Chapter 21 Themes

Power and Authority

• Age of Absolutism (Europe, 1500s-1700s): rulers such as France’s Louis XIV ruled with unlimited power, some claiming a “Divine Right to Rule” (that their power came from God); Czar Peter the Great I Russia was also an absolute monarch; England developed a constitutional (limited) monarchy; documents limiting royal authority included Magna Carta (1215), Petition of Right (1628) and Bill of Rights (1689) [Ch. 21]

Louis XIV (1643-1715)

Louis XIV’s Carriage

Leaders

• Louis XIV, France, 1643-1715• Known as the “Sun King”• Practiced Mercantilism – Finance minister

Colbert encouraged establishment of colonies to benefit France (raw materials and markets); supported businesses with gov’t funds; high tariff on imports to protect home businesses

• Ended Edict of Nantes (1685) which had given allowed freedom of religion; 1000s of French Protestants (Huguenots) fled; “Brain Drain”

Louis XIV cont’d

• Weakened nobles by giving more power to intendants – gov’t officials who collected taxes and administered justice; required nobles to live in palace to control them

• Built massive army (hundreds of thousands of soldiers) with advanced training and weaponry

• Initial military victories gave way to defeats; France lost its North American territories in the War of the Spanish Succession, defeated by an alliance led by England (1701-1713)

• Patron of the arts – supported art, music, literature, drama

• France set the standard for style in Europe• Built lavish palace at Versailles

Louis XIV, Versailles Stats• 2,000 acres of grounds• 12 miles of roads• 27 miles of trellises• 200,000 trees• 210,000 flowers planted every year• 80 miles of rows of trees• 55 acres surface area of the Grand Canal• 12 miles of enclosing walls• 50 fountains and 620 fountain nozzles• 21 miles of water conduits• 3,600 cubic meters per hour: water consumed• 26 acres of roof• 51,210 square meters of floors• 2,153 windows• 700 rooms• 67 staircases• 6,000 paintings• 1,500 drawings and 15,000 engravings• 2,100 sculptures • 5,000 items of furniture and objects d'art• 150 varieties of apple and peach trees in the Vegetable Garden

Versailles Today

Palais de VersaillesPalais de Versailles

Garden View of Versailles

Garden View of Versailles

VersaillesVersailles

Gardens at Versailles

Gardens at Versailles

Grounds at Versailles

Grounds at Versailles

Fountains, Fountains, and More Fountains!Fountains, Fountains, and More Fountains!

And More Fountains!

And More Fountains!

And Even More Fountains!!!

And Even More Fountains!!!

Hall of

Mirrors

Hall of

Mirrors

The Queen’s

Bed

The Queen’s

Bed

The King’s Bed

The King’s Bed

Louis XIV’s Chapel

Louis XIV’s Chapel

Louis XIV’s Chapel Altarpiece

Louis XIV’s Chapel Altarpiece

Louis XIV’s Opera Stage

Louis XIV’s Opera Stage

Marie Antoinette’s Boudoir

Marie Antoinette’s Boudoir

Louis XIV, cont’d

• Legacy: increased power and prestige of France, but enormous spending on war created huge debt; peasants bore tax burden; religious intolerance led to loss of talented, skilled people [Ch. 21]

Peter the Great: Tyrant Reformer

• Ruled Russia from 1682-1725• Leader most responsible for making Russia a

European power• Mongol rule (1240-1480) had isolated Russia• Main goal was to modernize and westernize

Russia• First czar to visit western Europe• What he learned in France, England, and

Netherlands convinced him that if Russia wanted to compete, it must adopt technology of West

Peter, cont’d

• Some change was symbolic (e.g., making men shave beards)

• “Play army” became Russia’s first standing army

• Founded Russia’s first navy used to fight the Ottoman Turks (late 1600s)

• Fought war with Sweden to win a warm-water port (1700-1721); won territory along Baltic, used to build new capital

Peter, cont’d

• Forced 1000s of peasants to build new capital city, St. Petersburg; more died building city (disease, harsh climate) than in any battle

• Directed vast expansion in mining and manufacturing, especially weapons

• Increased number of schools, opened to non-nobles

Peter, cont’d

• Forbade any man from becoming officer w/o working way up through ranks; extended practice to civil service

• Huge increase in taxes to pay for war and projects

• Divided Russia into provinces and set up more efficient bureaucracy to govern them

• Legacy: Modernized Russia, but at tremendous cost to human rights

Revolution

• Glorious Revolution (England, 1689): King James II removed from power and Parliament offered throne to his daughter (Mary) and her husband (William); differed from overthrow of Charles I as it was basically peaceful (no execution of king) [Ch. 21]