The Age of Absolutism
World History
The Rise of Spain
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Spain had very profitable
colonies in the Americas.
Philip II uses this money to
solidify his power and Spanish
influence around the globe.
He reigned as an absolute
monarch. This is a ruler with
complete authority over his
government and all of his
people.
He ruled by Divine Right,
which means he believed that
his right to rule came directly
from God.
Philip II Fights Many Battles
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Philip fought many
wars to increase
Spanish Catholic
power.
Problems are going to
develop between
Phillip II (Catholic)
and Queen Elizabeth
of England
(Protestants).
Elizabeth Supports Sea Dogs
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Elizabeth supports
privateers, who
openly plunder
Spanish ships sailing
from the New
World.
She even makes the
most prominent of
these pirates, Sir
Francis Drake, a
knight.
Philip II Attacks England
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Philip creates an
armada, or huge group
of ships, to carry an
invasion force to
England. The year is
1588.
It was the largest Armada
ever seen to this point in
history.
It included 130 ships,
20,000 men, and 2,400
cannons.
The Spanish Armada is Defeated
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The weather in the
English Channel sinks
many of the Spanish
ships.
The large ships are
outmaneuvered by the
smaller English ships in
the English Channel and
sunk.
This defeat would lead to
the decline of Spain as a
world power.
France Faces Religious Turmoil
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In the 1500’s France
faced religious strife
between Catholics and
non-Catholics. These
non-Catholics were called
Huguenots.
In 1589, Henry II issued
the Edict of Nantes.
This allowed for religious
tolerance in France.
Henry IV is assassinated.
The King’s Power is Strengthened
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After Henry IV is
assassinated, his nine
year old son, Louis XIII
comes to the throne.
His chief advisor is
Cardinal Richelieu. He
crushed the power of the
nobles and greatly
strengthened the powers
of the king.
Louis XIV takes over
after Louis XIII dies.
Louis XIV
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Louis XIV takes the
throne when he is five
years old.
His chief advisor dies
when he is 23.
Louis then takes control
of all aspects of the
state.
He will become a
powerful absolute
monarch.
The Sun King
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Louis rules by Divine
Right.
He takes the sun as his
symbol of absolute
power.
He states that the sun is
the center of the
Universe, and he is the
center of his nation.
“L’etat c’est moi.” I AM
THE STATE.
Versailles
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Louis XIV creates the
great palace of
Versailles. He moves
the government here.
He also moves all of
his nobles and
officials to his
enormous palace.
It was a symbol of his
absolute power.
Louis Controls his Nobles
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He moves all of his
nobles to Versailles so
that he can keep an eye
on them.
He has ceremonies
where nobles compete for
honors like handing Louis
his shoes or holding a
towel for him.
This keeps him in charge
of every part of the state.
Most of France Remains Poor
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Louis spends much of
the wealth of his
country on himself.
Much of the rest is
spread around his few
thousand nobles.
Many people in
France remain very
poor and they are
growing resentful of
Louis and his court.
Louis and Protestantism
„ Louis
established absolute power by
smashing the power of the Huguenots,
despite the Treaty of Nantes
„ In 1685, he revoked the edict and
outlawed Protestantism
„ Over 200,000 Huguenots fled France
„ The loss of their skills and wealth caused a
financial crisis
Money & the Military
„ Louis’s
finances were managed by the
minister of finance, Jean-Baptists Colbert
„ Colbert increased exports, limited imports
and simplified the tax code, reducing debt.
„ Louis used his money to increase military
from 70,000 men to 200,000 men.
„ Louis used this army to become Europe’s
most powerful monarch, taking France to
war on four occasions.
War over a Throne
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War of the Spanish Succession
– Spanish King died without heir
– Three rulers claimed throne, including Louis
– 1701, England, the Netherlands and the Holy Roman
Empire went to war with France
– France defeated, Louis forced to sign Treaty of
Utrecht, which forbid merging of French and Spanish
thrones
– France forced to return most territory
– England emerges as new world power
Parliament Triumphs in
England
World History
Problems Develop between the
King and Parliament
ƒ King James I of England
claims that he rules
according to Divine Right.
(Which means it is God’s
will that he rules.)
ƒ James clashes with
Parliament, which is a law
making body, over money.
ƒ When Parliament wants to
discuss things with him
before he acts, he
dissolves Parliament.
Charles I Takes Over
ƒ Charles rules like an absolute
monarch, just like his father.
ƒ He imprisoned his foes without
trial and squeezed the nation for
money.
