Central Europe in the Age of Absolutism

1
Central Europe in the Age of Absolutism

• Austria and Prussia

2
18th Century Austria

• Ruled by Habsburg dynasty
• A part of the Holy Roman Empire
• Weakened by 30 Years War

3
Maria Theresa

• 1740 Charles VI dies
• Daughter (Maria Theresa) only heir
• Pragmatic Sanction
• Allows her to rule Habsburg lands
• 1745 Becomes Holy Roman Empress

4
Holy Roman Empire

• Belgians
• Bohemians
• Germans
• Croatians
• Romanians
• Serbs
• Slovenes
• Hungarians
• Italians
• Poles

5
Holy Roman EmpireThe Holy Roman Empire is
neither HOLY, nor ROMAN, nor an EMPIRE
-----Voltaire
6
Holy Roman Empire Problems

• Ethnically diverse
• Culturally diverse
• Religiously diverse
• Geographically BIG
• Effect Extremely difficult to rule

7
Hohenzollerns

• Dynasty that ruled Brandenburg-Prussia
• Came to power in 1415
• Protestant
• Confiscated lands owned by Catholic Church
• By 1648, rule much of Germany

8
The Great Elector

• Frederick William
• Hohenzollern
• Ruled 1640-1688
• Prussia
• Unified armies
• Improved tax system
• Improved transportation system
• Encouraged industry

9
Frederick II The Great

• Ruled 1740-1786
• Prussia is not a country with a military but a
  military with a country - Voltaire
• Expanded territory
• Militaristic

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PRUSSIA

• 1870 unifies to become Germany
• Otto von Bismarck
• Blood and Iron
• Militarism, Alliances, Imperialism, Nationalism
• Key factors WWI

11
Seven Years War

• 1756-1763
• Involves most of Europe
• On European continent
• North American
• continent
• North America French and Indian War
• Great Britain leading European Power

12
WWI

• HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE gives way
• Unified Germany
• Austria-Hungary
• Multi-Ehtnic
• Nationalist groups struggling for independence
  will contribute to underlying causes of WWI
• 1914-1918