Notable Leaders During Absolutism, Constitutionalism, and the Enlightenment in Europe

Unit 3

Louis XIV

Absolutist monarch of France; “I am the state”

• Bourban

• Divine Right

• Ignored Estates General

• Revoked Edict of Nantes

• Moved French court and government to Versaille

• Built Palace of Versaille

• Nobles had to stay at the Palace of Versaille

• Fought in War of Spanish Succession

Ferdinand II

Absolutist Monarch of Austria

• Habsburg

• Reduced power of the Bohemian Estate (Protestants)

• Confiscated Protestant noble’s land and gave it to Catholic nobles

Ferdinand III

Absolutist Monarch of Austria

• centralized government in german provinces

• Pushed Ottomans out of Hungary

• Hungarian nobility revolted against Hansburg control

Fredrick William I

Absolutist Monarch of Prussia; “Soldier King”

• Hohenzollerns

• Wanted to unify Germany

• Eliminated estate and local government power

• Expanded Prussian army through forced conscription

Ivan III

Ruler of Russia; “The Great”

• Expanded Moscow to the Baltic

• Moscow’s autonomy solidified

Ivan IV

Tsar of Russia; “The Terrible”

• Persecuted suspected traitors/plotters

• Defeated the remaining Mongols

• Restricted Middle Class growth

• Caused the peasant class’s “Times of Trouble”

• Worsened serfdom and created Cossacks

Michael Romanov

Tsar of Russia

• Reconsolidated central authority

• Expansion to Ukraine and Siberia

Peter I

Tsar/Enlightened Despots of Russia; “The Great”

• Romanov

• Westernized Russia (Beard Tax)

• Education reforms

• Built Saint Petersburg

• Defeated Sweden and expanded westward

• Military-civilian bureaucracy 

Elizabeth I

Divine Right Monarch of England; “Virgin Queen”

• Tudor

• Elizabethan Era of literature

• Refused to marry and had no heir

James I

Absolutist Monarch of England

• Stuart

• Did not support Puritans

• Divine Right

• Elizabeth’s cousin (heir to throne)

Charles I

Absolutist Monarch of England

• Stuart

• Refused to summon Parliament

• Tried to add new prayer books and bishoprics to Scotland, causing Scot rebellion

• Ireland also rebelled

• Beheaded for treason

Oliver Cromwell

Militant Dictator of England

• From the House of Commons

• Puritan

• Protectorate

Charles II

Absolutist Monarch of England

• Restored Parliament and Anglican Church

• Violated Test Act

• Catholic

William and Mary of Orange

Constitutionalist Monarchs of England

• Agreed to the Bill of Rights in order to rule England which turned England into constitutionalist state

• Made decisions with approval from Parliament

Catherine II

Tsarina/Enlightened Despots of Russia; “The Great”

• Westernized Russia

• Education reform for women

• Penal system reform

• Small serfdom reforms

• Local government reforms

• Religious tolerance

Maria Theresa

Enlightened Despots of Austria

• Habsburg

• Fought War of Austrian Succession and won

• Encouraged commerce

• Centralized government

• Limited noble power

Joseph II

Enlightened Despots of Austria

• Habsburg

• Freedom of press and religion

• Judicial system reform

• Abolished serfdom

Fredrick II

Enlightened Despots of Prussia; “The Great”

• Saw himself as servant to the state

• Education reform

• Written laws

• Religious tolerance