Topic 3.2_ Empires_ Administrations

Topic Overview

• Empires and Administrations (1450-1750): Exploration of how various empires consolidated power during this period.

Divine Right of Kings

• Definition: Monarchs were viewed as God's representatives on earth, holding both political and religious authority.

• Implications:

  • Monarchs considered above the law; any opposition seen as blasphemy.

  • Justification for autocratic rule.

Methods of Power Consolidation

• Control Mechanisms:

  • Taxes: Mandatory revenue systems to fund governance and military.

  • Military Control:

    • Established military as a profession with elite divisions for loyalty and higher pay.

    • Development of a standing army.

  • Religious Support: Engage religious leaders to gain legitimacy.

  • Building Projects: Utilize large-scale constructions to showcase power and influence.

  • Bureaucracy:

    • Extensive networks of officials managing state affairs; often founded on loyal captives.

    • Bureaucratic roles filled by trusted individuals to maintain control.

England’s Bureaucratic System

• Tudor Developments:

  • Establishment of Justices of the Peace: Roles included maintaining peace, settling legal disputes, enforcing king's orders.

  • Evolution over time to increase power and legitimacy of the monarch against the nobility.

Legislative Authority in England

• English Bill of Rights:

  • Limited monarch's powers and established parliamentary oversight.

  • Assured legal protections for citizens, emphasizing due process for detention and taxation.

  • Reinforced protections found in the Magna Carta.

French Absolute Monarchy

• System Overview:

  • Complete authority vested in the king, employing the Divine Right.

  • Introduced Intendants: Royal officials tasked with enforcing the king's directives, functioning as tax collectors.

King Louis XIV “The Sun King”

• Centralization of Power:

  • Famous quote: "L'état, c'est moi" emphasizes his absolute rule.

  • Strategies included keeping nobles close in court to reduce military rebellion or autonomy.

  • Established a legacy that later weakened France.

Russian Social Structure

• Pre-Ivan IV Hierarchy:

  • Boyars: Landowning nobles.

  • Merchants: Middle economic class.

  • Peasants/Serfs: Indentured to landlords with minimal freedom.

Ivan IV and the Boyars

• Conflict with Nobility:

  • Seized power from the Boyars who opposed his expansionist policies.

  • Founded Oprichnina: A secret police to enforce his rule and suppress dissent.

Romanov Dynasty Power Dynamics

• Struggles for Power:

  • The Church sought to maintain traditional values.

  • Boyars aimed to regain lost power.

  • Romanovs pursued absolute authority.

Peter the Great’s Reforms

• Military and Religious Control:

  • Defeated rivals, such as his half-sister, integrating opposition into his administration.

  • Reclaimed Russian Orthodoxy while enforcing reforms that led to tensions with clergy.

  • Reorganized Russia into administrative provinces, establishing loyalty through paid officials.

Ottoman Devshirme System

• Recruitment of Janissaries:

  • Christian boys were taken and trained to serve the Sultan and function as elite military units.

  • Focus on providing administrative capabilities in conquered regions.

Ming and Qing Bureaucracy

• Civil Service Exam:

  • Reinstituted under Ming to promote uniformity and competence within bureaucratic ranks.

  • Struggled with corruption in Qing, showcasing the need for oversight and reform.

Shogunate System in Japan

• Feudal Structure:

  • Daimyo: Landowning feudal lords wielding power.

  • Samurai: Loyal warriors serving daimyo in a structured hierarchy.

Key Figures in Japan’s Unification

• Nobunaga, Hideyoshi, and Ieyasu:

  • Nobunaga: Utilized foreign technology to expand territory.

  • Hideyoshi: Continued unification and moved the capital to Edo (Tokyo).

  • Ieyasu: Established Tokugawa Shogunate, initiating a period of prolonged peace through feudal governance.

Mughal Empire's Administrative Strength

• Centralized Power:

  • Established a civil service with educated officials and allowed citizens to appeal directly to the emperor.

  • Zamindars: Overseers of land revenue, faced issues of corruption over time.

Differences in Administrative Systems

• Comparison of European and Asian Systems:

  • Variations in governance styles, extent of bureaucratic influence, and cultural reliance on religious justification for authority.

Religious Influence on Governance

• Utilization of Religion for Legitimacy:

  • Divine Right of Kings prevalent in Western Europe.

  • Askia of Songhai illustrated effective use of Islam to substantiate power.

Artistic Control and Power Representation

• Construction of Iconic Structures:

  • Versailles: French expression of monarchical power.

  • St. Petersburg: Symbol of Peter the Great’s rule, showcasing forced labor techniques.

  • Taj Mahal: Reflection of Mughal architecture, blending Islamic and Hindu styles.

  • Topkapi Palace: Represents Ottoman artistic achievement and social culture.

Taxation as a Control Mechanism

• Revenue Generation:

  • Russia's fluctuation between fostering private industry and tax-based control over peasants.

  • Tax farming practices in the Ottoman and Mughal empires leading to systemic corruption.

  • Ming Dynasty’s use of land taxes by wealthy citizens to ensure state revenue.