Age of absolutism

• Write a ½ page response to the following:

• Pretend you just became King or Queen of your country. Write the first speech to the people of your country telling what your plans are to make your country the best and most powerful. What are you going to do to solve all the conflicts? What are you going to do with the tax money? Don’t forget to mention Divine Right from last classes reading.

• Think about the monarch that you have researched. Go back to Bellwork #1 and add a paragraph to your speech as King/Queen addressing the following issues you may face as King/Queen:

– Will you build colonies? Why or Why not?– Plans for your army.

Europe 1500-1700

Characteristics of New Absolute Monarchs

1. Complete control2. Local Nobility brought under King3. Hereditary Monarchy was public order4. No more Medieval Feudal System5. Claimed to Rule by Devine Right6. Built Huge Armies7. Raised High Taxes8. Make own laws

• Power Grew out of the Middle Ages:

–Decline in Feudalism–Rise of Cities –Growth of Nations–Growing Middle Class backed the monarchs

–Churches began to lose their authority

Characteristics of an

Absolute Monarch

Divine Right

No limitations on Power

No restrictive representative body

High taxes & huge armies

Examples of Absolute Monarchs

Louis VIV of France

“The Sun King”

Peter the Great of Russia Philip II of Spain

Frederick The Great of Prussia Maria Theresa of Austria

Louis XIV – The Sun King Believed in divine right. Believed in divine right.

“L’etat, c’est moi.” I am “L’etat, c’est moi.” I am the state. the state.

Made French army the Made French army the strongest in Europestrongest in Europe

France was the France was the wealthiest country in wealthiest country in Europe under Louis XIVEurope under Louis XIV

Louis XIV spent huge Louis XIV spent huge amounts of moneyamounts of money

Built Versailles. Built Versailles. War of Spanish War of Spanish

SuccessionSuccession

Palace of Versailles

Expanded from a Expanded from a hunting lodge in 1669.hunting lodge in 1669.

Became the symbol to Became the symbol to European monarchs of European monarchs of the wealth and power the wealth and power of the king of France.of the king of France.

Seat of French Seat of French government for nearly government for nearly over 100 years.over 100 years.

Its upkeep consumed Its upkeep consumed as much as 25% of the as much as 25% of the income of France. income of France.

• 2,000 acres of grounds• 12 miles of roads• 27 miles of trellises• 200,000 trees• 210,000 flowers planted every year• 80 miles of rows of trees• 55 acres surface area of the Grand Canal• 12 miles of enclosing walls• 50 fountains and 620 fountain nozzles• 21 miles of water conduits• 3,600 cubic meters per hour: water • 26 acres of roof• 51,210 square meters of floors• 2,153 windows• 700 rooms• 67 staircases• 6,000 paintings• 1,500 drawings and 15,000 engravings• 2,100 sculptures • 5,000 items of furniture and objects

d'art• 150 varieties of apple and peach trees

Palace of Versailles

Philip II of Spain• Sought to expand Spanish Sought to expand Spanish

influence – ruled Spain influence – ruled Spain when the empire was at when the empire was at its height. Included the its height. Included the Spanish New World Spanish New World

• Devout: tried to Devout: tried to strengthen Catholic strengthen Catholic churchchurch

• Centralized royal powerCentralized royal power• Married Mary I of England Married Mary I of England

– returned England to – returned England to CatholicismCatholicism

• Invaded England with Invaded England with Spanish Armada against Spanish Armada against Elizabeth I – He lost most Elizabeth I – He lost most of the Armada.of the Armada.

Spanish Empire under Philip II

Peter the Great of Russia• Goal = westernize Russia. Goal = westernize Russia. • Forced powerful boyars to Forced powerful boyars to

bow to his will.bow to his will.• Built modern Western city Built modern Western city

for Russian capital – St. for Russian capital – St. Petersburg.Petersburg.

• Spread serfdom.Spread serfdom.• Studied Western Studied Western

technology. Worked in a technology. Worked in a shipyardshipyard

• Extended Russian territory Extended Russian territory – to Pacific Ocean.– to Pacific Ocean.

• 1700: Fought Sweden for 1700: Fought Sweden for control of Baltic. Gained control of Baltic. Gained several Baltic ports several Baltic ports

Russia under Peter the Great

Maria Theresa of AustriaFought Frederick II of Fought Frederick II of

Prussia for control of Prussia for control of Hungary and SilesiaHungary and Silesia

Reorganized the Reorganized the governmentgovernment

Enlightened DespotEnlightened DespotEased tax burden on her Eased tax burden on her

peoplepeopleGave more rights to her Gave more rights to her

subjectssubjectsGave birth to 16 children Gave birth to 16 children

while in power (Marie while in power (Marie Antionette)Antionette)

Frederick II of Prussia

Attacked Attacked Austria, Austria, sparking the sparking the War of Austrian War of Austrian SuccessionSuccession

Unified Prussia, Unified Prussia, part of the Holy part of the Holy Roman Empire, Roman Empire, into one nationinto one nation

• Monarchs used $ from their colonies to pay for their ambitions

•Gov’ts built large armies and raised tax making citizens uneasy

• Monarch increased their power to maintain order

•Goal = free themselves from limitation and representative bodies like Parliament