ABSOLUTISM AND THE STATE

ABSOLUTE MONARCHY What is absolutism? John Locke s Two Treatises on Civil Government (1690) Thomas Hobbes and the Leviathan (1651) Consequences of absolutism... Larger royal courts Larger militaries More censorship, control of info, political repression

ABSOLUTISM IN CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPE Frederick William (ruled 1640-1688) = King of Brandenburg-Prussia Influenced by Thirty Years War Problems for Brandenburg-Prussia: Small military, territorial threats Reforms = excise tax, professional military Tsar Peter I (ruled 1682-1725) = Russian tsar Worked to westernize Russia

FRENCH ABSOLUTISM: ORIGINS France = THE absolutist state Role of Cardinal Richelieu raison d état Worked to undermine the nobility, the Huguenots, and local French leaders Louis XIII hated governing 1642 & 1643 = Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu die; stuff starts to fall apart... Louis XIV (ruled 1643-1715) New Chief Minister = Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) After Mazarin, two new important ministers: Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683) = finance minister Marquis de Louvois (1639-1691) = minister of war

FRENCH ABSOLUTISM: VERSAILLES Louis XIV = the Sun King Palace at Versailles Required nobles reside there; practice etiquette

FRENCH ABSOLUTISM: VERSAILLES Louis XIV = the Sun King Palace at Versailles Required nobles reside there; practice etiquette France became Europe s greatest power Louis XIV s big mistakes: Revoked the Edict of Nantes Aggressive (and expensive!) foreign policy

RUSSIA S WESTERN REFORMATION: PETER THE GREAT Peter the Great (r. 1682-1725) wanted to westernize Russia Reforms: Efficient taxation Lifetime military service for nobles Table of Ranks Industrialization Still a sad life for most Russians Increased agricultural taxation 1782 = 6,700,000 serfs

ENLIGHTENED MONARCHY IN RUSSIA: CATHERINE THE GREAT 1725-1762 = six tsars Benefited the nobility less expected from them Population growth Catherine the Great (ruled 1762-1796) Killed her husband, Peter III Lowered the salt tax Francophile The Instruction (1767) = revised/modernized Russian laws Enlightened monarch University system 50 districts for efficient governance Influenced by Enlightenment thinkers

TWO GERMANIES: PRUSSIA Prussia & Austria 18 th century = Brandenburg-Prussia became a powerhouse Reforms under Frederick William Victory in War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) Victory in Great Northern War (1700-1721) Frederick William I (ruled 1713-1740) Continued military reforms Raised state revenue

TWO GERMANIES: PRUSSIA Prussia & Austria 18 th century = Brandenburg-Prussia becomes a powerhouse Reforms under Frederick William Victory in War of Spanish Succession (1701-1714) Victory in Great Northern War (1700-1721) Frederick William I (ruled 1713-1740) Continued military reforms Raised state revenue Frederick the Great (ruled 1740-1786) Conquered Silesia increased territory by 25% Gained control of the Junkers Enlightened monarch Codified laws, encouraged science/technology, etc.

TWO GERMANIES: AUSTRIA Victory in War of Spanish Succession Gained territory Ruled by Habsburg family very Catholic! Hard to centralize power, multiethnic Empire Charles VI (ruled 1711-1740) Pragmatic Sanction Maria Theresa (ruled 1740-1780) Transition from Empire to nation-state Josef II (ruled 1780-1790) Ended serfdom in Austria Growing tension with Hungary...

WAR OF AUSTRIAN SUCCESSION (1740-1748) 1740 = Frederick the Great invaded Silesia France claims Bohemia, invades Netherlands Spain claims Italian territories Saxony invades Moravia Bavaria invades southern Austrian Empire Netherlands and Britain help Austria 1748 = Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle Austria lost Silesia to Prussia = permanent enemies France gained nothing Spain gained Italian territories