World History Chapter 5Absolute Monarchs in Europe

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World HistoryChapter 5Absolute Monarchs in
Europe

• Section 1Spains Empire and European Absolutism

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A Powerful Spanish Empire

• Philip IIs Empire
• Philip II
• Inherited Spain, the Spanish Netherlands, and the
  American Colonies from Charles V
• He was a very hard worker but very suspicious of
  other people so he worked alone
• He was aggressive for the sake of his empire
• Took over the Portuguese Empire (Portugal, parts
  of Africa, India, and the East Indies.
• The mines in America allowed Philip to keep a
  standing army of 50,000 soldiers

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A Powerful Spanish Empire

• Defender of Catholicism
• It was Philips duty to defend Catholicism
  against the Muslim of the Ottoman Empire and the
  Protestants of Europe.
• 1571- the Pope called on all Catholic princes to
  take up arms against the mounting power of the
  Ottoman Empire
• More than 200 Spanish ships defeated a large
  Ottoman fleet
• 1588launched the Spanish Armada against the
  Protestant English ruler Elizabeth I.
• The fleet was defeated by the English Navy
• The loss really hurt Spains power, but do to it
  wealth they could still appear powerful.

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Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature

• El Greco and Velazquez
• El Greco
• His techniques showed his deep Catholic faith of
  Spain.
• Painted saints and martyrs as huge, long-limbed
  figures that have supernatural air.
• Diego Velazquez
• Reflected the pride of the Spanish monarchy.
• Don Quixote
• Called the birth of the modern European novel
• The book was written by Miguel de Cervantes
• Wrote about a poor Spanish nobleman who went a
  little crazy after reading too many books about
  heroic knights.
• Critics believe Cervantes was mocking chivalry

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The Spanish Empire Weakens

• Inflation and Taxes
• Decline in the value of money and increase in the
  prices of goods
• 2 Main Reasons
• Spains population was increasing, so the need
  for goods also increase, this allowed the
  merchants to raise the prices.
• Silver bullion flooded the market so the value
  dropped. People needed more and more silver to
  purchase goods.
• Spain expelled Moors and Jews from Spain and with
  that they lost artisans and businessmen

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The Spanish Empire Weakens

• Making Spains Enemies Rich
• The Spanish clothes makers made clothes the old
  fashion way to it was more expensive.
• Spanish citizens go elsewhere to find cheaper
  goods
• England, France, and the Netherlands became the
  choices
• The Dutch Revolt
• Philip had a standing army in the Netherlands to
  keep the citizens loyal to Spain.
• Spain was CatholicNetherlands had several forms
  of religion like Calvinism
• Spain had a sluggish economy and the Dutch
  prospered
• Philip taxed the Dutch and tried to convert them
  to Catholicism
• Dutch revolted and fought for 11 years when they
  declared their independence from Spain

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The Independent Dutch Prosper

• Dutch Art
• Rembrandt van Rijn
• Painted portraits of wealthy middle-class
  merchants
• Jan Vermeer
• Painted domestic, indoor settings for his
  portraits
• Dutch Trading Empire
• Largest trading fleet in the world
• Dutch East India Company
• Dominated the Asian spice trade and the Indian
  Ocean trade

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Absolutism in Europe

• The Theory of Absolutism
• Absolute Monarchs
• Kings or Queens that had absolute power within
  their borders. Their goal was to control every
  aspect of society
• Divine Right
• The idea that God created the monarchy and that
  the monarch acted as Gods representative on
  earth.
• They only answered to god not the people

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Growing power of Europes monarch

• When Europe emerged from the middle ages the
  monarchs power grew
• The decline in feudalism and the rise of cities,
  a growing middle class.
• Decline in the churches power also allowed the
  monarchs to gain more power

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Crises Lead to Absolutism

• Religious and territorial conflicts between
  states led to almost continuous warfare.
• Governments were forced to create large Armies
  and levy even heavier taxes
• These changes led to peasant revolts
• To stop revolts the monarchs imposed order by
  increasing their own power.

