The Enlightened Monarchs

1
The Enlightened Monarchs

• PrussiaFrederick the Great
• AustriaMaria Theresa
• Joseph II
• Russia.Catherine the Great

2
The Enlightened Despots / Absolutists

• Philosophes dont agree on politics
• Many thinkers concerned with political reform and
  some politicians concerned with thinking
• Most Enlightened (outside US) think reform
  better from above than below
• Praise benevolent absolutism
• Enlighten the monarch!

3
Elbe-Trieste Line
4
Prussia Frederick (II) the Great 1740-1786

• Son of Frederick William I
• Rejects military for culture, poetry Rejects
  Calvinism --- tries atheism
• Imprisoned at 18 for trying to run away
• So.maybe life as a leader isnt so bad
• 1740 invades Austria (War of Austrian Succession
  breaks Austrias Pragmatic Sanction!)
• Maria Theresa no match for Prussian army

5
Prussia Frederick the Great Warfare recap

• War of Austrian Succession 1740-1748 others
  join European War
• 1742 Austria cedes Silesia to Prussia
• Prussian population doubles
• ButMT wont give up so easily
• 1756-1763 Seven Years War
• MT allies with France / Russia vs. Prussia!
• Great Prussian army survives
• Peter III (Russia) gains throne and stops war b/c
  he admires Frederick!!
• 1772 1st Partition of Poland receives territory
  between Prussia and Brandenburg - partitioning
  continues in 1793, 1795

6
Prussia Frederick the Great Enlightened???

• Of all states, from the smallest to the biggest,
  one can safely say that the fundamental rule of
  government is the principle of extending their
  territoriesThe passions of rulers have no other
  curb but the limits of their power. Those are
  the fixed laws of European politics to which
  every politician submits.
• I must enlighten my people, cultivate their
  manners and morals, and make them as happy as
  human beings can be

7
Prussia Frederick the Great

• The first servant of the state
• Promotes education
• (Realschule/universal primary schools)) /
  Promotes free press very little / no
  censorship!!
• Legal Reform
• Abolishes torture (except for treason murder)
  Judges impartial (single code of law established
  after his death)
• Officials noted for honesty / hard work /
  efficiency
• Prussian Civil Service Commission values merit
  over birthright
• Religious toleration (even for Catholics and
  Jews)
• Reconstruction of agriculture / industry
• But.then againserfdom continues, privileges of
  nobility / Junkers still strong

8
Austria Maria Theresa(b. 1717) 1740-1780

• Charlie VIs daughter Pragmatic Sanction
• MTs husband Francis Stephen I of Lorraine
  (1745-1765) Holy Roman Emperor
• Son, Joseph II (1765-1790) co-regent with mother
  in Austria
• But MT The Power over 40 years
• (16 children culture, morals, prayer)
• Joseph II, Leopold II, and Marie Antoinette!
• Motto Clemency and justice

9
(No Transcript)
10
Austria Maria Theresa, 1740-1780

• 1740 --- Austria is immediately invaded
• War of Austrian Succession 1740-48
• Loss of Silesia
• Reforms
• Church / State relations govt. controlled
• Devout Catholic BUT limits Popes power in
  Austria
• Administrative reforms tax all (even nobles!)
• Improve agriculture reduce lords / begins to
  free serfs!!! (but she proceeds cautiously)
• Compulsory education!
• state supported public primary education for all
  male peasants, secondary education for selected
  students, and teacher training institutions
• 1756-1763 --- 7 Years War no win

11
Austria Maria Theresa, 1740-1780

• Finally, Prussia Austria unite with Russia
  against POLAND!!! (1770)
• 3 Partitions of Poland 1772, 1793, 1795
• MT supports this????
• violation of every standard of sanctity and
  justice
• But will be done, with or without herso she
  joins
• Poland disappears by 1795!!! (Poland gone until
  WWI!!!)

12
Austria Joseph II 1780-1790

• 1765--- co-regent with MT
• 1780 MT dies leaves Joseph II a powerful
  empire
• classic enlightenment utilitarianism
• the greatest good for the greatest number
• institutes freedom of the press!
• Butimpatient radical, anticlerical
• Josephinism state vs. Church / nobility
  Church ind. from Rome (modeled after Gallicanism)
• Edict of Tolerance, 1781
• reformed legal system more uniform laws easier
  for peasants to own land
• 1781 grants personal liberty to serfs
• Military reorganized and laid foundation for
  national army
• Economic reforms
• abolished many internal tariffs encouraged road
  building improved river transport inspected
  farms industrial areas 1789 taxation of ALL
  properties

13
Leopold II (1790-1792)

• Grand duke of Tuscany (1765-1790) Holy Roman
  Emperor (1790-92) enlightened ruler
• Repealed Josephs taxation laws gave nobility
  back political and administrative power
• Retained Josephs religious policies, and concern
  for peasant class
• Reached peace agreements with Prussia (1790) and
  Ottoman Empire (1791)
• Issued Declaration of Pillnitz, 1791 along w/
  Prussia against the republican revolutionaries in
  France

14
RUSSIA Remember Peter the Great (1682-1725) ---
who loved England and opened up Russia to
Westernization --- who made all men shave and
wear German clothes when he returned from
England?

• Then there were the others
• Catherine I1725-27 (Peters 2nd wife he sent
  the 1st to a convent)
• Peter II 1727-30 (grandson of Peter)
• Anna 1730-40 (dominated by advisors)
• Ivan VI 1740-41 (overthrown)
• Elizabeth 1741-62 (youngest daughter of Peter
  the Great golden age of aristocracy)
• Peter III 1762 (mentally unfit deposed and
  killed-- -by his wife???)
• But finallyan enlightened monarch
  appearshis wife

15
(No Transcript)
16
Catherine II the Great??1762-1796

• Sophia Augusta Fredericka a German princess
• Did she kill Peter??????
• Unlike PG love for West not merely pragmatic
• An enlightened despot cultured, learned
  Russian, corresponded w/ Voltaire and Diderot
• The philosophes loved her! BUT was she
  hoodwinking them?
• Art, architecture, literature, music, education
• Like PG strong ambitious rebuilt roads and
  schools aggressive foreign policy of expansion
• War with Ottomans, 1769 1771, access to Danube
  river and Crimea 1774 Treaty of
  Kuchuk-Kainardji, 1783 annexation of Crimea
  Warm Water PORT on BALTIC!!
• Partitioning of Poland, 1772, 1793, 1795

17
(No Transcript)
18
But then what happens???

• Legislative Commission (summer 1767)
  consultation
• Catherine realizes Enlightenment philosophy not
  practical especially in Russia!
• peasant class completely bound/unfree class
• Pugachevs Rebellion 1773 peasant (Cossack)
  insurrection Pugachev claims to be Tsar
  declares peasants freed from military and tax
  obligations, comes with 100,000 men, rebellion
  over by 1774
• 1775 made convenient friends with her nobles
• Charter of Nobility, 1785 gentry accepts
  government and government gives full authority
  over rural masses to gentry
• Economic reform limit internal tariffs expand
  urban middle class increase agricultural exports

19
Limitations of Enlightened Despotism

• authoritative action from above
• state more completely sovereign
• old, established systems and rights questioned
• BUT...
• Joseph II incites revolt
• Catherine the Great Frederick still repress the
  masses
• Frederick abandons religion personally
• Helps to trigger growing religious revival
• Aristocratic resurgence in all 3 countries