Transcript Absolutism and Constitutionalism in Western Europe 1589-1715

17th Century Weather CrisisMost of Europe is worse off except for the
Dutch.
Less grain production: smaller
and fewer animals
Absolutism and
Constitutionalism in Western
Europe 1589-1715
- Mostly France
Larger standing armies . Increased 10
times by 1659
Heavy taxes
Bureaucracies
Absolutism
Sovereignty (in one ruler )
– Control of force and laws within its borders
Like Medieval Kings – Divine Right
Eliminate the threat of the nobility
Regulated religion sects
How the Sovereign solved
financial problems
Borrow money from the nobles in
exchange for future tax exemptions
Create bureaucracies to levy taxes and find
other ways to raise revenues
– France – used middle class as collectors
– Spain and Eastern Europe – aristocratic mix
Difference between the Medieval
th
public officers and the 17
Century
Medieval and Renaissance viewed money
they collected as their private property
17th Century- money belongs to the state,
collectors are representatives of the King
Absolutism
Permanent standing armies
Concerned themselves with the private
lives of subjects- secret police and spies.
Not totalitarianism – no sophisticated mass
media – TV – radio - recordings
Absolutism
Glorification of the State
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Art
Ceremonies
Building projects
Theatre
For Louis – The glorification of the
state and of the monarch were one
in the same
“Le etat c’est moi!” I am the state.
Absolutism
War and expansionist foreign
policies
– Acquire new territories
• Europe
• New World
– Modern sophisticated weaponry
• Land
• Sea
French Absolutism
Henry IV
– Real Politique
– A chicken in every pot
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Aligns himself the common man
Places himself above all nobility
Becomes Catholic
Edict of Nantes
Over seas trade
Highway system
Wanted a United nations
French Absolutism
Sully – Chief finance minister
– Protestant
– Few wars – Savoy 1610
– Paulette – lowered taxes on the poor and
taxed the wealthy for holding royal officesPermanent Judges
– Taxes declined but revenues increased
Richelieu
 1628 becomes First Minister of the French
Domestic Policies
 Crown – Remade France’s administration.
 Raison d’ etat
 All must be subordinate to the Monarch
 Crush upstart nobles
 Divided France into generalities
 Intendants were appointed directly by the monarch from
the new judicial nobility and could that not be native of
the district
Foreign Policy – Subdue Habsburg expansion from
surrounding France
Louis XIII
(r. 1610-1643)
Ends political independence of “a state
within a state.”
Huguenot’s would not allow Catholics to
worship freely in their cities.
La Rochelle 1627 – tied to Protestant
Holland and England
City falls in 1628
King reinstates Catholics
Towards French unification
Absolutism
 Many riots over taxes and “outsiders”
– Local authorities were helpless
– By the end of the 17th century municipal authority was
better integrated into the national structure.
The French Academy – a French
language and culture
Economy – France never controlled the entire economy
so it was not a complete absolutism.
The Fronde
 The term means “ slingshot” or … the rebellion of
aristocrats and country folk to the reign of Louis
 Louis XIII under Mazarin is too weak to subject all
the nobles
 French provinces refused to pay taxes
 French defeat Spain 1643 – War of the Pyrenees “no
need for taxes”
 Three significant results
– The gov. would have to compromise with the local elites
– French economy was disrupted
– Louis XIV was traumatized
The Sun King… Louis XIV (1643
–1715) “ After me, the deluge.”
 Silence and caution… “Je verrai”
 Acted in every way like a king
 Complete domestication of the nobles… perhaps
cooperation is a better term.
 The Palace at Versailles
– Create a sense of awe
– French replaces Latin as the international language
– Used court ceremonials to undermine powerful nobles
Colbert
 The Economy should serve the state
 Mercantilism
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Concept that resources are limited
Sell more goods then you buy
System of state inspections to insure quality
Control tariffs (taxes on foreign goods)
Merchant Marine and Sea power
1683 France leads the world in productivity
1685 The most highly centralized state in Europe
Agriculture still main business. Peasants emigrated
Goodbye to the Edict of Nantes
The Edict was never to be permanent
Religious pluralism was not in the 17th
Century mindset
French Classicism
Glorification of the state through
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Plays - Moliere
Paintings - Poussin
Architecture
Greco-Roman history
Architecture
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Louis XIV’s Wars
Standardized the army
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Uniforms
Commissariat
Clear means of promotion
Gains little territory
Collapse of the wheat harvest 1693-4
War of the Spanish Succession
1701-1713
Charles II of Spain is “unable to rule” land
must be divided
Dutch and English would accept French
rule of the Netherlands. Spain and France
under French control was not acceptable
The Grand Alliance – Check France’s
domination at home and abroad
The Peace of Utrecht 1713
Philip of Anjou remains King of Spain
France gives up much of Canada
Depletes Spain and increases English
power
Austria, not the Dutch gain Spanish
Netherlands
Decline of Spain
Absolutist
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Standing army
Bureaucracy
National taxes
Most taxes fell on the poor
Decline of Spain 17th Century
Expulsion of Jews and Moors depletes the
middle class
Europeans began to trade with Spanish
colonies
Declarations of bankruptcy
Aristocrats saw money-making as vulgar
Inflation
Weakening of the monarch - inbreeding
Don Quixote
Illusions of previous greatness
Idealistic but impractical
“ The Spaniard convinced himself that
reality was what he felt , believed and
imagined.”
Constitutionalism
The limiting of governmental power by
law
By Republic or Monarchy
At this time there is not a democratic –
republic in Europe
The Growing Power of
Capitalism - England
 Social mobility – Growing wealth of ‘Country gentry
and middle class business men
 The House of Commons “ we could buy the House of
Lords three times over.” they wanted political power
that was equal to their economic strength
 English nobility, unlike the French had no stigma
associated with taxes as long as they had a say in
political affairs.
 English nobility unlike the Spanish used their
position and money in capitalistic ventures
 Calvinism – Hard work, thrift, delay gratification
Decline of Absolutism in
England
From Elizabeth I in the late 16th century to
1689 the monarchy loses power
1603 – James IV of Scotland becomes
James I of England
James I
Male lovers made him lose respect in
Parliament
George Villiers the first Duke of
Buckingham
Charles I (r.1623-1649)
Stuart, Stuart,Cromwell, Stuart
Hobbes – the Social Contract
Charles I –Treacherous
Triennial Act
Parliament would not provide him with an army to suppress
“northern rebellions”
 English Civil War
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– Parliament VS. The Royalists
– 1649 King is beheaded
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Cromwell – Puritan , Military Dictator- Navigation Act
Restoration – Charles II Stuart 1660 - 85
James II Catholic , Divine Right
Glorious Revolution 1688
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Charles Beheaded
Cromwell
Charles II
James II
English Bill of Rights 1689
William and Mary
The Dutch Republic: A loose
confederation of states
The Hague
The Dutch Republic of the
Seventeenth Century ( 1600’s)
Ruled by wealthy merchants with middle
class values
Dutch East India Company – Overseas
Imperialism
Navigation Acts 1651 – All English goods
be transported by English Ships
Wars of 17th and early 18th centuries
caused decline