Module 11: Absolute Monarchs in Europe PDF

Module 11 Absolute Monarchs in Europe Essential Question Why do you think absolute monarchs came to power in many different regions,...

Module 11 Absolute Monarchs in Europe Essential Question Why do you think absolute monarchs came to power in many different regions, and what caused their demise? About the Painting: The absolute ruler In this module you will learn about absolute monarchs in Europe. Louis XIV of France imposed taxes to pay for Absolute rulers wanted to control their countries’ economies so that they the construction of a magnificent palace and could free themselves from limitations imposed by the nobility. to finance wars. His government provided security and enforced laws, but the people had no say in what the laws were. In this What You Will Learn … painting, you can see Louis’s lavish clothing, Lesson 1: Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism.......... 438 The Big Idea During a time of religious and economic instability, which demonstrated to others his power and Philip II ruled Spain with a strong hand. status. The gold flowers on his robe are the Lesson 2: The Reign of Louis XIV...................... 446 symbol of French kings. The Big Idea After a century of war and riots, France was ruled by Louis XIV, the most powerful monarch of his time. Lesson 3: Central European Monarchs Clash............... 456 Explore ONLINE! The Big Idea After a period of turmoil, absolute monarchs ruled Austria and the Germanic state of Prussia. VIDEOS, including... The Magnificent Palace of Versailles Lesson 4: Absolute Rulers of Russia.................... 462 The Big Idea Peter the Great made many changes in Russia to try to Peter the Great: The Tyrant Reformer make it more like western Europe. Lesson 5: Parliament Limits the English Monarchy........... 470 The Big Idea Absolute rulers in England were overthrown, and Document-Based Investigations Parliament gained power. Graphic Organizers Interactive Games Carousel: Absolute Grandeur: Versailles Carousel: A Winter Culture 436 Module 11 Timeline of Events 1500–1800 Explore ONLINE! European Events World Events 1500 1521 Cortés conquers Aztec Empire. 1533 Pizarro conquers Incan Empire. 1588 British defeat Philip II’s Spanish Armada. 1603 Tokugawa shoguns rule Japan. 1632 Shah Jahan orders construction of Taj Mahal. 1643 Louis XIV begins to rule France. 1649 Puritans under Oliver Cromwell execute English king. 1696 Peter the Great becomes sole czar of Russia. 1756 Prussian king Frederick the Great begins Seven Years’ War against Austria. 1776 American colonists declare their independence from England. 1800 Absolute Monarchs in Europe 437  Lesson 1 Spain’s Empire and European Absolutism Setting the Stage The Big Idea As you have already learned, from 1520 to 1566, During a time of religious and Suleyman I exercised great power as sultan of the economic instability, Philip II Ottoman Empire. A European monarch of the same ruled Spain with a strong hand. period, Charles V, came close to matching Suleyman’s Why It Matters Now power. As the Hapsburg king, Charles inherited Spain, When faced with crises, many Spain’s American colonies, parts of Italy, and lands in heads of government take on Austria and the Netherlands. As the elected Holy Roman additional economic or political emperor, he ruled much of Germany. It was the first time powers. since Charlemagne that a European ruler controlled so Key Terms and People much territory. Philip II absolute monarch A Powerful Spanish Empire divine right A devout Catholic, Charles not only fought Muslims but also opposed Lutherans. In 1555, he unwillingly agreed to the Peace of Augsburg, which allowed German princes to choose the reli- gion for their territory. The following year, Charles V divided his immense empire and retired to a monastery. To his brother Ferdinand, he left Austria and the Holy Roman Empire. His son, Philip II, inherited Spain, the Spanish Netherlands, and the American colonies. Philip II’s Empire Philip was shy, serious, and—like his father—deeply religious. He was also very hardworking. Yet Philip would not allow anyone to help him. Deeply suspi- cious, he trusted no one for long. As his own court historian wrote, “His smile and his dagger were very close.” Perhaps above all, Philip could be aggressive for the sake of his empire. In 1580, the king of Portugal died without an heir. Because Philip was the king’s nephew, he seized the Portuguese kingdom. Counting Portuguese strong- holds in Africa, India, and the East Indies, he now had an empire that circled the globe. Philip II of Spain 438 Module 11  Explore ONLINE! Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588 58° N W 8°W 16° 0° Route of the Armada Route of the English fleet Some shipwreck sites SCOTLAND In the summer of 1588, Philip II Spanish Hapsburg lands sent about 130 ships carrying 19,000 soldiers to the English 50 °N Channel. English warships, however, outmaneuvered the IRELAND Spanish vessels and bombarded N o r th S e a the Armada with their heavier ATLAN T I C long-range cannons. ENGLAND OCEAN N Plymouth London W E Dover Interpret Maps S Calais 1. Location Off what English town did the 0 100 200 mi first clash between the Spanish Armada 0 100 400 km English SPANISH and the English fleet take place? Channel NETHERLANDS 2. Movement Why do you think the Spanish captains chose to sail north Bay of 42° Biscay around Scotland rather than take the N FRANCE La Coruña more direct route home through the English Channel? Santander Late September, 1588 L U GA RT PO Lisbon Late May, 1588 S PA I N N 52°N W E ENGLAND S London 0 25 50 mi 0 50 100 km Dover Aug. 8 Major battles Gravelines Calais Me dite r r an e an S e a Isle of Wight SP. Plymouth Portland Bill NETH. Aug. 3 e l Aug. 2 Aug. 4 n n July 31 C h a 50°N g l i s h E n FRANCE 4°W 2°W 2°E 0° Absolute Monarchs in Europe 439  Philip’s empire provided him with incredible wealth. By 1600, American mines had supplied Spain with an estimated 339,000 pounds of gold. Between 1550 and 1650, roughly 16,000 tons of silver bullion were unloaded from Spanish galleons, or ships. The king of Spain claimed between a fourth and a fifth of every shipload of treasure as his royal share. With this wealth, Spain was able to support a large standing army of about 50,000 soldiers. This painting shows the defeat Defender of Catholicism When Philip assumed the throne, Europe was of the Spanish Armada by English warships. experiencing religious wars caused by the Reformation. However, religious conflict was not new to Spain. The Reconquista, the campaign to drive Muslims from Spain, had been completed only 64 years before. In addition, Philip’s great-grandparents Isabella and Ferdinand had used the Inquisi- tion to investigate suspected heretics, or nonbelievers in Christianity. Philip believed it was his duty to defend Catholicism against the Mus- lims of the Ottoman Empire and the Protestants of Europe. In 1571, the pope called on all Catholic princes to take up arms against the mounting power of the Ottoman Empire. Philip responded like a true crusader. More than 200 Spanish and Venetian ships defeated a large Ottoman fleet in a fierce battle near Lepanto. In 1588, Philip launched the Spanish Armada in an attempt to punish Protestant England and its queen, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth had supported Protestant subjects who had rebelled against Philip. However, his fleet was defeated. (See map, “Defeat of the Spanish Armada, 1588.”) Reading Check Although this setback seriously weakened Spain, its wealth gave it the Make Inferences appearance of strength for a while longer. Philip’s gray granite palace, the What did Philip Escorial, had massive walls and huge gates that demonstrated his power. want his palace to demonstrate about The Escorial also reflected Philip’s faith. Within its walls stood a his monarchy? monastery as well as a palace. Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature Spain’s great wealth did more than support navies and build palaces. It also allowed monarchs and nobles to become patrons of artists. During the 16th and 17th centuries, Spain experienced a golden age in the arts. The works of two great painters show both the faith and the pride of Spain during this period. El Greco and Velázquez Born in Crete, El Greco (GREHK oh) spent much of his adult life in Spain. His real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos, but Spaniards called him El Greco, meaning “the Greek.” El Greco’s art often puzzled the people of his time. He chose brilliant, sometimes clashing colors, distorted the human figure, and expressed emotion symbolically in his paintings. Although unusual, El Greco’s techniques showed the deep Catholic faith of Spain. He painted saints and martyrs as huge, long- limbed figures that have a supernatural air. 440 Module 11  The paintings of Diego Velázquez (vuh LAHS kehs), on the other hand, reflected the pride of the Spanish monarchy. Velázquez, who painted 50 years after El Greco, was the court painter to Philip IV of Spain. He is best known for his portraits of the royal family and scenes of court life. Like El Greco, he was noted for using rich colors. Don Quixote The publication of Don Quixote de la Mancha in 1605 is often called the birth of the modern European novel. In this book, Miguel de Cervantes (suhr VAN teez) wrote about a poor Spanish nobleman who went a little crazy after reading too many books about heroic knights. Hoping to “right every manner of wrong,” Don Quixote rode forth in a rusty suit of armor, mounted on a feeble horse. At one point, he mis- took some windmills for giants: In Las Meninas (The Maids of Honor), Velázquez depicts King Philip IV’s daughter and her attendants. “He rushed with [his horse’s] utmost speed upon the first windmill he could come at, and, running his lance into the sail, the wind whirled about with such swiftness, that the rapidity of the motion presently broke the lance into shivers, and hurled away both knight and horse Reading Check along with it, till down he fell, rolling a good way off in the field.” Develop Vocabulary Look again at the —Miguel De Cervantes, Don Quixote de la Mancha excerpt from Don Quixote de la Some critics believe that Cervantes was mocking chivalry, the knightly Mancha. Use context code of the Middle Ages. Others maintain that the book is about an ideal- clues to explain what shivers most likely istic person who longs for the romantic past because he is frustrated with means. his materialistic world. The Spanish Empire Weakens Certainly, the age in which Cervantes wrote was a materialistic one. The gold and silver coming from the Americas made Spain temporar- ily wealthy. However, such treasure helped to cause long-term economic problems. Inflation and Taxes One of these problems was severe inflation, which is a decline in the value of money, accompanied by a rise in the prices of goods and services. Inflation in Spain had two main causes. First, Spain’s popula- tion was growing. As more people demanded food and goods, merchants were able to raise prices. Second, as silver bullion flooded the market, its value dropped. People needed more and more silver to buy things. Spain’s economic decline also had other causes. When Spain expelled the Jews and Moors (Muslims) around 1500, it lost many valuable artisans and businesspeople. In addition, Spain’s nobles did not have to pay taxes. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 441  The tax burden fell on the lower classes. That burden prevented them from accumulating enough wealth to start their own businesses. As a result, Spain never developed a middle class. Making Spain’s Enemies Rich Guilds that had emerged in the Middle Ages still dominated business in Spain. Such guilds used old-fashioned methods. This made Spanish cloth and manufactured goods more expensive than those made elsewhere. As a result, Spaniards bought much of what they needed from France, England, and the Netherlands. Spain’s great wealth flowed into the pockets of foreigners, who were mostly Spain’s enemies. To finance their wars, Spanish kings borrowed money from German and Italian bankers. When shiploads of silver came in, the money was sent abroad to repay debts. The economy was so feeble that Philip had to declare the Spanish state bankrupt three times. The Dutch Revolt In the Spanish Netherlands, Philip had to maintain an army to keep his subjects under control. The Dutch had little in common with their Spanish rulers. While Spain was Catholic, the Netherlands had many Calvinist congregations. Also, Spain had a sluggish economy, while the Dutch had a prosperous middle class. Philip raised taxes in the Netherlands and took steps to crush Prot- estantism. In response, in 1566, angry Protestant mobs swept through Catholic churches. Philip then sent an army under the Spanish duke of Alva to punish the rebels. On a single day in 1568, the duke executed 1,500 Protestants and suspected rebels. The Dutch continued to fight the Spanish for another 11 years. Finally, Reading Check in 1579, the seven northern provinces of the Netherlands, which were Identify Problems largely Protestant, united and declared their independence from Spain. Why didn’t Spain’s They became the United Provinces of the Netherlands. The ten southern economy benefit from the gold and silver provinces (present-day Belgium) were Catholic and remained under from the Americas? Spanish control. The Independent Dutch Prosper The United Provinces of the Netherlands was different from other Euro- pean states of the time. For one thing, the people there practiced religious toleration. In addition, the United Provinces was not a king- dom but a republic. Each province had an elected governor, whose power depended on the support of merchants and landholders. Global Patterns Tulip Mania savings on bulbs and taking out loans so that they could buy more. Tulips came to Europe from Turkey around 1550. Tulip mania reached a peak between 1633 and People went wild over the flowers and began to 1637. Soon after, tulip prices sank rapidly. Many buy rare varieties. However, the supply of tulips Dutch families lost property and were left with could not meet the demand, and prices began bulbs that were nearly worthless. to rise. Soon people were spending all their 442 Module 11  Dutch Art During the 1600s, the Netherlands became what Florence had been during the 1400s. It boasted not only the best banks