Pursuit of Power I am the state. Religious Defense of Absolutism

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1 I am the state. Pursuit of Power I am the state 17 th & 18 th Centuries: Governments established by God. Monarchs ruled by divine right & not subject to man-made laws Authority was used to satisfy personal desires and ambitions Louis XIV Power of Kings: Absolute & Unrestrained European rulers worked to make their political power absolute. They sought to increase: 1. control over nation s finances, religion, and nobility 2. size of army and/or navy 3. size of government bureaucracy 4. size of territory Religious Defense of Absolutism Jaques Bénigne Bossuet Catholic bishop whom Louis XIV chose to tutor his son Staunch supporter of political absolutism They asserted that they ruled by divine right. Romans 13:1-4 1 Every person is to be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God. 2 Therefore whoever resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God ; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves. 3 For rulers are not a cause of fear for good behavior, but for evil. Do you want to have no fear of authority? Do what is good and you will have praise from the same ; 4 for it is a minister of God to you for good. But if you do what is evil, be afraid ; for it does not bear the sword for nothing ; for it is a minister of God, an avenger who brings wrath on the one who practices evil. 1

2 Absolutism in France Growth of Absolutism in France Richelieu Mazarin Chief advisers to the French throne Guided both French policy and French kings Sought to increase their personal power by strengthening royal power in France and French power in Europe Beneficiary of their efforts was Louis XIV Henry IV Louis XIII Marie de Medici Richelieu Henry IV Strengthened Royal power Reduced privileges of nobility Increased government control of economy Louis XIII ( ) Came to throne at nine years of age Mother ruled during his youth Richlelieu became his chief minister Richelieu Began in Bohemia Thirty Years War Began destroying the Huguenots (French Protestants) Viewed as enemies of the state Replaced nobility with intendents Those who defied him were imprisoned or executed Brought France into the Thirty Years War ( ) Protestant Bohemian nobles revolted against newly crowned Catholic emperor who revoked religious freedoms Emperor sent troops to crush rebellion Protestant cause taken up by Gustavus Adolphus, king of Sweden (killed in battle) France enters war on side of Protestants Gustavus Adolphus War ends in 1648 w/protestant-french victory Peace of Westphalia 1. Treaties recognized the independence of the Protestant provinces of the Netherlands & Swiss confederacy 2. Germany became more politically fragmented (300 independent German states) 3. Reaffirmed principle that each prince determined the religion of his territory 4. France emerged as the strongest nation on European continent. 2

3 Mazarin Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV epit o me a typical or ideal example : Richelieu & King Louis XIII died Jules Mazarin(chief minister) continues absolutist policies Mazarin imposes new taxes Anti-government riots occur (Frondes) Force Louis XIV to leave Paris for a time End in 1653 Last serious attempt to limit power of king until French Revolution in 1789 Louis XIV REVOCATION OF THE EDICT OF NANTES 1. Effort to create religious uniformity 2. Edict of Nantes revoked in Huguenots lost freedom to worship 4. Persecution had opposite effect than intended L état, c est moi No successor appointed to replace Mazarin Believed in one king, one law, and one faith Dominated European affairs FINANCIAL & MILITARY POLICIES: 1. Appointed Jean-Bapiste Colbert as his minister of finance 2. Encouraged mercantilism 3. Appointed lieutenant colonels Jean-Bapiste Colbert LIFE AT VERSAILLES 1. Took the sun as the symbol of his reign 2. Considered himself to be the center of European life 3. Had a great palace built southwest of Paris (Versailles) FOREIGN POLlICY OF LOUIS XIV Engaged in a number of wars to increase his influence in Europe In addition to extensive building programs, brought France close to bankruptcy Died in 1715 Outlived his son and grandson Great grandson, Louis XV ( ) succeeds him Continues to involve France in disastrous wars Drained royal treasury Louis XV Louis XV 3

4 Brandenburg-Prussia Later called simply Prussia poor soil few economic resources scattered territories no natural frontiers What Prussia did have: energetic and capable rulers large standing army efficient bureaucracy Junkers (Prussian nobility) Frederick William First important Prussian ruler The Great Elector Most powerful of the German princes Enlarged Prussian Army Forged unified state Frederick I Frederick William I Sought to imitate Louis XIV Referred to as King in Prussia so as not to offend the Holy Roman Emperor Built up Military Strict disciplinarian Demanded absolute obedience from all citizens Salvation belongs to the Lord; everything else is my business. 4

5 Frederick II (The Great) Seemed to have no interest in the army Loved the arts Tripled the size of the Prussian state Enacted political reforms Granted religious freedom to Catholics & Jews Dedicated to absolutism Hapsburg rulers unable to create a strong absolutist state because: 1. Roman Catholic Church & nobility had greater power 2. surrounded by greedy neighbors Needed support of nobles to defend country 3. many different nationalities Maria Theresa Joseph II ( ) Began reign as co-ruler with his mother, Maria Theresa Changes: higher taxes on nobility and Catholic Church Reduced tax burden on peasants Altered church organization religious freedom for non-catholics Many of his reforms died out after he did. Ivan IV Called Ivan the Terrible Murdered many of the nobility Taxed people heavily & treated them as slaves Took the title of czar, (caesar) Ivan dies & turmoil erupts Turmoil ends in 1613 when Romanov dynasty came to the throne. Romanov dynasty rules Russia until

