growing power of the monarchy during Louis XIV's youth.

Intendants

French royal officials appointed by the crown to oversee provinces, collect taxes, and enforce laws to diminish the power of local aristocrats.

Frederick William the Great Elector

The Hohenzollern ruler who unified the disparate territories of Brandenburg-Prussia and established a permanent standing army.

St. Petersburg

Russia's capital built by Peter the Great on the Baltic Sea to serve as a 'window on the West' for trade and culture.

Thomas Hobbes

Political philosopher who wrote Leviathan, arguing that humans are inherently selfish and require an absolute sovereign to maintain order.

John Locke

Philosopher who wrote Two Treatises of Government, arguing that government exists to protect natural rights: life, liberty, and property.

English Bill of Rights (1689)

A document signed by William and Mary that established a constitutional monarchy and guaranteed frequent Parliaments and freedom of speech within them.

Boyars

The old Russian nobility who were forced by Peter the Great to shave their beards and adopt Western dress as part of his modernization reforms.

Gian Lorenzo Bernini

The preeminent architect and sculptor of the Baroque era, famous for the colonnade of St. Peter’s Basilica and the Ecstasy of Saint Teresa.

Mannerism

An artistic style emerging in the late 16th century that discarded Renaissance balance for emotional tension and elongated figures.

El Greco

The most famous Mannerist painter, whose works in Toledo, Spain, conveyed intense religious emotion through distorted shapes and eerie colors.

Jean-Baptiste Colbert

The French controller general of finances under Louis XIV who applied mercantilist policies to increase national wealth.

War of the Spanish Succession

A 1701–1714 conflict fought to prevent the Bourbon family from controlling both the French and Spanish thrones.

Peace of Utrecht (1713)

The treaty that ended the War of the Spanish Succession, ensuring the French and Spanish thrones remained separate.

Junkers

The landed aristocracy in Prussia who served as officers in the military and officials in the state administration.

The Great Northern War

A conflict from 1700 to 1721 in which Russia defeated Sweden to gain control over the Baltic coast.

Table of Ranks

Peter the Great's formal list of positions in the military and civil service, which allowed non-nobles to achieve noble status through merit.

Janissaries

An elite core of eight thousand troops in the Ottoman Empire, personally loyal to the Sultan.

Siege of Vienna (1683)

The final major Ottoman attempt to take central Europe, which was repelled by a coalition of European forces.

Charles II (England)

The king whose restoration in 1660 ended the English Interregnum and brought back the monarchy and the Anglican Church.

The Toleration Act (1689)

An English law granting Puritan Dissenters the right of free public worship, though it did not grant full political rights.

Dutch Realism

Artistic style of the Dutch Golden Age focusing on everyday life, still lifes, and landscapes, funded by the wealthy merchant class.

Rembrandt van Rijn

The greatest Dutch painter of his era, known for his masterful use of light and shadow and profound psychological portraits.

Judith Leyster

An independent and successful female Dutch artist of the 17th century, known for her genre scenes showing everyday activities.

Peter Paul Rubens

A Flemish Baroque artist known for his dynamic, colorful, and large-scale paintings that emphasized movement and sensuality.

Artemisia Gentileschi

A prominent female Baroque painter who gained international fame, particularly for her 'Judith Slaying Holofernes' series.

Levellers

A radical group During the English Civil War that advocated for democracy, religious freedom, and equality before the law.

Edict of Fontainebleau (1685)

The decree by Louis XIV that revoked the Edict of Nantes, leading to the destruction of Huguenot churches and schools.

Jacques Bossuet

A French bishop and court preacher who provided the primary theological justification for the divine right of kings.

Nicholas Poussin

The leading exponent of French Classicism in painting, emphasizing order, clarity, and classical mythology.

William Shakespeare

The towering figure of the Elizabethan era whose plays reflected the complexities of human psychology and the English language.

The Sephardic Jews

Jewish people who fled Spain and Portugal and often settled in commercial cities like Amsterdam, finding a degree of toleration.