Balance of Power (Lead up to French Revolution) Flashcards
Monarchies seeking enhanced power faced challenges from…
nobles who wished to retain traditional forms of shared governance and regional autonomy
Louis XIII youth
His regency was plauged with corruption and mismanagement; Feudal nobles increased their power; Certain nobles convinced him to assume power and exile his mother
Cardinal Richelieu
Laid the foundation for absoultionism in France; Like Henry IV, was a politique
Intendant System
Used to weaken the nobility; Replaced local officials with intendents who reported directly to the king; Each of country’s 32 districts had an intendant; Gov’t became more efficent and centrally controlled
Intendants
Largely middle class or robe nobles (nobles who payed for their titles)
Intendant System built upon….
Sully’s economic achievements in further developing mercantilism; Increased Taxation to fund the militray; Richelieu’s tax policies not as successful as Sully; Had to resort back to old system of selling offices; Taxed farmers ruthlessly (Exploiting peasantry)
Richelieu subdued the…
Huguenots
Peace of Alais
Huguenot’s lost their fortified cities and Protestant armies; Not allowed to practice Calvinism
Thirty Years War - French Phase
Richelieu and Louis XIII sought to weaken the Habsburg Empire; Reversed Maria de’ Medici’s pro-Spanish policy; Declared war against Spain; France supported Gustavus Adolphus with money during Swedish Phase; Forced the Treaty of Westphalia on the Habsburgs
Finance minister of Louis XIV
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Louis XIV + FInance minister…
extended the administrative, financial, military, and religious control of the central state over the French population
Reign of Louis XIV
Quintessential absolute ruler in Euro history; Personified the ideas that sovernigty of the state resides in the ruler; “I am the state;” Know as Sun King b/c he was the center of French power; Longesst reign in Euro history
How long did Louis XIV reign for?
72 years; He inherited the throne when he was 5 years old
France became….under Louis XIV control
Became undisputed major power in Euro during his reign; France’s large population meant that a massive standing army could be created and maintained
French culture dominated Europe
Due to his excess of luxury and lifestyle; French language became international language in Europe and the language of the well-educated; France became epicenter of literature and arts ntil 20th century
Absolute monarchy was established over…
the course of the 17th and 18th century
Absolute monarchies
limited the nobility’s participation in governance but preserved the aristrocracy;s social position and legal privileges
Absolutism
Derived from the traditional assumption of pwer and the belief in “divine rights” of kings; Louis XIV was quintessential absolute monarch
Characteristics of western European absolutism
Soverignty of a country embodied in the type of person of the ruler; Absolute monarchs were not subordinate to national assemblies; Nobility was effectively brought under control; Though nobility could still, at times, prevent monarchs from completely having their way; Maintained large standing armies even during peacetime; No longer relied on mercenary or noble armies; Employed secret police force to weaken political opponents
Eastern European absolutism v. Western
In Eastern Europ absolutism, nobility remained powerful
Bureaucracies in 17th century
Composed of career officials appointed by the king; Solely accountable to the king; Often were rising members of the bougeoisie or new nobility (of the robe)
French and Spanish monarchies gained effective control of the…
Roman Catholic Church in their countries
Robe nobility
Purchesed title from King; Take oath of loyalty to King
Western European Absolutism foreshadowd
The totaltarisnm of 20th century but lacked financial, technological and military resources of 20th century dictators (Like Stalin and Hitler)
Absolute monarchs did not require…
total mass participation in support of the monarch’s goal; Those who did not overtly oppose the state were usually left alone by the gov’t
Jean Bodin
Among the first to provide the theoretical basis for absolutist states; Lived and wrote during the chaos of the French Civil Wars of the late 16th century; Believed that only absolutism could provide order and force people to obey the gov’t
Thomas Hobbes
Wrote “Leviathan;” Wrote a pessimistic view of human beings in a state of nature; Anarchy was a result of chaos; The central dive in every person is power; Stated that political soverighnty is derived from the people who transfer it to the monarchy by implicit contract
Thomas Hobbes justified…
Absolute monarchy but not divine right
Thomas Hobbes & Voltaire
Both were closely identified together in 18th century as part of the “Enlightened Despotism”
Hobbes was not….