but also many of the best artists in Europe. As in Florence, wealthy merchants sponsored many of these artists. Rembrandt van Rijn (REHM brant vahn RYN) was the greatest Dutch artist of the period. Rembrandt painted portraits of wealthy middle-class merchants. He also produced group portraits. In The Night Watch, he portrayed a group of city guards. Rembrandt used sharp contrasts of light and shadow to draw attention to his focus. In The Night Watch, Rembrandt showed the individuality of each man by capturing distinctive facial expressions and postures. Another artist fascinated with the effects of light and dark was Jan Vermeer (YAHN vuhr MEER). Like many other Dutch artists, he chose domestic, indoor settings for his portraits. He often painted women doing such familiar activities as pouring milk from a jug or reading a letter. The work of both Rembrandt and Vermeer reveals how important mer- chants, civic leaders, and the middle class in general were in 17th-century Netherlands. Dutch Trading Empire The stability of the government allowed the Dutch people to concentrate on economic growth. The merchants of Amsterdam bought surplus grain in Poland and crammed it into their warehouses. When they heard about poor harvests in southern Europe, they shipped the grain south while prices were highest. The Dutch had the largest fleet Reading Check of ships in the world, and this fleet helped the Dutch East India Company Draw Conclusions (a trading company controlled by the Dutch government) to dominate Why did the Dutch prosper during this the Asian spice trade and the Indian Ocean trade. Gradually, the Dutch period? replaced the Italians as the bankers of Europe. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 443 ANALYZE KEY CONCEPTS Absolutism Absolutism was the political belief that one ruler should hold all of the power within the boundaries of a country. Although practiced by several monarchs in Europe during the 16th through 18th centuries, absolutism has been used in many regions throughout history. In ancient times, Shi Huangdi in China, Darius in Persia, and the Roman caesars were all absolute rulers. Causes Effects Religious and territorial conflicts created fear and uncertainty. Rulers regulated religious worship and social gatherings to The growth of armies to deal with conflicts caused rulers to raise control the spread of ideas. taxes to pay troops. Rulers increased the size of their courts to appear more Heavy taxes led to additional unrest and peasant revolts. powerful. Rulers created bureaucracies to control their countries’ economies. Interpret Charts 2. Hypothesize Today several nations of the world (such 1. Make Inferences Why do you think absolute rulers as Saudi Arabia) have absolute rulers. Judging from controlled social gatherings? what you know of past causes of absolutism, why do you think absolute rulers still exist today? Absolutism in Europe Even though Philip II lost his Dutch possessions, he was a forceful ruler in many ways. He tried to control every aspect of his empire’s affairs. During the next few centuries, many European monarchs would also claim the authority to rule without limits on their power. The Theory of Absolutism These rulers wanted to be absolute monarchs, kings or queens who held all of the power within their states’ boundaries. Their goal was to control every aspect of society. Absolute monarchs believed in divine right, the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on Earth. An absolute monarch answered only to God, not to his or her subjects. Growing Power of Europe’s Monarchs As Europe emerged from the Middle Ages, monarchs grew increasingly powerful. The decline of feudalism, the rise of cities, and the growth of national kingdoms all helped to centralize authority. In addition, the growing middle class usually backed monarchs, because they promised a peaceful, supportive climate for business. Monarchs used the wealth of colonies to pay for their ambitions. Church authority also broke down during the late Middle Ages and the Reformation. That opened the way for monarchs to assume even greater control. In 1576, Jean Bodin, an influential French writer, defined absolute rule. Bodin stated that a ruler has the power to make laws without the consent of anyone else. He said that if a ruler needs to consult superiors, then 444 Module 11  he is a subject himself. If a ruler needs to consult peers, he is an equal, not a ruler. If he needs to consult his subjects, he is not a ruler. Crises Lead to Absolutism The 17th century was a period of great upheaval in Europe. Religious and territorial conflicts between states led to almost continuous warfare. This caused governments to build huge armies and to levy even heavier taxes on an already suffering population. These pressures in turn brought about widespread unrest. Sometimes peasants revolted. In response to these crises, monarchs tried to impose order by increas- ing their own power. As absolute rulers, they regulated everything from religious worship to social gatherings. They created new government bureaucracies to control their countries’ economic life. Their goal was to Reading Check free themselves from the limitations imposed by the nobility and by Draw Conclusions representative bodies such as Parliament. Only with such freedom could How was Philip II typical of an absolute they rule absolutely, as did the most famous monarch of his time, Louis monarch? XIV of France. You’ll learn more about him later. Lesson 1 Assessment 1. Organize Information Use a graphic organizer to show conditions needed for a monarch to gain power. 4. Analyze Motives Why did the Dutch revolt against Spain? conditions conditions 5. Draw Conclusions What does the art described in this section reveal about the cultures of Spain and the absolute monarch Netherlands? 6. Analyze Causes What role did religion play in the conditions conditions struggle between the Spanish and the Dutch? 7. Make Inferences How did the lack of a middle class 2. Key Terms and People For each key term or person in contribute to the decline of Spain’s economy? the lesson, write a sentence explaining its significance. 