Unit 1 Part 1: Characteristics of Absolutism

The Easiest and Quickest form of Government!

What is an Absolute Monarchy?• Form of government where the monarch exercises ultimate

governing authority as head of state and head of government, having total power over the state and its peoples.

Source of power: “ The Divine Right of Kings”• Mandate from God - the idea that rulers get their authority to

rule from God, and are accountable only to God and not the people they rule

Possible Basis of“Divine Right of Kings”

Romans 13:1-4 ”Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For

there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then do what is good, and you will receive his approval, for he is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on the wrongdoer.”

Critical Attributes of Absolute Monarchs• Inherited position• No system of checks and balances• No separation of church and state• Control over all aspects of life (political, social

and economic)

Absolute rulers held all the power in their countries…..That means-

-No Voting-No Term Limits-No Congress/Parliament-No Dissent Permitted- No Civil Rights – Freedomof speech, religion, travel, to assemble, to ask for change, to get rich/be poor

The Age of Absolute Monarchs By the end of

the Renaissance, new nations were formed in Europe

Many of these nations were ruled by powerful kings

with unlimited power known as

absolute monarchs

The era from 1600 to mid-1700s was known as the Age of Absolutism

How did European kings gain so much power?

The Rise of Absolute Monarchs During the Middle Ages,

European kings were not very powerful

Instead, feudal lords had real power because they controlled local manors & had the loyalty of knights

The Catholic Church was the dominant religion in Europe

The Pope had power over

the peasants

The Rise of Absolute Monarchs The Crusades stimulated trade & led to the rise

of cities in EuropeThis trade sparked the

Renaissance & weakened the power of feudal lords

As feudalism declined, the power of kings increased

During the Hundred Years War,

new weapons like the cannon & longbow weakened the

power of the nobles & knights

As feudalism declined, the power of kings increased

The power of the Catholic Church weakened as a

result of the Crusades & the Protestant Reformation

As the power of the church declined, the power of kings

increased

The Rise of Absolute Monarchs During the Renaissance,

European kings taxed merchants & bankers

and used the wealth to build powerful armies Monarchs used their

power build centralized governments to control

their nations Some monarchs used overseas exploration to gain colonies and

to increase their wealth & power

Factors that contributed to the rise of Absolute Rulers• Decline of feudalism• Growth of national kingdoms • Breakdown of Church authority• Religious and territorial conflicts• Rise of cities / growth of middle class (who needed

stability)• Wealth of colonies• Revolts / economic and religious crises

Once in power, Absolute Monarchs….• Reduced the power of the nobles and

representative bodies• Regulated worship and social gatherings• Created new government bureaucracies• Increased size of Court• Taxed merchants and bankers to raise large

armies• Used overseas exploration to gain wealth and

expand their power

• Reduced

Decline of feudalism

Rise of cities

Growth of national kingdoms

Growth of middle class

Wealth of colonies

Breakdown of Church authority

Economic and religious crises

Revolts

Regulated worship, social gatherings, and economy

Increased size of court

Created new government bureaucracies

Reduced power of nobles and representative bodies

Absolute Monarch

Rise of Absolutism

Phillip II of Spain

Louis XIV of France

Peter the Great of Russia

Maria Theresa of Austria

Frederick the Great of Prussia

By 1600, some European kings had become absolute monarchs

Challenges Facing Absolute Rulers:

• Controlling their populations• Expanding their Empire (or at least hold on to)

their territory• To get married and have an heir (a boy baby)