18th Century European States

Enlightened Absolutism

Enlightenment idea of natural laws brings discussion on natural rights Rulers were obviously aware of the writings of the philosophes How enlightened they became debatable by historians

France

Louis XIV - enlarged territory, debt, unhappy public dies 1715 Louis XV(1715-1774) - 5 yr old great grandson loss of empire 7 Yrs War, taxes, lavish lifestyle Louis XVI (1774-1792) - 20 yr old grandson little gov. knowledge, lacked energy he & wife Marie Antoinette out of touch

GB - Hanoverian

William & Mary - share power w/ Parliament Parliament dominated by landed aristocracy H of Lords - traditional nobility H of Commons - landed gentry Queen Anne no heir - passes to George I (1714) German Protestant state of Hanover

War & Diplomacy

Philosophes condemned war as foolish waste International rivalry and centralization of European states made war inevitable International relations based on balance of power - prevent one state dominating

War of Austrian Succession 1740-1748

Habsburg emperor Charles VI (1711-1740) no male heir - Pragmatic Sanction Ignored by Fred II of Prussia looking to take adv of Maria Theresa Fred Invaded Austrian Silesia

War of Austrian Succession 1740-1748

France (Austria enemy) entered on side of Prussia GB ally w/ Austria prevent French dominance 1748 all sides exhausted treaty of Aix-la Chapelle return all occupied territory except Silesia

The Seven Years ’ War 1756-1763

Maria Theresa not happy about Silesia loss Diplomatic Rev as she gets France to jump ship Daughter Marie Antoinette to Louis XVI Russia not cool w/ Prussia also joins Austria, France & Russia vs Prussia and GB 1st WorldWar...?

Europe

Fred the Great (P) - early victories warn down by fighting on 3 sides (A,F,R) Russian withdraw – stalemate Tsar Peter III admired Fred the Great Peace of Hubertsburg 1763 return of occupied territory Austria recognized Prussia control of Silesia

Anglo-French Struggle

Treaty of Paris 1763 left India to British French & Indian War French/British Rivalry in Europe & Am Britain gained Canada and E of MS River and Sp FL, France gave Sp Louisiana

World War 1…?

Enlightened Despots

3 associated w/ concept: Joseph II, Frederick II, and Catherine the Great Different degrees of attempted reform **Desire to build stronger state superseded Enlightenment in practice**

Prussia

Frederick William I (1713-1740) General Directory - civil bureaucracy continued policy of supporting Junkers military expansion*** Prussia was not a country w/ an army but an army with a country...

Frederick II the Great (1740-86)

well educated, Voltaire spent time in court Open to reform of philosophes single code of laws, eliminated use of torture granted limited freedom of speech & press complete religious toleration

Fred the Great cont.

Militarist like predecessors, dependent on Junkers did not interfere w/ serfdom reversed policies allowing commoners to rise to power in bureaucracy Expansion gains him title “the Great” Silesia (War of Austrian Suc & 7 Yrs War) partitions of Poland

Austria

Pragmatic Sanction keeps Maria Theresa in line for crown (1740-1780) Maria T - remained Catholic and conservative - not open to major reforms but son would be 2 wars Austrian Suc & 7 Yrs War 1765 begins to let son Joseph II share throne

Joseph II (1780-1790)

Believer in Enlightenment, called for reforms: abolished serfdom, equality before law, religious toleration (Toleration Patent 1781), abolished torture and ended death penalty Alienated nobility when freed serfs serfs unhappy as too drastic of change Alienated Catholic Church Alienated non-Germans w/ intro of German as official language

Russia

After Peter the Great, 6 bad successors Last of 6 was Peter III w/ German wife Catherine Peter assassinated 1762 Catherine II the Great 1762-1796 Patronized philosophes & western culture

Catherine

Influenced by Enlightenment called for an assembly to discuss reform but little to no progress Divided Russia 50 provinces, & smaller districts local nobility in charge of day-to-day gov Charter of the Nobility 1785

Pugachev ’s Rebellion 1773-4

Gov tried to restrict peasants in boarder districts Cossacks - tribes of warriors initially fought for Russia against Turks, now fought against Emelyn Pugachev (cossack) led mass revolt issued a manifesto 1774 - calling for free all peasants from oppressive taxes and military service

Rebellion cont.

Peasants killed 1500 estate owners and families Gov suppressed revolt - Catherine more harsh serfdom expanded

Poland

Good ex. of why strong monarchy necessary in Europe 17th & 18th c 1772-1775 3 rivals split Poland: Austria, Russia & Prussia Thaddeus Kosciuszko (Am Rev hero) tried to save but failed

Partition of Poland

Failure of Enlightened Despotism

Did not remove basic causes of discontent against absolutism Autocracy Class distinctions Unfair taxation Frequent Wars

Failure of Enlightened Despotism

Could not assure good gov. by successors In time European people rebelled against royal absolutism, enlightened or not!