ƒ He summoned Parliament because
he wanted to raise taxes.
ƒ Parliament makes him Sign the
Petition of Right, which says, the
king couldn’t raise taxes without
their permission or imprison
people without trial.
ƒ He signs it, but then dissolves
Parliament.
The Clash Between the King and
Parliament Leads to War
ƒ The King sends his
troops against the
leaders of Parliament.
ƒ The Parliament then
raises its own army.
ƒ This begins the
English Civil War,
which lasts from 1642
to 1651.
Cavaliers and Roundheads
ƒ The supporters of Charles
I were known as Cavaliers
because of their plumed
hats and long hair.
ƒ The supporters of
Parliament were known as
the Roundheads because
of their round helmets and
short hair.
ƒ The Cavaliers expect a
quick victory, but are
defeated, and the king is
captured.
A King is Executed
ƒ Parliament set up a court
to put Charles on trial.
ƒ He stated “I am a martyr
of the people” and agreed
to be executed.
ƒ This was a symbol that a
king could not rule
England without following
the law and following the
will of his people.
Oliver Cromwell
ƒ Oliver Cromwell became the
leader of the Roundhead
forces.
ƒ He was a skilled general.
ƒ He became the leader of
England after the King was
executed.
ƒ England was declared a
Commonwealth.
ƒ Many groups challenged his
authority, and he crushed
them.
ƒ He then declared himself
Lord Protector of England.
ƒ He then ruled like an
absolute monarch.
Cromwell Enacts Changes
ƒ Cromwell was a Puritan.
This religious group
wanted to be rid of all
godlessness in England.
ƒ He made “profaning the
Lord’s Day” a crime.
ƒ He closed theaters and
frowned on taverns,
gambling, and dancing.
ƒ When he died, a new
Parliament invited Charles
II to come back and rule as
a king. He is followed by
James II.
The Glorious Revolution
ƒ James II is Catholic and
makes laws that anger the
people.
ƒ His daughter Mary and her
husband William were
invited by Parliament to
be rulers. James is
deposed peacefully.
ƒ This became known as the
Glorious Revolution.
The English Bill of Rights
ƒ Before they were allowed to rule,
William and Mary had to sign the
English Bill of Rights.
ƒ This document stated that
Parliament was superior to the
king and that Parliament had
control of all money matters.
ƒ It also listed rights of all
Englishmen, including trial by
jury and freedom from unjust
punishment.
ƒ It also affirmed the idea of
Habeas Corpus, which said you
couldn’t hold someone in jail
without charging them with a
crime.
England Becomes A Limited
Monarchy
ƒ A limited monarchy has a king or queen
whose power is limited by a constitution or
law making body.
ƒ Eventually, a cabinet develops around the
king. This is a group of people who advise
the king.
ƒ Eventually, the leader of this group, the
Prime Minister, will become more powerful
than the king or queen.
Absolute Monarchy in Russia
Russia is Still a Medieval State
ƒ In the 1600’s Russia is still
a Medieval state ruled by
an absolute Monarch
called a Czar.
ƒ Peter took the throne when
he was ten but did not take
complete control for ten
years after this.
ƒ Peter traveled to Europe to
learn about Western ways.
ƒ He began a program of
Westernization to make
Russia more like Europe.
Peter’s Program of Westernization
ƒ Peter centralizes power
and takes control of the
Russian Orthodox Church.
ƒ He demands his nobles
adopt Western ways. He
insisted that landowning
nobles, called boyars,
shave their beards and
adopt Western clothing.
ƒ He also tried to improve
Russia technologically.
Peter’s Effect on Russia
ƒ Peter created a new capital in
St. Petersburg. He created a
Western style city that was
opulent and grand.
ƒ He expanded Russia’s borders,
even sending explorers and
early settler into Alaska.
ƒ He still ruled through fear and
intimidation. When his palace
guards revolted, he tortured and
killed 1000 men and left there
bodies outside his palace to rot.
ƒ He also modernized Russia’s
army and navy to a degree.
Catherine the Great
ƒ Several ineffective czars
took over after Peter, but
Catherine was able to take
control.
ƒ Catherine tried to further
modernize Russia. She
created state sponsored
schools, reorganized the
government, and brought
Western ideas to Russia.
ƒ Conditions worsened for
serfs under her rule.
Most People Remain Poor
ƒ In Russia, many
people remain serfs.
ƒ There are few nobles,
but they control huge
pieces of land and the
people that farm them.
ƒ Serfs are very poor
and beginning to
become unhappy with
their situation.