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World HistoryChapter 5Absolute Monarchs in
Europe

• Section 2Reign of Louis XIV

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Religious Wars and Power Struggles

• 1572St. Bartholomews Day Massacre in Paris
  sparked a 6 week nationwide slaughter of
  Huguenots.
• Henry of Navarre
• He became Henry IV
• 1st king of the Bourbon dynasty in France
• He was decisive, fearless in battle, and a clever
  politician
• Many Catholics opposed Henry because he was a
  Huguenot
• For the countries sake Henry gave up
  Protestantism and became a Catholic.
• Edict of Nantes
• Henry declared that the Huguenots could live in
  peace in France and set up their own houses of
  worship in some cities.
• Henry spent his reign restoring the monarchy to a
  powerful position by maintaining peace

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Religious Wars and Power Struggles

• Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
• After Henry IV died Louis XIII took over the
  throne
• Louis was a weak king but appointed a strong
  minister who made up for his weaknesses
• Cardinal Richelieu
• Basically became ruler of France
• He took 2 steps to increase the power of the
  Bourbon monarchy
• He moved against the Huguenots(he believed that
  Protestantism often served as an excuse for
  political conspiracies against the Catholic King)
• He did not take away the Huguenots right to
  worship
• He sought to weaken the nobles power

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Writers Turn Towards Skepticism

• Skepticism
• The idea that nothing can ever be known for
  certain.
• Montaigne and Descartes
• Michel de Montaigne
• Thought deeply about lifes meaning
• Developed a new form of literature, the essaya
  brief work that expresses a persons thoughts and
  opinions
• Rene Descartes
• Examined the skeptical argument that one could
  never be certain of anything
• Created a philosophy that influenced modern
  thinkers and helped to develop the scientific
  method

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Louis XIV Comes to Power

• Louis XIV
• The most powerful ruler in French history
• Louis, the Boy King
• Cardinal Mazarin
• Ended the 30 years war
• He increased taxes and strengthened the central
  government, which led to noble rebellions and
  they failed for 3 reasons
• Its leaders distrusted one another even more than
  they distrusted Mazarin
• The government used violent repression
• Peasants and townspeople grew weary of disorder
  and fighting

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Louis XIV Comes to Power

• Louis Weakens the Nobles Authority
• Cardinal Mazarin died and 22 year old Louis took
  over
• He weakened the power of the nobles by excluding
  them from his councils
• He increased the power of the government agents
  called Intendants
• Collected taxes and administered justice

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Louis XIV Comes to Power

• Economic Growth
• Jean Baptiste Colbert
• Believed in the idea of Mercantilism
• Wanted France to become self-sufficient and
  produce all products they need.
• To expand manufacturing in France they gave
  government funds and tax benefits to French
  Companies
• Also placed high tariffs on imported goods
• Colbert died
• Louis announced a policy slowed Frances economic
  progress
• Canceled the Edict of Nantes

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The Sun Kings Grand Style

• Louis spent a fortune to surround himself with
  luxury.
• Each meal was a feast
• Louis Controls the Nobility
• Outside Louis canopy bed stood 100 of the most
  privileged nobles at court
• Waiting to help the great king dress
• Only 4 would be allowed to assist him
• Outside in the hallway lesser nobles waited in
  the palace halls and hoped Louis would notice
  them
• Having nobles at the palace increased royal
  authority in 2 ways
• It made the nobility totally dependent on Louis
• Took them from their homes, thereby giving more
  power to the intendants

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The Sun Kings Grand Style

• Patronage of the Arts
• Louis made opera and ballet more popular
• Moliere
• Wrote some of the funniest plays in French
  literature

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Louis Fights Disastrous Wars

• Attempts to Expand Frances Boundaries
• Louis invaded the Spanish Netherlands
• He gained 12 towns
• Encouraged by his success he personally led his
  army into the Dutch Netherlands
• Weaker countries banded together to stop the
  expansion of France and they did
• When William of Orange took control of England
  and joined the Peace of Augsburg England, Spain,
  Sweden, Austrian Hapsburg, and smaller states
  joined to match Frances power

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Louis Fights Disastrous Wars

• War of Spanish Succession
• England, Austria, the Dutch Republic, Portugal,
  and several German and Italian states joined
  together to prevent the union of French and
  Spanish thrones.
• Treaty of Utrecht
• Louiss grandson could take over the Spanish
  throne as long as they did not unite
• Winner in the war was Britain when they took the
  Strait of Gibraltar

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Louis Fights Disastrous Wars

• Louiss Death and Legacy
• He ruined France with the wars
• News of his death prompted rejoicing throughout
  France
• Positive Side
• A power in Europe
• Art, Literature, and statesmanship were above all
  other countries in Europe
• Military leader in Europe
• Negative Side
• Constant warfare and the construction of the
  Palace of Versailles plunged France into debt
• His taxes imposed the poor and the abuse of power
  plagued his heirs and eventually led to a
  revolution