“Enlightened” Despots

AP European History

Enlightened Despots◦ 18th-century monarchs◦ NOT democratic◦ BUT used absolute power to reform their

countries. Areas of reform:

Law Social and economic conditions Education

Notice! No English monarchs here!

Many of them read the works of the philosophers of the “Age of Reason” or were advised by councilors who had.◦ Who were the philosophers?

Locke Hobbes Montesquieu Voltaire Rousseau The Physiocrats

Many monarchs realized that to improve their states, they needed to reform.

Several key absolute rulers invited many of the living philosophers to advise them.

Voltaire pushed the idea that a ruler can justify her/his power by improving society.◦ Voltaire is the

philosopher who said: “I may disagree with what you have to say, but I shall defend to the death your right to say it.”

◦ spent a lot of time at the court of Frederick the Great of Prussia (Voltaire was the first to call him “the Great”)

◦ corresponded with Catherine the Great of Russia.

Frederick of Prussia (1712-1786)◦ Reign 1740-1786◦ (Frederick William

Hohenzollern II)◦ Wrote poetry and

essays, played music, even wrote some philosophy.

◦ Strategic thinker

Reforms◦ Abolished torture (except for treason &

murder)◦ Established elementary schools◦ Promoted industry and agriculture◦ After “Seven Years War,” helped peasants

rebuild.◦ Established some religious freedom

Reign 1740-1780 Archduchess of Austria, Queen of

Hungary and Bohemia, empress of the HRE, and a ton of other titles. ◦ Husband Francis I – Francis Stephen of

Lorraine – was the Emperor in name only

Got to the throne by “Pragmatic Sanction” which recognized succession through female line.◦ But as soon as her dad died, Frederick

of Prussia invaded.◦ Her appeal to the Hungarian Diet for

help was “over the top”

Her son, Josef II, became HRE; the two ruled together for some time.

Devout Catholic; 16 children (10 to adulthood)◦ Among them, Marie “Let them eat cake”Antoinette

Disagreed with many Enlightenment Philosophers.

Reforms◦ Protected the rights of serfs:

codes established regulating relationship with lords

◦ Freed all peasants on crown lands

◦ Started a paid bureaucracy (civil servants)

◦ Set up elementary schools funded by local and state funds.

◦ Created a tariff union of all parts of the HRE

◦ Kicked the Jesuits out of the country

Reign with Mom (1765-1780); all by himself (1780-1790)

Huge fan of Enlightenment philosophers.◦ When MT died, he

pushed for even greater reforms.

“Too many notes”

Reforms◦ Serfdom completely

abolished.◦ Taxes were made equal for

both serfs and nobles◦ Freedom of the press◦ Took property from the

church to fund hospitals.◦ Relaxed laws binding Jews to

villages. His brother Leopold,

however, was a huge reactionary, and rolled back a lot of the reforms.

Reigned 1762-1796 German-born princess

who staged a coup against her incompetent husband, Peter III.◦ Did the Romanov dynasty

end with her? Ignored son Paul, but

practically raised grandson Alexander by herself.

Major reformer…

Reform◦ Reorganized local

government and established a civil service.

◦ Decreased use of torture◦ Codified laws.◦ Toured the countryside

incognito. Potemkin village comes from

this tour.Potemkin

Backlash!◦ When Pugachev rebellion

arose, she back-pedaled some of the reforms. Toyed with the idea of

freeing the serfs.

The Don Cossack, Pugachev

Enlightened Despots were not democrats, but top-down reformers.◦ They liked Enlightenment philosophy—

especially Voltaire’s brand. Reforms in general:

◦ Codification of laws◦ Limit church power◦ Construct hospitals and elementary schools◦ Develop centralized bureaucracy◦ Modify serfdom