Absolutism and the “Ancien Regime”

-Key Concepts-

I. The Emergence of the Modern State    Old Feudal Notion of the State The Modern Conception of the State -- “governed” and “those who govern” Role of great wars of the 16 th and 17 th centuries

II. A Definition of Absolutism

    The exaltation of the ruler as the embodiment of the state -- “L’etat c’est moi” = “I am the state!” The role of divine right theory Absolutism is not totalitarianism, but there are some similarities between the two.

New scale and feel to political life—looming presence of the state

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist State     To Secure Obedience To Exert Control over Economic Life To Protect its Territory and the Expansion of its Claims --Louis XIV as military hero --Peace of Utrecht (1713) To Create a State Bureaucracy

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist State (cont)   To Enlist the Service of the Church --Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (1685) -- “One King, One Law, One Faith” To Employ Culture to Exalt the State --French Classicism --Moliere

III. The Tasks of the Absolutist State (cont)    To Gain the Loyalty of the Nobility -- “Nobles of the Sword”: The Old Aristocracy with landed wealth -- “Nobles of the Robe”: The New Aristocracy with commercial ties Size of the nobility in various European states Implicit and structured social inequality

IV. Creating a “Spectacle”

    To be seen was the supreme social duty of the nobility To shine at court was to keep the rest of the world at a distance The monarch created the spectacle, or theater, for this social drama The importance of Baroque Capital Cities

V. Features of Baroque Planning

    Center of the City was the Palace Broad, straight avenues radiated out from the Palace Along these avenues were built the important government buildings Aristocratic passion for parading along these avenues

VI. Paris: A Model City of Baroque Absolutism     The role of Queen’s Course (1616) The symbolic significance of the straight line The Queen’s Course as the “Theater of the Universe” Louis’ disdain for Paris and his removal to Versailles --The “Fronde”

VII. Versailles: A Model Palace of Baroque Absolutism

“You gaze, you stare, you try to understand that it is real, that it is on earth, that it is not the Garden of Eden” --Mark Twain

Versailles Palace features . . .

      Baroque planning Law Order Uniformity Conformity to the King’s will Geometry reigned supreme

A. The Grounds and Gardens

    The triumph of man over nature Acres and acres of formal gardens The symbolism of geometrical patterns Massive canal and 1400 formal fountains

B. The Palace Square

   Symbolism of the Exterior View Stables for the King’s Horses Central point of Versailles was always the King

C. The King’s Bedroom

  Center of the Palace The Significance of the daily ritual of the King’s Rising

D. The Hall of Mirrors

     The difference between Baroque interiors and Baroque urban planning The role of movement, tension and theatricality The significance of optical illusions—the trick of the ceiling The deep emotionalism of the room The Grand Relief of Louis XIV

E. The Chapel

  Mass held at 12:30 p.m. each day The people worshipped the King while the King worshipped God

F. Life at Versailles

     Tedious and extremely expensive Only those at Court had any influence with Louis XIV Costume parties, masked balls, and gossip The drama of flirtation and the public role of the bedroom The bedroom will be replace by the salon

G. An Imaginary World

   Versailles was the great theater upon which the drama of absolute power was staged.

Ideas were treated as realities—the “make believe world” of the powerful and rich.

Real people, real cities, and real problems were treated as if they were imaginary.

VIII. The Emerging Culture of Capitalism    The difference between mercantilism and capitalism France under Colbert—a case study of mercantilism Amsterdam—a case study of capitalism --orderliness and rationalization reflected the themes of Baroque urban planning