3. Synthesize What is the significance of England’s defeat of the Spanish Armada? Absolute Monarchs in Europe 445  Lesson 2 The Reign of Louis XIV Setting the Stage The Big Idea In 1559, King Henry II of France died, leaving four young After a century of war and riots, sons. Three of them ruled, one after the other, but all France was ruled by Louis XIV, proved incompetent. The real power behind the throne the most powerful monarch of during this period was their mother, Catherine de his time. Médicis. Catherine tried to preserve royal authority, but Why It Matters Now growing conflicts between Catholics and Huguenots— Louis’s abuse of power led to French Protestants—rocked the country. Between 1562 revolution that would inspire the and 1598, Huguenots and Catholics fought eight call for democratic government religious wars. Chaos spread through France. throughout the world. Key Terms and People Religious Wars and Power Struggles Edict of Nantes In 1572, the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in Paris sparked Cardinal Richelieu a six-week, nationwide slaughter of Huguenots. The massacre skepticism occurred when many Huguenot nobles were in Paris. They were Louis XIV attending the marriage of Catherine’s daughter to a Huguenot intendant prince, Henry of Navarre. Most of these nobles died, but Henry Jean Baptiste Colbert War of the Spanish Succession survived. Henry of Navarre Descended from the popular medieval king Louis IX, Henry was robust, athletic, and handsome. In 1589, when both Catherine and her last son died, Prince Henry inherited the throne. He became Henry IV, the first king of the Bourbon dynasty in France. As king, he showed himself to be decisive, fearless in battle, and a clever politician. Many Catholics, including the people of Paris, opposed Henry. For the sake of his war-weary country, Henry chose to give up Protestantism and become a Catholic. Explaining his conversion, Henry reportedly declared, “Paris is well worth a mass.” In 1598, Henry took another step toward healing France’s wounds. He declared that the Huguenots could live in peace in France and set up their own houses of worship in some cities. This declaration of religious toleration was called the Edict of Nantes. 446 Module 11  Aided by an adviser who enacted wise financial policies, Henry devoted his reign to rebuilding France and its prosperity. He restored the French monarchy to a strong position. After a generation of war, most French people welcomed peace. Some people, however, hated Henry for his religious compromises. In 1610, a fanatic leaped into the royal carriage and stabbed Henry to death. Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu After Henry IV’s death, his son Louis XIII reigned. Louis was a weak king, but in 1624, he appointed a strong minister who made up for all of Louis’s weaknesses. Cardinal Richelieu (RIHSH uh loo) became, in effect, the ruler of France. For several years, he had been a hardworking leader of the Catholic church in France. Although he tried sincerely to lead according to moral principles, he was also ambitious and enjoyed exercising authority. As Louis XIII’s minister, he was able to pur- sue his ambitions in the political arena. Richelieu took two steps to increase the power of the Bourbon monarchy. First, he moved against Huguenots. He believed that Protestantism often served as an excuse for political conspiracies against the Catholic king. Although Richelieu did not take away the Huguenots’ right to worship, he forbade Protestant cities to have walls. He did not want them to be able to defy the king and then withdraw behind strong defenses. Second, he sought to weaken the nobles’ power. Richelieu Cardinal Richelieu probably had himself ordered nobles to take down their fortified castles. He increased portrayed in a standing position in this the power of government agents who came from the middle class. painting to underscore his role as ruler. The king relied on these agents, so there was less need to use noble officials. Reading Check Make Inferences Richelieu also wanted to make France the strongest state in Europe. How did Richelieu’s The greatest obstacle to this, he believed, were the Hapsburg rulers, whose actions toward lands surrounded France. The Hapsburgs ruled Spain, Austria, the Neth- Huguenots and the nobility strengthen erlands, and parts of the Holy Roman Empire. To limit Hapsburg power, the monarchy? Richelieu involved France in the Thirty Years’ War. Writers Turn Toward Skepticism As France regained political power, a new French intellectual movement developed. French thinkers had witnessed the religious wars with horror. What they saw turned them toward skepticism, the idea that nothing can ever be known for certain. These thinkers expressed an attitude of doubt toward churches that claimed to have the only correct set of doctrines. To doubt old ideas, skeptics thought, was the first step toward finding truth. Montaigne and Descartes Michel de Montaigne lived during the worst years of the French religious wars. After the death of a dear friend, Montaigne thought deeply about life’s meaning. To communicate his ideas, Montaigne developed a new form of literature, the essay. An essay is a brief work that expresses a person’s thoughts and opinions. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 447  In one essay, Montaigne pointed out that whenever a new belief arose, it replaced an old belief that people once accepted as truth. In the same way, he went on, the new belief would also probably be replaced by some differ- ent idea in the future. For these reasons, Montaigne believed that humans could never have absolute knowledge of what is true. Another French writer of the time, René Descartes, was a brilliant thinker. In his Meditations on First Philosophy, Descartes examined the skeptical argument that one could never be certain of anything. Descartes Reading Check used his observations and his reason to answer such arguments. In doing Compare so, he created a philosophy that influenced modern thinkers and helped What made Montaigne and to develop the scientific method. Because of this, he became an important Descartes skeptics? figure in the Enlightenment, which you will read about later. Louis XIV Comes to Power The efforts of Henry IV and Richelieu to strengthen the French monarchy paved the way for the most powerful ruler in French history—Louis XIV. In Louis’s view, he and the state were one and the same. He reportedly boasted, “L’état, c’est moi,” meaning “I am the state.” Although Louis XIV became the strongest king of his time, he was only a four-year-old boy when he began his reign. Pictured: (L) Marriage of Louis XIV to Marie Thérèse of Austria. Artist unknown; (R) Statue of Louis XIV, Lyon, France Louis, the Boy King When Louis became king in 1643 after the death of his father, Louis XIII, the true ruler of France was Richelieu’s successor, Cardinal Mazarin (MAZ uh RAN). Mazarin’s greatest triumph came in 1648, with the ending of the Thirty Years’ War. Many people in France, particularly the nobles, hated Mazarin because he increased taxes and strengthened the central government. From 1648 to 1653, violent anti-Mazarin riots tore France apart. At times, the nobles who led the riots threatened the young king’s life. Even after the violence was over, Louis never forgot his fear or his anger at the nobility. He was determined to become so strong that they could never threaten him again. In the end, the nobles’ rebellion failed for three reasons. Its leaders distrusted one another even more than they distrusted Mazarin. In addition, the government used violent repression. Finally, peasants and townspeople grew weary of disorder and fighting. For many years afterward, the people 448 Module 11  of France accepted the oppressive laws of an absolute king. They were convinced that the alternative—rebellion—was even worse. Louis Weakens the Nobles’ Authority When Cardinal Mazarin died in 1661, the 22-year-old Louis took control of the government himself. He weakened the power of the nobles by excluding them from his councils. In contrast, he increased the power of the government agents called intendants, who collected taxes and administered justice. To keep power under central control, he made sure that local officials communicated