Dynastic States: 1500-1700

Lecture Notes and Wiesner-Hanks Textbook

How did the nobility seek to expand authority in Early Modern Europe?

They introduced taxation, standing armies, regulation of nobles, and management of court factions, all while maintaining local power and regional autonomy → resulted in uneven process of state-building

What was the military shift in Early Modern Europe?

There were larger armies, greater expense, increased use of gunpowder, increased necessity for professional soldiers, and growing importance of naval power → forced increased revenues, centralised taxation, and increased administration

How did diplomacy change in Early Modern Europe?

States increasingly engaged in diplomacy, alliances, marriages, and imperial ambitions beyond Europe in order to manage war, territory, and power

What were the main networks of political power in Early Modern Europe?

Rulers negotiated with urban elites, provincial estates, and parliaments for taxation and local governance → not just top down power

How was religion used as a tool of power in Early Modern Europe?

Rulers used confessions (common between Catholics and Protestants) to increase legitimacy, control, and identity

How did the state and society generally interact in Early Modern Europe?

The state increasingly intervened in society (management of justice, introduction of bureaucracies, regulating public order) and society had instances of pushback (rebellions, local privileges, negotiations)

Was state formation uniform across Europe?

No, it was uneven, with different regions and social groups experiencing change differently

How was religion an important part of local communities in Early Modern Europe?

The over 100,000 parishes across Europe were in charge of some governing, expecting some things from citizens, but also helping their communities

What would typically be expected of citizens by a parish?

• Knowledge of church structure, Lord’s prayer and other select prayers in Latin

• Weekly attendance of church

• Adherence to 10 commandments, avoidance of 7 deadly sins, and embracing of 7 virtues

What are the 7 virtues?

1. Humility → modesty

2. Generosity → charity

3. Kindness → gratitude

4. Patience → compassion

5. Chastity → purity

6. Temperance → moderation

7. Diligence → fervour

How was the church important to community in Early Modern Europe?

It offered sanctuary in a life of suffering, helped practically by catering to the population, was decorated with visuals to convey stories to illiterate population, and offered the framework to life

What was the view of the Reformation in the 1960s and how has it changed now?

• Previously, it was thought the Reformation came about due to decline in the Middle Ages in religion paired with demands of reform and doubt in the church

• Now thought that Reformation is due to large amounts of enthusiasm for theological debate and increased faith

What aspects of faith in everyday society are often overlooked when examining the Reformation?

Most could not engage with theological debates due to not reading Latin or reading at all, popular belief continued to place importance on pagan objects or relics, and faith was put into other forms of thought such as magic and cunning folk

What three major shifts made up the military revolution in Early Modern Europe?

1. Changes in tactics and strategy

2. Growth of the state and state control

3. Radical changes in military administration and financing

What changes in the composition of armies occurred in Early Modern Europe?

Previously small armies grew in size, with the majority of soldiers being infantry men, who replaced expensive cavalry → infantry were more expensive to train, but cheap to maintain, meaning their use allowed the growth of armies that would have been impossible using cavalry

How did military architecture change in Early Modern Europe?

There was a shift from castles to angled bastions that were harder to take with cannon fire, but were expensive to build, increasing military expenses

How did increased military expenses shape the state in Early Modern Europe?

The need to raise funds quickly led to the emergence of centralised authorities that could collect money, which then sought to maintain the state and overcome political corruption

Financially, how were wars fought in Early Modern Europe?

They were fought on credit, where states at war would borrow money from other states to invest in their militaries, and would pay back the loan over time, hopefully in times of peace → ability of English to beat French despite having 1/3 of their population due to having good reputation for paying back credit, while the French didn’t

How did the centralisation of government help financially in Early Modern Europe?

It helped overcome the limits of local populations by establishing larger taxation and revenue systems that could meet the costs of war → states that evolved and centralised were more likely to survive