Age of Absolutism
Philip II of Spain
• Defender of Catholicism
• Arrogant, ambitious
• Great wealth from empire
– High inflation & taxes
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Large standing army
Spanish Armada  but defeated 
Golden Age of Spanish culture
Escorial palace built to demonstrate
his power & faith
• Golden Age of Spanish culture
“His smile and his
dagger were
very close.”
Escorial Palace
Louis XIV of France
• Saw self as head of Cath. Church in France
– Revoked Edict of Nantes
• The “Sun King”
– Supported the arts BUT arts were to
glorify himself as ruler, promote
absolutism
• Increased central power
– Closely watched over gov’t officials
• Weakened nobility
– Required nobility to live in Versailles
– Estates General never met
“L’état ,c’est moi.”
(I am the state).
Louis XIV of France
• Needed large army for many
wars
– War of Spanish Succession 
France rose to military leader
– Strong empire
• Controlled the economy
– High debt & taxation
– Finance minister Jean Baptiste
Colbert
Palace of Versailles
Proof of Louis XIV’s absolute power
Frederick William I of Prussia
• Hohenzollern family
• Known as “the Great Elector”
• Weakened nobility’s power
– Freed serfs
– Purchased cooperation of Junkers
(nobility in Prussia)
• Strong army to ensure safety
– Grew from 38,000 to 83,000
– Rigidly controlled, militaristic society
– Mandatory military service
• Permanent annual tax
• Council of Advisors
Frederick II (“the Great”) of Prussia
• Followed his father’s military policies
• Encouraged religious toleration & legal
reform
• Ruler should be like a father to
his people
• War of Austrian Succession v.
Maria Theresa of Austria
– Succeeded in getting Silesia
– Prussia became major European
power
Maria Theresa of Austria
• Of the Hapsburgs of Austria
• Strong-willed  would not
surrender power to husband
• Decreased power of nobility
– Limited amount of labor
nobles could force peasants to
do
• Expanded the army
– Doubled troops
– War commissioner
• Economic reforms
– Created office to collect taxes
• Alliance with French
Ivan IV (“the Terrible”) of Russia
• Seized power and crowned himself czar
• Wanted Russia to be “Third Rome” (hence “czar”)
• Turned against the boyars
(nobility)
– Confiscated land
– Organized own police force
– Executed boyars, their families,
& peasants
• Must serve in army to own land
• Killed his oldest son during
quarrel
Peter I (“the Great”) of Russia
• Increased czar’s power
– 6’7”, obsessed w/war games
• Brought Russian Orthodox
Church under state control
• Reduced power of landowners
– Forced boyars to serve in
military or gov’t
• Modernized army
– Recruited men of lower-ranks
– Talented foreigners
• Imposed heavy taxes
– 80-85% of taxes went to war
– Beard tax
Peter I (“the Great”) of Russia
• Westernized Russia
– Potatoes
– 1st newspaper
– Raised women’s status
– Western fashions
– Advanced education
Peter I’s St. Petersburg
• Glorify himself
• Forced nobility to live there
• Sectioned by social status
Catherine II (“the Great”) of Russia
• Came to power by conspiring against husband
• Her strong army crushed peasant rebellion
• Gave nobles more power over
serfs
• Fought Turks for control of
Black Sea
• Expanded empire