regularly with him. Economic Growth Louis devoted himself to helping France attain eco- nomic, political, and cultural brilliance. No one assisted him more in achieving these goals than his minister of finance, Jean Baptiste Colbert Vocabulary (kawl BEHR). Colbert believed in the theory of mercantilism. To prevent mercantilism the wealth from leaving the country, Colbert tried to make France self- economic theory that nations should protect sufficient. He wanted it to be able to manufacture everything it needed their home industries instead of relying on imports. and export more than To expand manufacturing, Colbert gave government funds and tax ben- they import efits to French companies. To protect France’s industries, he placed a high tariff on goods from other countries. Colbert also recognized the impor- tance of colonies, which provided raw materials and a market for manu- factured goods. The French government encouraged people to migrate to France’s colony in Canada. There the fur trade added to French trade and wealth. Reading Check After Colbert’s death, Louis announced a policy that slowed France’s eco- Recognize nomic progress. In 1685, he canceled the Edict of Nantes, which protected Effects What effects the religious freedom of Huguenots. In response, thousands of Huguenot did the years of riots have on Louis XIV? on artisans and businesspeople fled the country. Louis’s policy thus robbed his subjects? France of many skilled workers. BIOGRAPHY Louis XIV (1638–1715) Although Louis XIV stood only 5 feet 5 inches tall, his erect and dignified posture made him appear much taller. (It also helped that he wore high-heeled shoes.) Louis had very strong likes and dislikes. He hated cities and loved to travel through France’s countryside. The people who traveled with him were at his mercy, however, for he allowed no stopping except for his own comfort. It is small wonder that the vain Louis XIV liked to be called the Sun King. He believed that, as with the sun, all power radiated from him. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 449  The Sun King’s Grand Style In his personal finances, Louis spent a fortune to surround himself with luxury. For example, each meal was a feast. An observer claimed that the king once devoured four plates of soup, a whole pheasant, a partridge in garlic sauce, two slices of ham, a salad, a plate of pastries, fruit, and hard- boiled eggs in a single sitting! Nearly 500 cooks, waiters, and other ser- vants worked to satisfy his tastes. Louis Controls the Nobility Every morning, the chief valet woke Louis at 8:30. Outside the curtains of Louis’s canopy bed stood at least 100 of the most privileged nobles at court. They were waiting to help the great king Though full of dress. Only four would be allowed the honor of handing Louis his slippers errors, Saint-Simon’s or holding his sleeves for him. memoirs provide Meanwhile, outside the bedchamber, lesser nobles waited in the pal- valuable insight into Louis XIV’s character ace halls and hoped Louis would notice them. A kingly nod, a glance and life at Versailles. of approval, a kind word—these marks of royal attention determined whether a noble succeeded or failed. A duke recorded how Louis turned against nobles who did not come to court to flatter him: “He looked to the right and to the left, not only upon rising but upon going to bed, at his meals, in passing through his apartments, or his gardens.... He marked well all absentees from the Court, found out the reason of their absence, and never lost an opportunity of acting toward them as the occasion might seem to justify.... When their names were in any way mentioned, ‘I do not know them,’ the King would reply haughtily.” —Duke of Saint-Simon, Memoirs of Louis XIV and the Regency Having the nobles at the palace increased royal authority in two ways. It made the nobility totally dependent on Louis. It also took them from their homes, thereby giving more power to the intendants. Louis required hundreds of nobles to live with him at the splendid palace he built at Versailles, about 11 miles southwest of Paris. As you can see from the pictures, everything about the Versailles palace was immense. It faced a huge royal courtyard dominated by a statue of Louis XIV. The palace itself stretched for a distance of about 500 yards. Because of its great size, Versailles was like a small royal city. Its rich decoration and furnishings clearly showed Louis’s wealth and power to everyone who came to the palace. 450 Module 11 History in Depth The Palace at Versailles Louis XIV’s palace at Versailles was proof of his absolute power. Only a ruler with total control over his country’s economy could afford such a lavish palace. It cost an estimated $3.3 billion in 2017 dollars. Louis XIV was also able to force 36,000 laborers and 6,000 horses to work on the project. It took so much water to run all the fountains at once that it was done only for special events. On Many people consider the Hall of Mirrors other days, when the king walked the most beautiful room in the palace. in the garden, servants would Along one wall are 17 tall mirrors. The turn on fountains just before he The gardens at Versailles remain opposite wall has 17 windows that open reached them. The fountains were beautiful today. Originally, Versailles onto the gardens. The hall has gilded turned off after he walked away. was built with 1,400 fountains on statues, crystal chandeliers, and a painted 5,000 acres of gardens, lawns, ceiling. and woods. Interpret Visuals 1. Analyze Motives Why do you think Louis XIV believed he needed such a large and luxurious palace? Explain what practical and symbolic purposes Versailles might have served. 2. Develop Historical Perspective Consider the amount of money and effort that went into the construction of this extravagant palace. What does this reveal about the way 17th-century French society viewed its king? 3. Compare How were Edo and Versailles similar to the people of each region? Absolute Monarchs in Europe 451  Patron of the Arts Versailles was a center of the arts during Louis’s reign. Louis made opera and ballet more popular. He even danced the title role in the ballet The Sun King. One of his favorite writers was Molière (mohl YAIR), Reading Check who wrote some of the funniest plays in French literature. Molière’s com- Analyze How did edies include Tartuffe, which mocks religious hypocrisy. Louis’s treatment of Not since Augustus of Rome had there been a European monarch who the nobles reflect his belief in his absolute supported the arts as much as Louis. Under Louis, the chief purpose of art authority? How was was no longer to glorify God, as it had been in the Middle Ages. Nor was his treatment similar its purpose to glorify human potential, as it had been in the Renaissance. to and different from Tokugawa’s treatment Now the purpose of art was to glorify the king and promote values that of the daimyo? supported Louis’s absolute rule. Louis Fights Disastrous Wars Under Louis, France was the most powerful country in Europe. In 1660, France had about 20 million people. This was four times as many as England and ten times as many as the Dutch Republic. The French army was far ahead of other states’ armies in