12.1- Absolute Rulers and Enlightened Despots - PowerPoint Presentation

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12.1- Absolute Rulers and Enlightened Despots

Essential Question- How much power should government have?

Review- Europe

After the fall of the Roman Empire, the Western half of the empire fell into darkness  The Dark Ages

What happened to the Eastern half of the empire?

Review- Europe

Feudalism develops- loose system of government in which land is exchanged for service

After the Crusades, feudal bonds weaken and monarchs race to centralize their power

Not holy

Not Roman

Not an empire

The Age of Absolutism

In the 1500s, rulers of countries like Spain and France set up absolute monarchiesPower passed from generation to generation within familiesOften had parliaments or other governing bodies that had no real power- ruler could dissolve themEmbraced the idea of divine right as a way to command absolute obedience from subjectsSaw themselves as God’s representatives on Earth, and acted in his nameAlthough the Church was more powerful than kings during the Middle Ages, monarchs were now able to regain control of the Church

Absolute Monarchy- system of gov’t in which one ruler has complete authority over the gov’t and the lives of people

Divine Right-

authority to rule comes directly from God

Phillip II of Spain (1581-1598)

Led the Counter-Reformation and persecuted non-Catholics in SpainBanned books not published in SpainExpanded Spanish territory- conquered the Philippines, and attempted to take over EnglandConsolidated control of the silver trade from the New WorldProblems- too much gold/silver from New World led to inflation, high taxes, Protestants in north did not want to convert

Louis XIV of France

Louis XIV came to power as a 5-year-old after his father’s deathFirm believer in his divine right to rule- “I am the state”Cancelled the Edict of Nantes which gave Protestants religious freedom, forcing thousands to flee FranceCreated a bureaucracy by appointing officials to collect taxes, recruit soldiers, and enforce lawsCreated one of the largest and most powerful armies in EuropeEngaged in numerous costly wars

Versailles

Louis XIV established the palace of Versailles as his primary court, and it became a symbol of his powerSaw the sun as a symbol of his absolute power, and used it as his inspiration  The Sun KingSpared no expense in making Versailles the most magnificent building in Europe

The expenses of building Versailles, upholding Louis XIV’s lavish lifestyle, and fighting various wars were passed on to the people of France via high taxes

Enlightened Despots

The “Enlightened Despot” was a monarch who ruled with the intent of improving the lives of their subjects in order to strengthen or reinforce their authorityBased on the belief that the ruler knew the interests of his subjects better than they themselvesThese despots utilized ideas of enlightenment (which we’ll be talking about next) to expand their ruleEnlightened Despots are ALSO Absolute Monarchs

Despot- a ruler with absolute, unlimited power

Frederick the Great of Prussia (1712-1786)

Frederick the Great was a humanist thinker who embraced learning, philosophy, and the artsModernized the army, won numerous military victories and expanded the nationBeloved by his subjects- built canals, made new land arable, reformed the judicial system and opened it to men of all classes, was religiously tolerant, allowed complete freedom of the press and literature

What is Prussia?

Covered parts of modern-day Germany, Poland, and the Czech Republic

Was the Protestant German-speaking power while Austria was developing into a Catholic state

Peter the Great of Russia (1682-1721)

Russia was in a period of disorder after the rule of Ivan the Terrible, the unstable tsar who had his political opponents murdered and even killed his own son in a fit of ragePeter the Great was able to regain the absolute power of earlier tsars and modernize RussiaTraveled to Western Europe to learn about new technologies and the methods of absolute monarchs, and adopted a policy of westernizationModernized manufacturing, shipbuilding, dress, and reduced the power of the nobilityBecame the most autocratic ruler of the absolute monarchs- ruled with unlimited authority

Westernization-

the adoption of Western ideas, technology and culture

Catherine the Great of Russia (1729-1796)

German by birth, Catherine married Peter III of Russia and won the loyalty of the people by adapting to the Russia culture. She came into power after a group of army officers assassinated her husband.Continued to westernize and modernize RussiaRestructured provincial government, reorganized laws, and began state-sponsored education for boys and girlsBut could be ruthless and brutal- crushed a peasant uprising with great brutality

Five Great European Powers

By 1750, five countries dominated European affairs:AustriaPrussiaFranceBritainRussiaAll were governed by strong central governments, and all but Britain were governed by absolute monarchsCompeted with one another for power and territory, and created various alliances to balance power

The Growth of Parliament in England

Starting in the 1200s, the people of England began to push back against the idea that the king has unlimited power1215- King is forced to sign the Magna Carta, which guaranteed certain rights to nobles (eventually all people) and said that the Monarch must obey the law Parliament develops and acquires “the power of the purse”- right to approve monetary funding for wars and any new taxes

What is Parliament

?

Two-house

legislative

body

▪ House

of

Lords-

nobles

▪ House

of

Commons-

knights

and

middle

class citizens

Monarchs and Parliament

Most English monarchs recognized the importance of working with ParliamentThe Tudors in particular were very skilled at dealing with Parliament- Henry VIII and his daughter Elizabeth I both consulted Parliament for fundingAfter the death of Elizabeth I, a new ruling family, the Stuarts, came into power. They were not as popular as the Tudors, and they didn’t have the same talent at handling Parliament.

James I and Charles I

James I initially agreed to rule according to English laws and customs, but soon began to lecture Parliament about divine rightParliament pushed back by refusing to give him money to fund his lavish lifestyleJames dissolved Parliament and raised money without its consentCharles I ruled for 3 years before every summoning ParliamentForced Charles to sign the Petition of Right, which prohibited the king from raising taxes without Parliament’s consent and from imprisoning people without justificationCharles signed it, but then he dissolved Parliament for 11 years

Execution of Charles I

When Charles did recall Parliament, it launched a revolt against him that resulted in many years of Civil WarSet up a court and put the King on trial- condemned him to death as “a tyrant, traitor, murderer, and public enemy”This was the first time a ruling monarch was tried and executed by his own people- sent the message that no ruler of England could claim absolute power and ignore the rule of lawParliament abolished the monarchy and established a republic called the Commonwealth, but it only lasted for decade before the monarchy was restored

The Glorious Revolution

King James II was extremely unpopularIgnored laws that didn’t suit his purposesThreatened to restore the Roman Catholic Church as the official religion (most people were Protestant)Parliament asked James’s daughter Mary and her husband, king of the Netherlands William III of Orange, to take control of the English throneWhen they landed with their army, King James fled- since no blood was shed, it was called the Glorious Revolution

English Bill of Rights

Before they were crowned, William and Mary had to accept several acts passed by Parliament that became known as the English Bill of RightsMonarch must summon Parliament regularlyParliament maintained control of spendingMonarch could not suspend laws or interfere in parliamentary debatesRestated citizens’ legal rights- trial by jury, no cruel or unjust punishment, can’t be held in prison without being charged with a crimeThis turned England into a limited monarchy- though monarchs had a lot of power, they had to obey the law and govern in partnership with ParliamentThey were not absolute rulers