Absolutism

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Absolutism
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Absolutism Defined

• A government in which all power is centralized
  total control over all aspect of life by the
  monarch (king)

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Louis XIV

• Secured all power of France under his rule
• His economic advisor, Colbert, helped reform
  taxes to increase Louis wealth
• Louis built Palace of Versailles as a display of
  his power
• Revoked the Edict of Nantes because religious
  unity would increase French power

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Louis XIV

• Under Louis XIV, France became the model for
  absolutism
• He said I am the state
• Nickname The Sun King

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Peter the Great

• Romanov ruler of Russia
• Wanted to catch Russia up to Western Europe
• Traveled around Europe to learn about their ways
  and bring knowledge back to Russia

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Frederick the Great

• Ruled Prussia as an absolute monarch
• Made many reforms to the military
• Created Europes strongest military

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Enlightened Despots

• A few monarchs retained absolute control of their
  countries while also enacting reform based on
  Enlightenment ideas.
• Austria Maria Teresa and her son Joseph II
• Russia Catherine the Great

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Reforms of Enlightened Despots

• They reduced taxes for peasants
• Provided free education
• Ended censorship in their empire
• Some religious toleration
• Sought the advice of nobles and peasants in the
  running of government

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The Puritan Revolution
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Absolutism in England???

• After Queen Elizabeth died she appointed her
  cousin James I (Stuart Family) to be king

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James I

• James I admired the absolutism
  of Louis XIV and wanted to rule absolutely
  also
• James I did not want to share power with English
  Parliament
• Declared divine rights of kings that God gave
  him the right to rule
• Resented have to ask Parliament for money for war

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Charles I

• James son, Charles I ruled in the same way
• He tried to move England toward becoming an
  absolute monarch rather than a limited monarch
  that shared power with Parliament

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The Parliament

• Many Parliament members were Puritan and resented
  rule by Anglican kings
• Parliament grew tired of the kings attempts to
  take all the power to rule

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English Civil War

• Civil War broke out in England
• King Royalists V Parliament Puritans
• Royalists lost
• King Charles I was beheaded
• Puritan Oliver Cromwell ruled from 1653-1658 as
  Lord Protectorate

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The Restoration

• Oliver Cromwell died in 1658
• The Stuart Family was restored to the throne as
  monarchs of England
• Charles II became king

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James II

• Charles son, James II, started to try to
  reintroduce absolutism into England and resist
  Parliament control
• Parliament gathered forced to resist James
  IIs quest for power
• James II fled England and went to
  hide in France

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Glorious Revolution - 1689

• Parliament invited James daughter Mary and her
  husband William of Orange (the Netherlands) to
  rule
• This bloodless revolution is known as the
  Glorious Revolution

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English Bill of Rights

• William and Mary were forced to sign English Bill
  of Rights before they could take the throne
• This document said they must share power with
  Parliament created a limited monarchy no
  chance of absolutism