size, training, and weaponry. Attempts to Expand France’s Boundaries In 1667, just six years after Mazarin’s death, Louis invaded the Spanish Netherlands in an effort to expand France’s boundaries. Through this campaign, he gained 12 towns. Encouraged by his success, he personally led an army into the Dutch Netherlands in 1672. The Dutch saved their country by opening the dikes and flooding the countryside. This was the same tactic they had used in their revolt against Spain a century earlier. The war ended in 1678 with the Treaty of Nijmegen. France gained several towns and a region called Franche-Comté. Louis decided to fight additional wars, but his luck had run out. By the end of the 1680s, a European-wide alliance had formed to stop France. By banding together, weaker countries could match France’s strength. This defensive strategy was meant to achieve a balance of power in which no single country or group of countries could dominate others. In 1689, the Dutch prince William of Orange became the king of Eng- land. He joined the League of Augsburg, which consisted of the Austrian Hapsburg emperor, the kings of Sweden and Spain, and the leaders of several smaller European states. Together, these countries equaled France’s strength. France at this time had been weakened by a series of poor harvests. That, added to the constant warfare, brought great suffering to the French people. So, too, did new taxes, which Louis imposed to finance his wars. 452 Module 11 The painting shows the Battle of Denain, one of the last battles fought during the War of the Spanish Succession. War of the Spanish Succession Tired of hardship, the French people longed for peace. What they got was another war. In 1700, the childless king of Spain, Charles II, died after promising his throne to Louis XIV’s 16-year-old grandson, Philip of Anjou. The two greatest powers in Europe, enemies for so long, were now both ruled by the French Bourbons. Other countries felt threatened by this increase in the Bourbon dynasty’s power. In 1701, England, Austria, the Dutch Republic, Portugal, and several German and Italian states joined together to prevent the union of the French and Spanish thrones. The long struggle that followed is known as the War of the Spanish Succession. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 453  The costly war dragged on until 1714. The Treaty of Utrecht was signed in that year. Under its terms, Louis’s grandson was allowed to remain king of Spain so long as the thrones of France and Spain were not united. The big winner in the war was Great Britain. From Spain, Britain took Gibraltar, a fortress that controlled the entrance to the Mediterranean. Spain also granted a British company an asiento, permission to send enslaved Africans to Spain’s American colonies. This increased Britain’s involvement in trading enslaved Africans. In addition, France gave Britain the North American territories of Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, and abandoned claims to the Hudson Bay region. The Austrian Hapsburgs took the Spanish Netherlands and other Spanish lands in Italy. Prussia and Savoy were recognized as kingdoms. Louis’s Death and Legacy Louis’s last years were more sad than glori- ous. Realizing that his wars had ruined France, he regretted the suffering he had brought to his people. He died in bed in 1715. News of his death prompted rejoicing throughout France. The people had had enough of the Sun King. Louis left a mixed legacy to his country. On the positive side, France was certainly a power to be reckoned with in Europe. France ranked above all other European nations in art, literature, and statesmanship during Louis’s reign. In addition, France was considered the military leader of Europe. This military might allowed France to develop a strong empire of colonies, which provided resources and goods for trade. Debt of the Royal Family, 1643–1715 2,000 1,800 1,600 1,400 Livres (in millions) 1,200 1,000 800 600 400 200 0 1643 1648 1661 1683 1699 1708 1715 A livre is equal to approximately $10.50 in 1992 U.S. dollars. Source: Early Modern France 1560–1715 Interpret Graphs 1. Compare How many times greater was the royal debt in 1715 than in 1643? 2. Synthesize What was the royal debt of 1715 equal to in 1992 dollars? 454 Module 11  On the negative side, constant warfare and the construction of the Palace of Versailles plunged France into staggering debt. Also, resentment over the tax burden imposed on the poor and Louis’s abuse of power would Reading Check plague his heirs—and eventually lead to revolution. Recognize Effects Absolute rule didn’t die with Louis XIV. His enemies in Prussia and Aus- How did Louis’s wars against weaker tria had been experimenting with their own forms of absolute monarchy, countries backfire? as you will learn later. Lesson 2 Assessment 1. O  rganize Information Create a timeline that shows 5. Support Opinions Many historians think of Louis XIV events that strengthened or weakened the French as the perfect example of an absolute monarch. Do monarchy. you agree? Explain why or why not. 6. Recognize Effects How did the policies of Colbert and 1643 1715 Louis XIV affect the French economy? Explain both positive and negative effects. 2. K  ey Terms and People For each key term or person in 7. Synthesize To what extent did anti- the lesson, write a sentence explaining its significance. Protestantism contribute to Louis’s downfall? 3. Hypothesize What impact did the French religious wars likely have on French thinkers? 4. Draw Conclusions What was the result of the War of the Spanish Succession? Absolute Monarchs in Europe 455  Lesson 3 Central European Monarchs Clash Setting the Stage The Big Idea For a brief while, the German rulers appeared to have After a period of turmoil, abso- settled their religious differences through the Peace of lute monarchs ruled Austria and Augsburg (1555). They had agreed that the faith of each the Germanic state of Prussia. prince would determine the religion of his subjects. Why It Matters Now Churches in Germany could be either Lutheran or Prussia built a strong military tra- Catholic, but not Calvinist. The peace was short-lived, dition in Germany that soon to be replaced by a long war. After the Peace of contributed in part to world Augsburg, the Catholic and Lutheran princes of Germany wars in the twentieth century. watched each other suspiciously. Key Terms and People Thirty Years’ War The Thirty Years’ War Maria Theresa Both the Lutheran and the Catholic princes tried to gain Frederick the Great followers. In addition, both sides felt threatened by Calvinism, Seven Years’ War which was spreading in Germany and gaining many followers. As tension mounted, the Lutherans joined together in the Protestant Union in 1608. The following year, the Catholic princes formed the Catholic League. Now, it would take only a spark to set off a war. Bohemian Protestants Revolt That spark came in 1618. The future Holy Roman emperor, Ferdinand II, was head of the Hapsburg family. As such, he ruled the Czech kingdom of Bohemia. The Protestants in Bohemia did not trust Ferdinand, who was a foreigner and a Catholic. When he closed some Protestant churches, the Protestants revolted. Ferdinand sent