17th Century Weather Crisis-Most 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 RightEliminate the threat of the nobilityRegulated 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 public officers and the 17th CenturyMedieval and Renaissance viewed money

they collected as their private property17th 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– 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 AbsolutismHenry IV

– Real Politique– A chicken in every pot

• 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 offices- Permanent 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 1628King 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 cultureEconomy – 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 kingComplete 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

– 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 permanentReligious pluralism was not in the 17th

Century mindset

French Classicism

Glorification of the state through– Plays - Moliere– Paintings - Poussin– Architecture– Greco-Roman history

Architecture

Louis XIV’s Wars

Standardized the army– Uniforms– Commissariat – Clear means of promotion– Gains little territory– Collapse of the wheat harvest 1693-4

War of the Spanish Succession1701-1713

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 SpainFrance gives up much of Canada Depletes Spain and increases English

powerAustria, not the Dutch gain Spanish

Netherlands

Decline of Spain

Absolutist– 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 vulgarInflationWeakening 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 MonarchyAt 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

– Parliament VS. The Royalists– 1649 King is beheaded

Cromwell – Puritan , Military Dictator- Navigation Act Restoration – Charles II Stuart 1660 - 85 James II Catholic , Divine Right Glorious Revolution 1688

ll

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