Ch 16

Absolutism

Sec 1

Hapsburg Empire

• Who: Charles V, Philip II, Ferdinand• What: empire that included the Holy Roman

Empire & the Netherlands• Where: Spain & Netherlands• When: 1519-1700• Why: there was too much land to defend so

Charles V broke up his lands & divided the empire b.n his brother and son

Charles V

• Who: ruler of the Hapsburg Empire• What: ruled the Hapsburg Empire, • Where: Spain• When:1519• Why: fought to suppress Protestantism in the

German states; always involved in constant religious warfare; went into monastery b.c. he was disillusioned by the enormous empire he had to rule; broke up his lands & divided the Hapsburg Empire

Philip II

• Who: Spanish ruler• What: he expanded the Spanish influence &

strengthened the Catholic church• Where: Spain• When: 1550-1600• Why: he centralized power to make his power

absolute; saw himself as guardian of the Catholic church;

Absolute Monarch

• Who: Philip II, Henry VIII, Louis XIV, Catherine the Great

• What: ruler with absolute authority over the government

• Where: Europe• When: 1500s-1700s• Why: these rulers had complete control over

their people & countries; they ruled by Divine Right which justified their absolute power = ppl had no rights

Divine Right

• Who: Absolute monarchs (Philip II, Louis XIV)• What: authority to rule is given from God• Where: Europe• When: 1500-1700s• Why: Absolute monarchs asserted that they

ruled by this- the will of God; since God put these monarchs in their place- they had absolute power

Armada

• Who: Spanish• What: fleet that had 20,000 men and 130

ships that sailed to England to invade• Where: Spain to England• When: 1588• Why: Philip II wanted the Armada to invade

England; the Armada lost b.c of winds in the English channel= this defeat led to England becoming #1 power in Europe

El Greco

• Who: famous Greek painter• What: painted religious & spiritual paintings of

Spanish nobles• Where: Spain, Italy & Greece• When: 1550-1650• Why: was a large influential figure during

Spain’s golden age; court painter to Philip IV

Miguel de Cervantes

• Who: Spanish writer• WhaT: wrote Europe’s first modern novel Don

Quixote• Where: Spain• When: 1550-1650• Why: his novel mocked medieval tales of

chivalry; it depicts both foolish & heroic idealism

Section 2

Huguenots

• Who: • What: French Protestants• Where: France• When: 1560-1590• Why: a plot by the Catholic royals led to the

massacre of 3000 Huguenots= symbolized the complete breakdown of France

Henry IV

• Who: King of France, Huguenot• What: French prince also a Huguenot ,

inherited the throne as Henry IV • Where: France • When: 1589• Why: he fought against Catholic opposition for

control of France; to end the conflict he converted to Catholic & then allowed religious tolerance with the Edict of Nantes

Edict of Nantes

• Who: Louis XIV, Huguenots• What: a document for Huguenots that gave

them religious freedom• Where: France• When: 1598• Why: this granted religious toleration and

freedom = numerous religions were allowed in France, brought peace to France & ended religious fighting

Cardinal Richilieu

• Who: Louis XIV’s chief minister, Catholic Cardinal

• WhaT: cunning capable leader that devoted 18 yrs to strengthening the French central gov’t

• Where: France• When: 1624• Why: he sought to destroy the Huguenots

(Protestants) & nobles- outlawed their armies & smashed their cities;

Louis XIV• Who: French King, “The Sun King”• WHaT: governed France himself, believed in

Divine Right to Rule• Where: France• When: 1643-1715• Why: expanded the bureaucracy & appointed

intendants = cemented ties to middle class, built an army; emphasized his own importance = levee; classical age= sponsored French academics; made France strongest state in Europe

Intendant

• Who: French officials• What: Royal officials that collected taxes for

Louis XIV• Where: France• When: 1600s• Why: appointed by Louis XIV to cement ties

with the wealthy middle class so he could focus on taking power away from the nobles

Jean-Baptiste Colbert• Who: King Louis XIV’s finance minister• What: imposed Mercantilist policies to bolster

the economy• Where: France• When: 1600s• Why: helped Louis XIV secure his ties w. France’s

middle class & stabilize the economy; he put tariffs on imported goods, fostered overseas colonies, regulated trade w. colonies; helped make France wealthiest in Europe

