The Age of Absolutism

1
The Age of Absolutism

• Austria, Prussia, and Russia

2
Today

• You will see
• War shape the lives of central Europeans.
• Two Absolute Monarchies arise out of war in
  Germany.
• Russias attempt to join the European style of
  government and society.

3
Background InfoGermany

• Germany in the Middle Ages??
• Germany in the Reformation???
• Voltaire on Germany
• Not Holy
• Not Roman
• Not an Empire

4
The Thirty Years War (1618-1648)

• Cause Religion, Defenestration of Prague (click)
• Eventually International
• How does this happen?
• Fought in Germany
• Mercenary Armies
• Results
• Peace of Westphalia (1648)
• Depopulation
• Fragmentation
• Nations of Austria and Prussia become strong

5
Peace of Westphalia (1648)

• Where is Germany/HRE on this map?

6
Emergence of Austria and Prussia

• Absolute Monarchs
• Hapsburgs and Hohenzollerns
• Which do you expect to be Catholic? Lutheran?
  Why?
• World Powers Begin

7
Austria

• The Austrian Hapsburgs
• HRE Austria
• Diverse Empire
• War of Austrian Succession
• (1740-1748)
• Maria Theresa (read)
• Never as powerful as France

8
Prussia

• The Prussian Hohenzollerns
• Absolute Monarchs
• Bureaucracy
• Divine Right
• Reduce Nobility (Junkers)
• Frederick II (Frederick the Great)
• One DifferenceA Militaristic State
• Prussia is not a state which possesses an army,
  but an army that possesses a state.

9
Russia
10
Russia

• Middle Ages?Absolutism
• Isolated
• No Renaissance or Reformation
• Effect??
• Czars (or tsars)

11
Peter the Great

• Takes throne 1689
• Goals
• Westernization
• Adoption of Western ideas, technology, and
  culture.
• Secure a warm-water port
• Centralize royal power
• Bureucracy
• Feudalism
• Expand territory

12
Catherine the Great

• Takes throne in 1762
• German princess, may have assassinated husband
• Same goals as Peter the Great
• Achieves all

13
(No Transcript)
14
Legacy of Absolutism in Europe

• Absolute Monarchs in 4 of top 5 most powerful
  nations
• Exception?
• Resentment of Royal Power
• New Ideas on government will emerge