The Thirty Years' War and Rise of European Powers

Holy Roman Empire

A fragmented collection of hundreds of states.

Electors

Seven officials choosing the Holy Roman Emperor.

Power vacuum

Lack of authority leading to conflict.

Protestant nobles

Nobles opposing Catholic Hapsburg rule in Bohemia.

Defenestration of Prague

Protestant nobles threw officials from a window.

Ferdinand II

Catholic Hapsburg king seeking Protestant suppression.

Mercenaries

Soldiers for hire causing widespread destruction.

Peace of Westphalia

1648 treaties ending the Thirty Years' War.

Hapsburgs

Dynasty ruling the Holy Roman Empire.

Maria Theresa

First female ruler of Hapsburg lands.

War of the Austrian Succession

Conflict over Maria Theresa's claim to the throne.

Frederick II

Prussian king known as Frederick the Great.

Hohenzollern family

Rulers of Prussia uniting northern German territories.

Junkers

Nobles in Prussia with reduced independence.

Bureaucracy

Centralized administrative system established by Prussia.

Peter the Great

Tsar modernizing Russia in the late 17th century.

Westernization

Adoption of Western ideas and culture in Russia.

Boyars

Russian nobles forced to adopt Western customs.

Romanov dynasty

First ruling family restoring order in Russia.

Silesia

Territory seized by Frederick II from Austria.

Demographic changes

Population decline due to war-related mortality.

Fragmentation

Division into over 360 separate German states.

Cultural diversity

Variety of ethnic groups within Hapsburg territories.

Military support

Assistance sought by Maria Theresa from Hungary.

Unlimited authority

Absolute power held by Peter the Great.

Technical experts

Specialists brought back by Peter to modernize Russia.

Social mixing

Encouraged interaction among different social classes.

Autocrat

Ruler with absolute power over the state.

Serfdom

System where peasants are bound to land.

Mercantilist policies

Economic strategy promoting exports and industry.

Warm-water port

Ice-free port facilitating year-round trade.

The Great Northern War

Conflict initiated by Peter against Sweden.

St. Petersburg

Capital city symbolizing Western-oriented Russia.

Catherine the Great

Empress who expanded Russian territory significantly.

Partitions of Poland

Division of Poland by Russia, Prussia, and Austria.

Baltic Sea

Sea where Peter gained territory from Sweden.

Military reform

Changes to improve Russia's military effectiveness.

Russian Orthodox Church

Religious institution brought under state control.

Academies

Institutions established for education in sciences.

Vitus Bering

Navigator who explored the Bering Strait.

Enlightenment thinkers

Philosophers influencing Catherine's reforms and ideas.

Absolute monarch

Ruler with total control over the state.

Nobles' charters

Documents granting rights and privileges to nobles.

Peasant uprisings

Rebellions by serfs against oppressive conditions.

Black Sea

Body of water sought for warm-water port.

Siberia

Region explored for expansion toward the Pacific.

Seven Years' War

Global conflict involving major European powers.

French and Indian War

North American theater of the Seven Years' War.

Centralized government

Consolidation of power within a single authority.

Cruelty

Brutal methods used by Peter to maintain control.

Cultural integration

Incorporating Western customs into Russian society.

Economic prospects

Potential for trade and growth through warm-water ports.

Territorial expansion

Process of acquiring new lands for Russia.

Military capabilities

Strength and effectiveness of a nation's armed forces.

Russian isolation

Period of limited interaction with Western Europe.

Legacy

Impact and consequences of Peter's and Catherine's reigns.