Absolutism and Constitutionalism (c. 1589-1725) Flashcards
the social order and society
at the hierarchical societies’ top level were monarchs followed by clergy (in Catholic countries), nobles, merchants, peasants and artisans. societies were also patriarchal. family represented a microcosm of the society. in the 17th century, most people lived in the countryside. bread was the primary element of the diet everywhere.
famine and economic crisis
in the 17th century the little ice age occurred. due to several bad harvests following each other, famine was not uncommon. the population decreased due to starvation but also because of outbreaks of diseases. industry suffered. food prices were high and wages stagnated. unemployment levels were very high.
Thirty Years’ War
1618-1648. the uneasy peace between Protestants and Catholics deteriorated; Lutherans formed the Protestant Union in 1608 and Catholics formed the Catholic League in 1609. the conflicts also heated because the dynasties had their own interests in play. the war is divided into four phases: Bohemian phase (1618-1625), Danish phase (1625-1629), Swedish phase (1630-1635), French phase (1635-1648).
Peace of Westphalia in 1648 ended the war and religious conflicts receded.
state-building
Absolutist governments in Spain, France, central Europe, Russia. Constitutionalist governments in England and the Dutch Republic. all those governments had shared elements: projects of protecting and expanding territories, raising new taxes, consolidating central control, competing for the control in the New World colonies but also areas in the Old World.
the achievements came hard because of the lack of reliable information about the realms, weaknesses of local power structures, different ethnicities in one country’s domain complicated matters.
more unified countries were, however created, as the rulers made the wartime measures permanent structures of government and subdued privileged groups. increased state authority is noticeable in greater taxation, growth in armed forces, larger and efficient bureaucracies, territorial expansion.
sovereignty
when a state possesses a monopoly over the instruments of justice and the use of force within clearly defined boundaries. the 17th century states never reached the full position of being sovereign, but they moved towards the goal.
warfare and the growth of army size
permanent standing armies started to be created. army officers had to be loyal and obedient to state officials. thanks to new training techniques, the professional standards of the army rose.
the French took the lead in expanding its army size. this was possible because at the time France was one of the most powerful states in Europe. this development did lead his neighbours to form coalitions against Louis XIV.
nobles led their men in battle and, thus, the death rates among them were high. they also fell into dept as they had to purchase their positions and the units they commanded. only in 1760s did the French government assume the full cost of equipping troops.
Other powers followed the French example. However, Great Britain focused on naval power and had the largest navy in the world at the time.
popular politics
due to higher taxation popular revolts were common in France, England, Spain, Italy and Portugal.
Philip IV of Spain faced revolts in Catalonia in 1640, in Palermo in 1647 and other minor uprisings.
France experienced frequent urban uprisings. from 1630 to 1700s, major occurrences took place in Dijon, Bordeaux, Montpellier, Lyons, Amiens.
the officials were reluctant to impose stern measures to repress these uprisings as they feared the creation of martyrs and escalation of the situations. by the 18th century, however, people were being punished.
foundations of French absolutism
from Henry IV’s rule onwards France’s situation improved in terms of religion, economy and politics. Henry created religious “peace”, built new roads and canals, raised revenue by selling royal offices instead of charging higher taxes. Richelieu made policies during Louis XIII’s rule which were meant to strengthen royal control. he aimed to repress protestantism. extended the use of intendants. His foreign policy was aimed at destroying the Habsburg control in the territories surrounding France. the next cardinal continued Richelieu’s policies with the regent queen mother Anne of Austria. his actions led to the uprising known as the Fronde.
Cardinal Richelieu
1585-1642. first minister of the French crown on behalf of Henry’s young son Louis XIII
Louis XIII
r. 1610-1643. Henry IV’s son and Louis XIV’s father.
Cardinal Jules Mazarin
1602-1661. succeeded Richelieu during the reign of Louis XIV.
Fronde
a series of violent uprisings during the early reign of Louis XIV (1648-1653) triggered by growing royal control and increased taxation.
