chapter 14: pursuit of power in europe i. power of kings: absolute or restrained
DESCRIPTION
Absolute Power Increase royal authority by: Increase royal authority by: – Increasing size of government bureaucracy and making it an instrument of the royal will – Increasing size of territory Through war if necessary Through war if necessaryTRANSCRIPT
Chapter 14: Pursuit of Power in Europe
I. Power of Kings: Absolute or Restrained
Absolute Power
• Unlimited and unrestrained• Increase royal authority by:– Increasing control over
finances, religion, and nobility– Increasing size of standing
army and/or developing a strong navy
Absolute Power
• Increase royal authority by:– Increasing size of
government bureaucracy and making it an instrument of the royal will– Increasing size of territory• Through war if necessary
Absolute Power
• “Divine right”–God had established it–Most Europeans accepted this
• Representative assemblies
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Chief advisers:–Cardinal Richelieu–Cardinal Mazarin
• Louis XIV
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Growth of Absolutism–Henry IV–Louis XIII• Came to throne at age 9• Chief minister: Cardinal Richelieu
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Growth of Absolutism–Richelieu’s other goals:• Destroy Huguenots• Weaken nobility
–Thirty Years’ War• Gustavus Adolphus• Peace of Westphalia
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Growth of Absolutism–Louis XIV• Chief minister: Cardinal Mazarin• Frondes
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV–Became his own chief
minister–“I am the state”
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV–Financial and military policies• Jean-Baptiste Colbert• Reorganized French army
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV–Revocation of the Edict of
Nantes• Huguenots lost remaining freedom to worship• Results
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV–Life at Versailles• “Sun King”• Palace of Versailles• Pride• Base and immoral conduct
Absolutism Triumphs in France
• Epitome of Absolutism: Louis XIV–Foreign policy• Wars • Financial problems
–Louis XV
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Brandenburg-Prussia– Its resources– Junkers–Frederick William• “The Great Elector”
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Brandenburg-Prussia–Frederick I• Interested in the arts• Imitated Louis XIV• “King in Prussia”
–Frederick William I• Increase in the size of the army
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Brandenburg-Prussia–Frederick II• “Frederick the Great”• Tripled the size of the Prussian state
–Hohenzollern rulers
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Austria–Habsburg rulers–Unable to create strong
absolutist state• Roman Catholic Church and nobility held great power• Surrounded by aggressive neighbors• Ruled many nationalities
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Austria– Joseph II• Actions against the Roman Church
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Russia– Ivan IV “the Terrible”• Cruel and oppressive• Czar
–Romanov family
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Russia–Peter I• Wished to adopt Western ways• New capital called St. Petersburg• Great Northern War• Seized greater control over Russian Orthodox Church
Absolutism Spreads in Europe
• Russia–Catherine II “the Great”• Immoral and ambitious• Supported certain social reforms• Continued territorial expansion
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Parliament• James I–Expected conformity to
Anglican Church–Believed he ruled by divine
right–Disputed with Parliament
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Charles I–Continued to dismiss
Parliament–Petition of Right (1628)–Tried to rule without
Parliament for twelve years–Scotland rebelled
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Charles I–Forced to recall Parliament• Concessions were made
–Confrontation with Parliament• Roundheads• Cavaliers• Oliver Cromwell
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Parliamentary forces defeat Charles I–Army refuses to disband–Cromwell’s forces take power–Charles is put to death–Rump Parliament–Protectorate
Absolutism Defeated in England
– Instrument of Government–Cromwell’s son Richard was
the second Lord Protector–Parliament invited Charles II
to take the throne• The Restoration• Parliament retained much of the power it had won
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Charles II–Habeas Corpus Act–Tried to remain financially
independent of Parliament
Absolutism Defeated in England
• James II–Catholic brother of Charles II–Elderly with two daughters–Had a son by his Catholic wife–Parliament invited William
and Mary to take the throne–Glorious Revolution
Absolutism Defeated in England
• William III and Mary II–Bill of Rights• Forbade future kings or queens from being Roman Catholic
–Act of Settlement• Parliament could grant the throne• No longer a “divine right”
Absolutism Defeated in England
• Future rulers:–Anne–George I–George II
• Cabinet government
Chapter 14: Pursuit of Power in Europe
II. Balance of Power
Balance of Power
• Alliances• Motives for war• Prussia always
against Austria• England always
against France
War of the Spanish Succession
• 1702-1713• Causes• Grand Alliance–Victorious at Blenheim
and Gibraltar• Queen Anne’s War
War of the Spanish Succession
• Treaty of Utrecht–Philip retained throne
in Spain only–Spain had to surrender
some of its possessions to Austria–Britain won various
Canadian territories from France
War of the Austrian Succession
• 1740-1748• Pragmatic Sanction–Maria Theresa
• Began when Frederick II seized Silesia• France, Spain, and
England enter the war
War of the Austrian Succession
• Fighting occurred in North America and India• Treaty of Aix-la-
Chapelle–Ended fighting–Status quo ante bellum
Seven Years’ War
• 1756-1763• Diplomatic Revolution• William Pitt’s
strategy• War in North America• War in Europe• Treaty of
Hubertusburg
Seven Years’ War
• Treaty of Paris–France, Britain, Spain–France lost all territory
on mainland of North America–France lost most of its
commercial holdings in India
Seven Years’ War
• Treaty of Paris–Spain lost Florida to
Great Britain but received New Orleans and Louisiana from France–England emerged as a
world power
Partition of Poland
• Diplomacy• Prussia, Russia, and
Austria• Poland disappeared
from the map