Crisis and Absolutism in Europe Landscape with Merchants (1630), by Claude Lorrain.

Crisis and

Absolutism in Europe

Landscape with Merchants (1630), by Claude Lorrain

• Reformation created Opposites & Conflict– Protestants and Catholics battled for

territory & authority

– No room for compromise• “only one TRUE faith”

– Compounded by Monarchies• One Ruler promoting One Faith

• Belief of Nobles?

I. Wars of Religion

• French Wars of Religion (1562-1598)– Monarchy, vast majority of subjects

were Catholic

– Half of nobility were Huguenots• French Protestants influenced by

Calvin

– Peasants side with Huguenots. Why?

Saint Bartholomew’s Day Massacre(1630), by Francois Dubois

I. Wars of Religion

I. Wars of Religion• French Wars of Religion (cont.)

– After many battles, Huguenots win

– Henry of Navarre• Political leader of Huguenots

• Takes throne as Henry IV

• Converts to Catholicism, why?

• Edict of Nantes (1598)– Catholicism still official religion…

– But Huguenots free to worship, hold public office

Henry IV

I. Wars of Religion• Militant Spanish Catholicism

– Philip II, the “Most Catholic King”, wanted more control over his lands

• Used religion to do so

• Resistance in Spanish Netherlands– Calvinists destroy Catholic statues

– William the Silent, prince of Orange

– 12yrs of war = Dutch independence

• Spain has large empire (where?)

• But also very large debtKing Philip II of Spain

I. Wars of Religion• The England of Elizabeth

– Inherits throne from “Bloody” Mary

– Repeals Catholic-Friendly laws

– Sought to balance power of France and Spain

• If one seemed to be gaining power, she favored the other

– Led to war with Spain• Spain wanted a Catholic England

• Spanish Armada failsQueen Elizabeth I of England

I. Wars of Religion• The Thirty Years War (1618-1648)

– Battle over religion, politics, territory– Begins in Holy Roman Empire

• Calvinists nobles (Protestants)– Ignored by Peace of Augsburg

• Hapsburg Emperors (Catholic)

– France, Spain, others get involved• Struggle for European dominance

– Devastated German people, land– Peace of Westphalia (1648)

• All German states able to choose religion

– France now dominant, end of H.R.E.Battle on the Charles Bridge (1648), Petri Krohn

II. Rise of Absolutism• Religious crisis creates need for

stability– Requires strong rulers that resist

change

• Absolutism– System where ruler has total power

– “Who put this guy in charge?”• Justification: Divine Right of Kings

– King receives power from God

– Responsible only to God

II. Rise of Absolutism• King Louis XIV of France

– Rise to power• 1643:Louis takes throne, age 13

– Cardinal Mazarin rules for him

» Stops rebellion, strengthens crown

» Dies when Louis is 23

– Louis XIV takes complete control

– Builds myth of “Sun King”King Louis XIV, the “Sun King”

II. Rise of Absolutism• King Louis XIV of France (cont.)

– Palace at Versailles (VURH-sigh)

• Personal household of King

• Many nobles moved in as well– Louis encouraged it. Why?

• Place where powerful subjects came to find favors, offices

• Center of elite French culture– Examples?

The Palace at Versailles

II. Rise of Absolutism• King Louis XIV of France (cont.)

– Religious Policy• Goal: maintain religious harmony• Anti-Protestant policies

– Hoped to Convert Huguenots– Destruction of churches, schools– Huguenots flee

– Economy & War• Adhered to mercantilistic policies• Waged four wars for fame, land• On deathbed: Regretted war,

overspendingReception of Le Grand Condé at Versailles,

by Jean-Léon Gérôme (1878)

III. Changes in England• English Revolution

– Tudor Dynasty ends, enter James I• King of Scotland

• Believed in Divine Right of Kings

• Role of British Parliament?– Roots from Magna Carta

– Assumed King shares ruling power

• Puritans (English Calvinists)– Wanted less moderate Church of

England

– Gentry, landowners, ParliamentKing James I of England and Scotland

III. Changes in England• English Revolution (cont.)

– Charles I• Supports Divine Right of Kings

• Refuses power to Parliament

• Imposes more religious ritual

– Many Puritans head to America

• 1642: Civil War

– Cavaliers: support King Charles

– Roundheads: back Parliament

» Led by Oliver CromwellOliver Cromwell

Charles I

III. Changes in England• English Revolution (cont.)

– Oliver Cromwell• Defeats, executes Charles I• Cleans house in Parliament

– Abolished monarchy, declared England a commonwealth

• Frustrated by Parliament, set up military dictatorship

– Restoration• Cromwell dies, monarchy returns• Charles II: Catholic sympathizer• James II: Devout Catholic. conflict?James II

Charles II

III. Changes in England• Glorious Revolution

– James II had 2 Protestant daughters• His successor would be Protestant• had son with 2nd wife, a Catholic

– William of Orange (Dutch)• Son-in-law of James II (Mary)• Invited by English nobles to invade• “bloodless” Glorious Revolution• William and Mary are monarchs

– Accepted a Bill of Rights from Parliament

» Legitimized role of Parliament» Granted individual rights» No Catholic could be monarch

– Solidified Constitutional MonarchyWilliam and Mary

IV. Eastern Absolutism• 2 powerful German states emerge

• Prussia– Fredrick William the Great Elector

• Small, open land, no natural defense

• Builds 4th largest army in Europe

• Creates General War Commissariat– Levy taxes, oversees army

– Runs civil services

– Bureaucracy = chief tool for rule

• Son becomes King Frederick IThe Prussian State & Frederick William, the Great Elector

IV. Eastern Absolutism• Austria

– Hapsburg clan• No longer Emperors (H.R.E)

• Expand south & east (defeat Turks)

• Gain large territory, but never becomes absolutist state…

– Many different national groups

– Lack of common identity, culture

Seal of the Hapsburgs

IV. Eastern Absolutism• Absolutist Russia

– Continual expansion (p. 446)

– Ivan IV (“Ivan the Terrible”)• First czar, Russian for “Caesar”

• Crushed power of Boyars (nobles)

– “Time of Troubles” = anarchy

– Peter the Great, 1689• Claims Divine Right of Kings

• Determined to Westernize– Updates Army, founds Navy

– St. Petersburg = window to WestRussian Expansion, St. Petersburg, and Peter the Great

IV. Eastern Absolutism• Effects of Enlightenment in

Eastern Europe– Prussia

• Frederick I– Strong bureaucracy to serve King

– Strong state through strong army

• Frederick II (Frederick the Great)– Big army to watch over bureaucrats

– Abolished torture

– Limited free speech & religion

– Kept rigid class system, serfdomWilliam I and William the Great of Prussia

IV. Eastern Absolutism• Enlightenment in E.Europe (cont)

– Austria• Maria Theresa (Empress in 1740)

– Tried to centralize Austrian Empire

– Give more power to state

– ease conditions of serfs

• Joseph II, Maria’s son– Abolished serfdom, death penalty

– Absolute religious toleration

– Failure, alienates those he tried to help (too much too soon)

Maria Theresa and Joseph II of Austria

IV. Eastern Absolutism• Enlightenment in E.Europe (cont)

– Russia• Catherine the Great (1762-1796)

– Open to Enlightenment ideas of reform

– But does nothing, favors nobility over peasants

– Absolutist ideals help gain territory to the south and east

Catherine the Great of Russia