Versailles

• Who: Louis XIV• What: a hunting lodge that Louis XIV turned into

the most magnificent palace in Europe• Where: France• When: 1600s• Why: served as a symbol of king Louis XIV’s

wealth & power as the “Sun King”; ceremonies honoring the king were held here; made nobles live here in order to control them

Levee

• Who: French & King Louis XIV• What: a ceremony honoring the king; means

“the rising”• Where: France• When: 1600s• Why: Louis XIV made nobles at court serve the

him & swear fealty to him in these ceremonies= showed his absolute power

Balance of power

• Who: Louis XIV (French), Dutch, English• What: keeping balance amongst European

nations so no one nation became too powerful• Where: Europe• When: 1713• Why: rival rulers joined forces to sotp Louis XIV

from expanding France’s borders & taking over Europe= balance kept any one power from controlling the whole continent

Section 3

James I

• Who: the first Stuart monarch• What: agreed to rule according to the English

laws• Where: England• When: 1600s• Why: he lectured Parliament about Divine

Right; repeatedly clashed w. Parliament over money & foreign policy ; clashed w. dissenters

Dissenter

• Who: Protestants vs. James I• What: protestants that differed with the

Church of England• Where: England • When: 1600s• Why: Puritans called for simpler service w.o

bishops; James I rejected their demands & they fled England for religious freedom

Puritan

• Who: James I, Church of England• What: one group of dissenters that sought to

purify the church of Catholic practices• Where: England• When: 1603-1625• Why: James rejected their demands for a

simpler service & more democratic services w.o bishops = they fled England for America & religious freedom

Charles I

• Who: King of England• What: behaved like an absolute monarch &

made England mad• Where: England• When: 1625-1649• Why: his behavior caused probs w. Parliament

= English Civil War = he was beheaded = England had a dictatorship

Oliver Cromwell

• Who:• What:• Where: England• When:• Why:

English Bill of Rights

• Who:• What:• Where: England • When:• Why:

Limited Monarchy

• Who:• What:• Where: England• When:• Why:

Constitutional Government

• Who: British, Germans• What: a gov’t whose power is defined &

limited by law, by a constitution• Where: England• When: 1600s-now• Why: supported broad royal powers & a

dominant Anglican church; reflected business interest, support religious toleration & favor Parliament over the crown

Cabinet• Who: George I, George II, English• What: handful of Parliament advisors who set

policies• Where: England• When: 1600-1700s• Why: set policies in a small room= cabinet=

gaoined official status; head= prime Minister, leader of majority party= countries later adopted & adapted this cabinet system= we have one today

Oligarchy

• Who:• What:• Where: • When: • Why:

Section 4

elector

• Who: German princes • What: German princes who in theory the states

were ruled by the Holy Roman Empire who was chosen by seven leading german princes

• Where: Germany• When: 1618-1648• Why: the Emperor had little power over the

electors= this power vacuum led to 30 years war; religion further divided the German states= north Protestant, south= Catholic

Ferdinand

• Who: Catholic Hapsburg king of Bohemia• What: sought to suppress Protestants and to

assert royal power over nobles• Where: Bohemia, present day Czech Republic• When: 1618• Why: he declared royal power over nobles =

started 30 years war; Defenestration of Prague= started the war

Mercenary

• Who: soldiers for hire• What: burned villages, destroyed crops, &

killed w/o mercy• Where: German states• When: 1618-1648• Why: when a ruler or someone who could pay

for it wanted an army = hire mercernaries = they destroyed Europe’s population by destroying villages & their people

Depopulation

• Who: European people• What: reduction in population• Where: Germany• When: 1550-1800• Why: as many as 1/3 of the population in the

German states died as a result of Mercenary armies during the 30 years war

Peace of Westphalia

• Who: Austrians• What: treaty that brought peace to Europe after

the 30 years war & settled international problems

• Where: Austria• When: 1648• Why: Austria became a strong Catholic state w.

new Protestant power; in this treaty German lands were divided which broke up German power

