Module 17: Absolute Monarchs in Europe

Module 17: Absolute Monarchs in Europe

Spain:

1. In 1580 Spain under Philip II took over Portugal (king had died without an heir and Philip was related to the King)
2. Spain had become rich from gold and silver from its holdings (Americas, Africa, India, and West indies).
3. However, after the defeat by England in 1588 Spain began to decline
4. Spain did contribute to the arts
   1. El Greco the Greek Painter
   2. Don Quixote by Cervantes
5. Philip II was an absolute ruler (held all the power and was not limited by the law)
   1. Divine right of kings? The king's power derives from heaven through God. The king is God's representative on earth
6. Religious Problems (reformation) and wars (Spain and England) led rulers to build large armies and seize total power

Louis XIV:

1. Henry IV took the French throne in 1589. He started the Bourbon dynasty. As he took power there were attacks against Protestant Catholics.
   1. Henry IV was a Huguenot (French protestant). He converted to Catholicism in order to end the violence. He issued the Edict of Nantes in 1598. Granted Freedom of religion in France.
2. He tried to solve unfair taxes in France and unite with people. The clergy and the rich paid almost nothing- who would pay the most?
   1. The Middle class and lower class
   2. He was able to solve some abuses
3. Henry IV was murdered in 1610. He was killed by a religious fanatic who jumped into his carriage and stabbed him. He was probably killed because of his religious concessions. As a result Louis XIII became King of France
4. Louis XIII was sickly and weak. He chose wise advisors. In 1624 he chose Cardinal Richelieu to run France. He turned out to be a political genius.
   1. Make the King supreme in France - he needed to take power away from the nobles and the Huguenots
   2. Make France supreme in the world- through trade and industry
5. Richelieu attacked fortified Huguenot cities and increased power of the intendants (representatives of the king who were only loyal to the king unlike the nobles who plotted against the King).
6. The thirty years war 1618-1648- started as a protestant rebellion against the Holy roman empire which was ruled by the Hapsburgs. Ended by the treaty of Westphalia in 1648 which strengthened France by their acquisition of German territory.
   1. France did all it could to weaken the Holy roman empire and the Hapsburgs
7. In 1643 Louis XIV became king of France at the age of 22, He ruled with his advisor Cardinal Marazin who succeeded Cardinal Richelieu.
   1. Louis XIV ruled for 72 years which is the longest reign in all of Europe
8. Louis XIV built the Palace of Versailles and moved the government there. He believed in the divine right of kings and named himself the Sun King.
   1. Why? He used the sun as a symbol- sun reaches and touches everything- just like him
9. He used an economic genius named Jean-Baptiste Colbert to run the economic affairs of France.
   1. Tariffs on Imports
   2. Improve Transportation
   3. Increase Trade
   4. Eliminate corruption in tax collecting
10. Louis eliminated the Edict of Nantes and forced Protestants to either convert to Catholicism or leave. Over 200,000 Huguenots fled the country
11. Louis increased the power of the Military
    1. 400,000 soldiers- fought 4 wars to protect France's interests. However, the spending left France financially weak
12. The last war he fought was the War of the Spanish Succession. The Spanish king died and the throne was given to Philip V who was the Grandson of Louis XIV. A French-Spanish alliance frightened the rest of Europe so the war began.
    1. The war ended with the Treaty of Utrecht in 1713.
       1. Result: The Spanish and French thrones could never be united
13. French exploration:
    1. Before Louis XIV Jacques Cartier explored North America
    2. Samuel de Champlain traveled up the St. Lawrence River to Quebec. Fur trade began
    3. Under Louis XIV Rene- Robert Cavalier De La salle sailed down the Mississippi River and founded what city? New Orleans- Louisiana
    4. Louis XV and Louis XVI were weak compared to Louis XIV and that led to the French Revolution

Russian Absolute Rulers:

1. Before 1480 the Mongols controlled much of Russia for some 200 years. They were Eastern Orthodox being influenced by the Byzantine Empire.
2. Russia had become isolated from the rest of Europe. Another problem that Russia had was that it was landlocked- no access to waterways
3. In 1613 Michael Romanov (grandnephew of Ivan the Terrible) was elected czar
4. In 1682 Peter I became the czar at the age of 10. Because of his age he shared power with his half- brother and half-sister. By 1689 Peter became sole ruler
5. Peter the Great- 1689-1725
   1. Peter realized that Russia had fallen behind. Europe in many ways including military warfare. He dressed like a private citizen and he traveled throughout many western countries. He tried to create an alliance against the Ottoman Turks. He was never able to establish an alliance against the Turks but he did learn a lot about the west
6. Which country did he believe had the best army?
   1. He went back to Russia and began to train his army like the French army. What about the fact that Russia was landlocked?
      1. In 1700 he went to war against Sweden. In 1721 they won the war and got access to the Baltic Sea. In the territory that he acquired from Sweden he built a new city- St. Petersburg. He moved the government from Moscow to St. Petersburg.
7. He westernized Russia. Women received more rights, beards were shaved, encouraged manufacturing and foreign trade- $
8. He also created "service nobility"- noble's rank depended on their service to the state. Why?
   1. He can control the nobles
9. He controlled the Russian Orthodox Church as well
10. Peter the Great made Russia a world power
11. When Peter died he was succeeded by his 2nd wife Catherine I. Peter's grandson Peter III married Catherine II. Peter's grandson was assassinated. Catherine II takes over and become known as Catherine the Great and rules Russia from 1762-1796
12. Unfortunately, under Catherine the Great the poor of Russia became poorer. She excelled in foreign policy. She conquered many territories and expanded Russia's borders.
    1. Example:First Partition of Poland 1772 Prussia, Austria and Russia divided the land.
    2. 1793 2nd Partition of Poland- Russia and Prussia
    3. 1795 3rd Partition of Poland- Russia, Prussia and Austria. Poland disappeared from the map until 1919
13. Russia was now a major player in Europe
    1. Added 200,000 square miles to empire

Changes in England:

1. Queen Elizabeth I Queen of England Accomplishments:
   1. Made england one of the most powerful national states in the world- world's leading commercial nation
   2. Defeat of the Spanish Armada
   3. Under her reign Sir Francis Drake voyage around the world
   4. Plundering of Spanish treasure ships by English Sea-raiders
2. Problem? Tudors knew how to make Parliament feel important. They would ask its consent when policy was already decided.
   1. Stuarts could not do that
3. Elizabeth dies- no heir to the throne. She never married.
   1. Her distant cousin James VI of Scotland (son of Mary, Queen of Scots) becomes King James I of England. James I believed in the Divine right of kings and therefore couldn't care less about what Parliament had to say
4. Reasons why Parliament hated Jame I
   1. He was a foreigner
   2. He believed in the divine right of kings so Parliament was never consulted on matters of state
   3. He spent money lavishly
5. In 1625 James I died and was succeeded by his son Charles I
6. The Parliament hoped that Charles would be more reasonable than his father