an army into Bohemia to crush the revolt. Several German Protestant princes took this chance to challenge their Catholic emperor. Thus began the Thirty Years’ War, a conflict over religion and territory and for power among European ruling families. The war can be divided into two main phases: the phase of Hapsburg triumphs and the phase of Hapsburg defeats. Hapsburg Triumphs The Thirty Years’ War lasted from 1618 to 1648. During the first 12 years, Hapsburg armies from Austria and Spain crushed the troops hired by the 456 Module 11  Protestant princes. They succeeded in putting down the Czech uprising. They also defeated the German Protestants who had supported the Czechs. Ferdinand II paid his army of 125,000 men by allowing them to plunder, or rob, German villages. This huge army destroyed everything in its path. Hapsburg Defeats The Hapsburg triumph would not last. In 1630, the Protestant Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden and his army shifted the tide of war. They drove the Hapsburg armies out of northern Germany. How- ever, Gustavus Adolphus was killed in battle in 1632. Cardinal Richelieu and Cardinal Mazarin of France dominated the remaining years of the war. Although Catholic, these two cardinals feared the Hapsburgs more than the Protestants. They did not want other European rulers to have as much power as the French king. Therefore, in 1635, Richelieu sent French troops to join the German and Swedish Prot- estants in their struggle against the Hapsburg armies. Peace of Westphalia The war did great damage to Germany. Its population dropped from 20 million to about 16 million. Both trade and agriculture were disrupted, and Germany’s economy was ruined. Germany had a long, difficult recovery from this devastation. That is a major reason it did not become a unified state until the 1800s. The Peace of Westphalia (1648) ended the war. The treaty had these important consequences: weakened the Hapsburg states of Spain and Austria strengthened France by awarding it German territory made German princes independent of the Holy Roman emperor ended religious wars in Europe introduced a new method of peace negotiation whereby all partici- pants meet to settle the problems of a war and decide the terms of peace. This method is still used today. Reading Check Beginning of Modern States The treaty thus abandoned the idea of a Draw Conclusions Catholic empire that would rule most of Europe. It recognized Europe Judging from their actions, do you as a group of equal, independent states, sometimes called nation-states. think the two French This marked the beginning of the modern state system and was the most cardinals were important result of the Thirty Years’ War. A nation-state is the only power motivated more by religion or politics? within its borders that can have an army, and it governs on behalf of all of Why? its people. States Form in Central Europe Strong states formed more slowly in central Europe than in western Europe. The major powers of this region were the kingdom of Poland, the Holy Roman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire. None of them was very strong in the mid-1600s. Absolute Monarchs in Europe 457  Explore ONLINE! Europe After the Thirty Years’ War, 1648 SWEDEN IRELAND The Holy Roman Empire DENMARK 24°E 40°E 32 ° E 16°E 8°E North Sea 0° 8°W 50°N PRUSSIA ENGLAND London ER G Population Losses UNITED BRANDENB 0 50 100 mi Warsaw NETH. Berlin PO SPA Brussels 0 100 200 km MER ANIA G NIS SAXONY POLAND ER HN NB ETH DE. SMALL BRUNSWICK BRAN POLAND Se Prague ATLANTIC in eR Paris GERMAN STATES SILESIA. BOHEMIA SAXONY SI LE OCEAN MORAVIA SI A Loire R. BAVARIA Vienna BOHEMIA FRA NCE AUSTRIA Buda PA LAT INA SWITZ. TIROL TE SALZBURG H UNGA RY TRANSYLVANIA Y BAVARIA AR NG SAVOY HU ITALIAN STATES Up to 15% 34–66% The Holy Dan 15–33% Over 66% Roman Empire ube PORTUGAL R. ANDORRA Tagu Madrid PAPAL sR. STATES OTTOMAN EMPIRE Lisbon Rome SPAIN NAPLES 0 125 250 mi 0 250 500 km Interpret Maps 1. Place Name at least five modern European countries that existed at the end of the Thirty Years’ War. 2. Region Refer to the inset map. Which regions lost the most population in the Thirty Years’ War? HMH—High School World History—2016 HS_SNLESE669116_502M Economic Contrasts with the West One reason for thisFirst proof is that the03/17/16 econ- omy of central Europe developed differently from that of western Europe. During the late Middle Ages, serfs in western Europe slowly won freedom and moved to towns. There, they joined middle-class towns-people, who gained economic power because of the commercial revolution and the development of capitalism. By contrast, the landowning aristocracy in central Europe passed laws restricting the ability of serfs to gain freedom and move to cities. These nobles wanted to keep the serfs on the land, where they could produce large harvests. The nobles could then sell the surplus crops to western European cities at great profit. Several Weak Empires The landowning nobles in central Europe not only held down the serfs but also blocked the development of strong kings. For example, the Polish nobility elected the Polish king and sharply limited his power. They allowed the king little income, no law courts, and no standing army. As a result, there was not a strong ruler who could form a unified state. The two empires of central Europe were also weak. Although Suleyman the Magnificent had conquered Hungary and threatened Vienna in 1529, the Ottoman Empire could not take its European conquest any farther. From then on, the Ottoman Empire declined from its peak of power. 458 Module 11  In addition, the Holy Roman Empire was seriously weakened by the Thirty Years’ War. No longer able to command the obedience of the Ger- man states, the Holy Roman Empire had no real power. These old, weak- ened empires and kingdoms left a power vacuum in central Europe. In the late 1600s, two German-speaking families decided to try to fill this vacuum by becoming absolute rulers themselves. Austria Grows Stronger One of these families was the Hapsburgs of Aus- tria. The Austrian Hapsburgs took several steps to become absolute mon- archs. First, during the Thirty Years’ War, they reconquered Bohemia. The Hapsburgs wiped out Protestantism there and created a new Czech nobil- ity that pledged loyalty to them. Second, after the war, the Hapsburg ruler centralized the government and created a standing army. Third, by 1699, the Hapsburgs had retaken Hungary from the Ottoman Empire. In 1711, Charles VI became the Hapsburg ruler. Charles’s empire was a difficult one to rule. Within its borders lived a diverse assortment of people—Czechs, Hungarians, Italians, Croatians, and Germans. Only the fact that one Hapsburg ruler wore the Austrian, Hungarian, and Bohemian crowns kept the empire together. Maria Theresa Inherits the Austrian Throne How could the Hapsburgs make sure that they continued to rule all those lands? Charles VI spent his entire reign working out an answer to this problem. With endless arm- twisting, he persuaded other leaders of Europe to sign an agreement that declared they would recognize Charles’s eldest daughter as the heir to all his Hapsburg territories. That heir was a The imperial crest of the Hapsburgs