Louis XIV
r. 1643-1715. Started his personal rule in 1651. he was the longest ruling king in European history. he is also called the “Sun King.” believed in the divine right of kings.
Absolutism in France
during Louis XIV’s reign French monarchy reached the peak of absolutism. Louis paraded his power in court but also ruled his realm through several councils of state and even insisted on taking a personal role in decision-making. Louis never called a meeting of Estates General (nobles were deprived from united expression and action). he also did not have a first minister. he insisted on religious unity (essential to his royal dignity, security of the state) and he pursued the policy of protestant repression. in 1685 he revoked the Edict of Nantes. Louis did rely on the collaboration of nobles and he couldn’t do anything he wanted.
life at Versailles
in 1682 the court and government were moved to the palace at Versailles. Louis required all nobles to spend at least part of the year in court. the palace became very crowded and even nobles didn’t have the most comfortable lodgings. Louis established an elaborate set of etiquette rituals in the court, he made sure that courtiers fought for the honour of participating in these rituals. when courtiers had access to the king, it meant better treatment and favours. this was essentially a system of patronage.
women played a central role. the close women to the king could recommend individuals for honours, advocated policy decisions and also brokered alliances between factions.
the court was also a center for cultural and artistic developments. Louis specifically was very invested in the arts and commissioned many paintings and sculptures. he also had many performances of dance and music taking place.
Versailles was the center of European politics and, thus, French culture grew in international prestige. French started to replace Latin as lingua franca.
French mercantilism
collection of governmental policies for the regulation of economic activities by and for the state. Initiated and pursued by Jean-Baptiste Colbert from 1665-1683.
the idea was that the state has to export more than import to accumulate wealth. Thus, Colbert insisted that the French industries had to produce everything needed by the French people.
Louis XIV’s wars
Louis made sure that the state employed the army, uniforms and weaponry were standardized and a rational training systems was set into place. Louis’ goal was to expand the territory of France to its natural borders. the king took commercial centers in the Spanish Netherlands and Flanders, province of Franche-Comte, Strasbourg, province of Lorraine. this was the limit of his expansion.
Louis broke a treaty of succession after Charles II’s death in 1700, and triggered the War of the Spanish succession (1701-1713). The Peace of Utrecht ended the war and Louis’ grandson Philip was allowed to remain on the throne for as long as the kingdoms would not unite. France also had to give up many territories to England.
decline of absolutist Spain (17th century)
between 1610 and 1650 the Spanish trade with the New World fell due to competition from local industries. the silver mines that filled Spain's treasury started to run dry. Despite all this, royal expenditures exceeded income. the national credit collapsed and manufacturing and commerce shrank. because Spain condemned moneymaking as vulgar they had a tiny middle class and many entered unproductive professions. They had also expelled Muslims and Jews which meant decrease in skilled workers and merchants. there was a decline in agricultural productivity and wages and production in cities stagnated (new scientific innovations to improve productivity were ignored). the kings in Spain were, mildly put, incompetent. while G. Guzman had good ideas, his failure resided in his belief that success lied in the return to the imperial tradition of the 16th century. this led to Spain being involved in the Thirty Years' War. they faced major defeats and riots and by the end of the 17th century their dominance had ended.
Philip III
r. 1598-1621. Spanish king. a pious man. handed the running of the government over to the duke of Lerma.
Philip IV
r. 1621-1665. Spanish king. left the management of his several kingdoms to Gaspar de Guzman, count-duke of Olivares.
return of serfdom in the east
peasants had largely lost their ability to own land independently. in Prussian territories there was a law (by 1500s) that required runaway peasants to be returned to their lords. by the same time lords could make the peasants work for them without pay. the local lord acted as the local prosecutor, judge and jailer.
between 1500 and 1650 consolidation of serfdom and growth in commercial agriculture went hand in hand.
the population of the urban middle classes declined greatly