6 Peter the Great Sought to modernize Russia Traveled to Western Europe Western Europe helps build Russian Economy Outlawed native dress & styles Changed calendar (New Year s Day on 1/1 instead of 9/1) Defeats Sweden in the Great Northern War ( ) Given title the Great. Seizes control of Russian Orthodox Church Creates the Holy Synod Catherine II Also called Catherine the Great Hardworking and capable Openly immoral Had husband arrested & murdered Rebel peasants exiled to Siberia Transferred church property to the government Completed the westernization of Russia. Absolutism Defeated in England Was born to Mary Queen of Scots (who was beheaded by Elizabeth) Cousin of Elizabeth I Invited by Parliament to become king after Elizabeth s death Took title of James I Raised Presbyterian in Scotland a group of Puritans present a petition to purify Anglican Church from popish ceremonies James I appoints 50 scholars to make a new English translation of the Bible Completed in 1611 Called the Authorized Version Commonly called today the King James Version James expects everyone to conform to Anglican Church He harassed Puritans Small group of Puritans sail to the New World in search of religious freedoms Pilgrims James believes he rules by divine right Opposition in Parliament unites against James James I Charles I Inherited father s political and religious views Persecution of Puritans thousands sail to America Convenes Parliament who demands recognition of free speech & freedom from arrest Charles disbands Parliament In need of funds, Charles is forced to recall Parliament Petition of Right (1628) Parliamentary consent needed to raise taxes No arbitrary imprisonment No signature No funds Charles lectures Parliament on his divine right Parliament disbanded again King tries to raise money apart from Parliament Forced to recall Parliament when Scotland rebels against him 6

7 Parliament: 1. Would meet every three years w/without royal permission 2. Could not be dissolved without its own consent 3. No taxes except those passed by Parliament 4. Abolished royal courts Civil War Puritans in Parliament attack org. of Anglican Church 1642 Charles I marches into House of Commons to arrest enemies. Each side gathers armies Puritans, lesser gentry and merchants Opponents called them Roundheads because few of them had long hair Supporters of the king & nobility were called Cavaliers Oliver Cromwell Under his leadership, Roundheads defeated Charles at Battle of Naseby Defeat is deathblow to royalists cause England still had problems Some wanted to simply limit kings power Parliamentary army envisions republic Conservatives tried to dissolve army Army refuses to disband Remaining conservatives ally with Charles Rump Parliament sets up court & tries king for treason Charles I beheaded in 1649 Cromwell Rules No plan for governing: trial and error Establishes a Protectorate Protectorate ends after Cromwell s death His son, Richard succeeds him Restoration 1660 Richard not as forceful as Oliver Allows Parliament to offer throne to Charles II Stuart monarchy re-established called the Restoration (1660) Parliament passes Habeas Corpus Act Illegal to hold jail someone arbitrarily Charles attempts to become financially independently of Parliament 7

8 James II ( ) James II (Charles II s brother) succeeds Charles Ardent Roman Catholic & firm believer in absolutism Parliament tolerates him (he has two protestant daughters) Second wife (Roman Catholic) has a son Parliament concerned Glorious Revolution William of Orange (leader of Protestant Netherlands & husband of James daughter Mary) invited to take throne of England James tries to send troops against William Many of his own officers desert James flees House of Commons declares that King James II has abdicated William & Mary installed as King & Queen Bill of Rights (1689) limits royal power and established certain civil liberties forbade future kings & queens from being Roman Catholics Act of Settlement Parliament established its right to grant the throne to whomever it wished Concept of king ruling by divine right passed away Last of the Stuarts Mary s sister Anne ( ) rules after William & is the last ruling Stuart George of Hanover assumes the throne A descendant of James I James I King George I Cabinet Government Could not speak English (German) Relied on others to carry out many responsibilities of govt. Cabinet system develops during his reign and reign of George II Cabinet Government continues under George of Hanover (James descendant) Executive powers eventually shift to Prime Minister Prime Minister & Cabinet eventually become accountable to Parliament Robert Walpole 8

9 Balance of Power Alliances formed by nations to ensure that other nations did not become too strong War of Spanish Succession Hapsburg king of Spain dies Throne granted, by will, to grandnephew Philip (grandson of Louis XIV) Louis claims Spanish throne for Phillip England & Netherlands form Grand Alliance to block Louis actions Charles II Phillip V Treaty of Utrecht 1713 Philip allowed to retain throne of Spain as long as crowns of France and Spain were not united Spain surrenders possessions in Netherlands, Mediterranean Sea to Austria Britain wins various Canadian territories & port of Gibraltar England & Scotland united into a single kingdom called Great Britain War of Austrian Succession ( ) Austrian emperor Charles VI draws up Pragmatic Sanction Designed to prevent Austria s neighbors from taking advantage of his daughter, Maria Theresa Frederick II of Prussia: no intention to abide by document (signed by his father) Invades Silesia (rich mining area) in 1740 Charles VI Maria Theresa Frederick William II Frederick II Brandenburg-Prussia France enters war against Austria Spain enters war to retrieve Italian lands lost to Austria in 1713 Britain enters war on side of Austria War spreads to North America Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle ends fighting Frederick II allowed to keep Silesia Status quo ante bellum (how things were before the war) West Prussia was ceded to Poland in 1466, and East Prussia became a Polish fief that passed to Brandenburg in

10 Seven Years War ( ) French & Indian War breaks out between France and Britain in New World Frederick II sees opportunity to gain more Austrian territory Did not fear France or England entering war. France & Austria were enemies France enters war on side of Austria to stop Prussian expansion. Seven Year s War (continued) William Pitt (England) devises plan to win war Supplied aid to Prussia to keep French busy Attempt to destroy French sea power making it easier to defeat French in N. America & India Russia, Sweden, Spain & most of German states join France & Austria Treaty of Paris France lost all territory on the mainland of North America. Britain acquired all of Canada and French territory east of the Mississippi Partition of Poland ( ) No natural boundaries Weak and inefficient government Greedy neighbors Russia, Prussia & Austria France lost most of her commercial holdings in India Spain lost Florida to Great Britain but received New Orleans and Louisiana from France in return 10