shows a Reading Check young woman named Maria Theresa. In double-headed eagle with a crown. Draw Conclusions theory, this agreement guaranteed Why might ruling an Maria Theresa a peaceful reign. Instead, she faced years of war. Her main empire with a vastly diverse assortment of enemy was Prussia, a state to the north of Austria. (See map: “Europe people be difficult? After the Thirty Years’ War, 1648.”) Prussia Challenges Austria Like Austria, Prussia rose to power in the late 1600s. Like the Hapsburgs of Austria, Prussia’s ruling family, the Hohenzollerns, also had great ambitions. Those ambitions threatened to upset central Europe’s delicate balance of power. The Rise of Prussia The Hohenzollerns built up their state from a num- ber of small holdings, beginning with the German states of Brandenburg and Prussia. In 1640, a 20-year-old Hohenzollern named Frederick William inherited the title of elector of Brandenburg. After seeing the destruction of the Thirty Years’ War, Frederick William, later known as Absolute Monarchs in Europe 459  the Great Elector, decided that having a strong army was the only way to ensure safety. To protect their lands, the Great Elector and his descendants moved toward absolute monarchy. They created a standing army, the best in Europe. They built it to a force of 80,000 men. To pay for the army, they introduced permanent taxation. Beginning with the Great Elector’s son, they called themselves kings. They also weakened the representative assemblies of their territories. Prussia’s landowning nobility, the Junkers (YUNG kuhrz), resisted the king’s growing power. However, in the early 1700s, King Frederick William I bought their cooperation. He gave the Junkers the exclusive right to be officers in his army. As a result, Prussia became a rigidly controlled, highly militarized society. Frederick the Great Frederick William worried that his son, Frederick, was not military enough to rule. The prince loved music, philosophy, and poetry. In 1730, when he and a friend tried to run away, they were caught. To punish Frederick, the king ordered him to witness his friend’s beheading. Despite such bitter memories, Frederick II, known as Frederick the Great, followed his father’s military policies when he came to power. However, he also softened some of his father’s laws. With regard to domestic affairs, he encouraged religious toleration and legal reform. According to his theory of government, Frederick believed that a ruler should be like a father to his people, for he is the head of a family of citizens. Frederick the Great War of the Austrian Succession In 1740, Maria Theresa succeeded her father, just five months after Frederick II became king of Prussia. Frederick wanted the Austrian land of Silesia, which bordered Prussia. Silesia produced iron ore, textiles, and food products. Frederick under- estimated Maria Theresa’s strength. He assumed that because she was a woman, she would not be forceful enough to defend her lands. In 1740, he sent his army to occupy Silesia, beginning the War of the Austrian Succession. Even though Maria Theresa had recently given birth, she journeyed to Hungary. There she held her infant in her arms as she asked the Hungar- ian nobles for aid. Even though the nobles resented their Hapsburg rulers, they pledged to give Maria Theresa an army. Great Britain also joined Austria to fight its longtime enemy France, which was Prussia’s ally. Although Maria Theresa did stop Prussia’s aggression, she lost Silesia in the Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748. With the acquisition of Silesia, Prussia became a major European power. The Seven Years’ War Maria Theresa decided that the French kings were no longer Austria’s chief enemies. She made an alliance with them. The result was a diplomatic revolution. When Frederick heard of her actions, he signed a treaty with Britain—Austria’s former ally. Now, Austria, France, Russia, and others were allied against Britain and Prussia. Not only had Austria and Prussia switched allies, but for the first time, Russia was play- ing a role in European affairs. 460 Module 11  Biography Maria Theresa Frederick the Great (1717–1780) (1712–1786) An able ruler, Maria Theresa also devoted herself Although they reigned during the same time, to her children, whom she continued to advise Frederick the Great and Maria Theresa were very even after they were grown. Perhaps her most different. Where Maria was religious, Frederick famous child was Marie Antoinette, wife of Louis was practical and atheistic. Maria Theresa had XVI of France. a happy home life and a huge family, while Frederick died without a son to succeed him. As the Austrian empress, Maria Theresa decreased the power of the nobility. She also An aggressor in foreign affairs, Frederick once limited the amount of labor that nobles could wrote that “the fundamental role of governments force peasants to do. She argued, “The peasantry is the principle of extending their territories.” must be able to sustain itself.” Frederick earned the title “the Great” by achieving his goals for Prussia. In 1756, Frederick attacked Saxony, an Austrian ally. Soon every great European power was involved in the war. Fought in Europe, India, and North America, the war lasted until 1763. It was called the Seven Years’ War. The war did not change the territorial situation in Europe. It was a different story on other continents. Both France and Britain Reading Check had colonies in North America and the West Indies. Both were competing Clarify What steps economically in India. The British emerged as the real victors in the Seven did the Prussian Years’ War. France lost its colonies in North America, and Britain gained monarchs take to become absolute sole economic domination of India. This set the stage for further British monarchs? expansion in India in the 1800s. Lesson 3 Assessment 1. Organize Information Make a table to show the ways 2. K ey Terms and People For each key term or person in Maria Theresa and Frederick the Great were similar the lesson, write a sentence explaining its significance. rulers. 3. Synthesize  What were the major conflicts in the Thirty Years’ War? Maria Frederick Theresa the Great 4. Recognize Effects How did the Peace of Westphalia lay the foundations of modern Europe? 5. Analyze Motives Why did Maria Theresa make an alli- ance with the French kings, Austria’s chief enemies? 6. Draw Conclusions Based on Frederick’s assumption about Maria Theresa at the outset of the War of the Austrian Succession, what conclusions can you draw about how men viewed women in 1700s Europe? Absolute Monarchs in Europe 461  Lesson 4 Absolute Rulers of Russia Setting the Stage The Big Idea Ivan III of Moscow, who ruled Russia from 1462 to 1505, Peter the Great made many accomplished several things. First, he conquered much changes in Russia to try to make of the territory around Moscow. Second, he liberated it more like western Europe. Russia from the Mongols. Third, he began to centralize Why It Matters Now the Russian government. Ivan III was succeeded by his Many Russians today debate son, Vasily, who ruled for 28 years. Vasily continued his whether to model themselves father’s work of adding territory to the gr