Maria Theresa

• Who: Hapsburg Empress• What: intelligent & capable female ruler• Where: Austria• When: 1717-1780• Why: she strengthened Hapsburg power;

forced nobles & clergy to pay taxes; was involved in the war of Austrian Succession

War of the Austrian Succession

• Who: Maria Theresa (Austrians & Hungarians) vs. Prussians

• What: a conflict over who should succeed to the Austrian throne b.c. a woman had never ruled before

• WherE: Prussia v. Austria• When: 1740-1748• Why:

Prussia• Who: Hohenzollern family, Prussians• What: a region called Prussia, emerged as a new

Protestant power- family ruled scattered lands across N. Germany

• Where: Prussia• When: 1600-1700s• Why: following the Peace of Westphalia after 30

years war= ambitious Hohenzollern rulers uniting their holdings= unified Prussia= became one of the most powerful countries in Europe

Frederick William I

• Who:Prussian ruler• What: he gained loyalty of Prussian nobles

called Junkers• Where: Prussia• When: 1713• Why: he reduced the nob les’ independence &

increased his own control; placed great emphasis on military, trained one of the best military’s in Europe

Frederick William II

• Who: Prussian ruler, son of Frederick I• What: Prussian ruler who came to power after

his father in 1713 & well trained in war• WherE: Prussia• When: 1713-1740• Why: boldly seized Silesia from Austrian

Succession; forced all to recognize Prussia as a great power= called Frederick the Great

Sec 5

Peter the Great

• Who: Romanov Tsar of Russia• What: transformed Russia into a leading power in

the world; helped modernize Russia• Where: Russia• When: 1689-1725• Why: he began a new policy of Westernization of

culture; was an autocratic monarch that enforced his policies; brought all Russian institutions under his control; built St. Petersburg; expanded Russian borders; left a mixed legacy w. no heirs

Westernization

• Who: Peter the Great• What: the adoption of western ideas, technology, &

culture in Russia• Where: Russia• When: 1697• Why: Peter went to extreme measures to westernize

Russia= mixed feelings about his rule; persuading Russians to change their ways= difficult but his absolute power made them; imported W. technology & brought W.. Education; simplified the alphabet; brought European culture to Russia (clothes, etc), set up academies for studying

Autocratic

• Who: monarchs• What: one who ruled with unlimited authority• Where: Russia & Europe• When: 1600s• Why: Peter became the most Autocratic of

Europe’s absolute monarchs = no one had rights or authority except the autocratic ruler

Boyar• Who: Russian nobles• What: landowning nobles that served the state in

civilian/military positions• Where: Russia• When: 1600s• Why: Peter wanted to strengthen the military = he

forced the Boyars to serve civilian & military positions; he made them shave their beards & change their old fashioned robes w. Western clothes; Boyars still retained control over their lands

Warm-water port

• Who: Peter the Great & Catherine the Great• What: a port free of ice 24/7• Where: Russia, Black Sea• When: 1622-1629• Why: Russian ports froze during winter = they

couldn’t trade; to trade year round = needed warm water port; he wanted to gain control of it by defeating Ottoman Empire but failed to do so; later= Catherine the Great got it

St. Petersburg

• Who: Peter the Great • What: a magnificent new capital city named after

Peter; “Window to the West”• Where: Russia• When: 1709• Why: this became a great symbol of Peter the

Great’s effort to forge a modern Russia; this opened a new window to the West; he forced the Serfs to create this city; Italian architecture made the city Western

Catherine the Great• Who: German princess• What: married heiress to the Russian throne;

succeeded Peter the Great• Where: Russia• When: 1762- 1790s• Why: possibly killed her husband to obtain rule in

Russia; followed in Peter’s footsteps & worked to Westernize Russia during her reign; absolute monarch- forced peasants into Serfdom; expanded russia’s borders & gained warm-water port on Black Sea

partition

• Who: rulers of Russia, Prussia, & Austria• What: an agreement that divided up Poland • Where: Poland• When: 1770-1795• Why: this kept the 3 larger empire from

fighting over the territory; Catherine took part of Eastern Poland, Frederick & Joseph took part in the West; not until 1919 would a free Polish state appear