Popular in the 17th century
Hobbes did not favor…
“Divine Right” of Kings
Those with consiutional ideas saw Hobbes…
Ideas as too authoritarian (Like Locke)
Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet
Principal advocate of “Divine Right of Kings” during the reign of Louis XIV; Believed “Divine Right” meant the King was placed on the throne by God and therefore owed his authority to no man or group
Development of French Absolutism
Feudal France Society was divided into three estates made up of different classes; Hierarchy of social orders based on rank and privilege was restored under the reign of Henry IV
Three Estates of French Feudal Societies
First: Clergy (1% of Population); Second: Nobility (3-4% of population); Third: Bourgeuise, artisans, urban workers, peasants
French Society was primarily….
Agarian; 90% of population lived in the countryside
France had the largest…
Population in Europe; France comprised about 20% of Euro population; Accounted for France becoming the strongest nation in Europe
Henry IV
Laid the foundation for France becoming the strongest European power in the 17th century; Strengthened the social hierarchy by strengthening gov’t instiutions (Specifically not the law making bodies); First French King to actively encourage French colonization in the New World (Stimulated the Atlantic Trade)
Henry IV was the first…
King of the Bourbon Dynasty; Came to power in 1589 as political compromise to end the French Civil Wars; Converted to Catholicism in order to gain recognition from Paris; Issued the Edict of Nantes to provide a degree of religious toleration to Huguenots
Weakening of the Nobility
The old “Nobles of the Sword” were not allowed to influence the royal council; Many Nobles of the Robe became high officials in gov’t & remained loyal to KIng
Nobles of the Robe
Purchased their titles from the monarchy & became high officals in gov’t; Remained loyal to the king; Had been commercially successful members of the bourgeoisise and now sought to raise their social status
Duke of Sully
Finance minister for Henry IV; His reforms enhanced the power of the monarchy; Mercantilism; Reduced the royal debt (employed systemic bookkeeping & budgets); Reformed the tax system to make it more efficient; Oversaw improved transportation
Mercantilsim
Increased role of the state in the economy in order to achieve a favorable balance of trade with other countries; Granted monopolies in the production of gunpowerder and salt; Encouraged manufactoring of silk & tapestries; Gov’t monopolized mining
Duke of Sully oversaw improved transportation through…
Began a nation-wide highway system; Canals linked major rivers; Began a canal to link the Mediterranean Swa to the Atlantic Ocean
Henry IV was assasinated…
By a fanatical monk who sought revenge for Henry’s granting of religious toleration; Led to a severe crisis in power; Henry’s widow, Marie de Medici, ruled as regant until their son came of age
The Fronde
Civil war among various nobles factions which enabled Mazarin to defeat the nobles; “Sword” nobles that rebelled against Mazaran; Louis never forgot the humiliation he faced at the hands of the nobes and was determined to control them
Cardinal Jules Mazarin
Controlled France when Louis XIV was a child
Governement organization of Louis XIV
Recruited chief ministers from middle-class to keep aristocracy out of gov’t; Continued the internment system begun by Richelieu; Checked the power of institutions that might challenge him; Parlements fearful of resisting him after failure of Fronde; Officials who criticized the gov’t could be arrested; He never called the Estates General
Louis XIV control over peasantry
Made-up 95% of population; Some peasants kept as little as 20% of cash crops after paying their landlord, gov’t taxes, and church tithens
Corree
Required peasants to work for a month out of each year on roads and other public projects; Idle peasants could be drafted into the army or forced into the workhouses; Rebellious peasants could be executed or used as gallery stares on Ships
Baroque art and music promoted…
Religious feelings and was employed by monarchs to glorify state power
Versailles Palace
Grandest & most impressive palace in all of Europe; Reinforced his image as Europe’s most powerful ruler; Baroque architecture; Cost of maintaining it was 65% of all royal revenues; The Royal court grew to about 10,000 people
Versailles became…
A “pleasure prison” for the aristocracy; Louis gained absolute control over the nobility
Louis XIV required Nobles ….
To live at the palace for several months each year; Nobles were entertained with numerous recreational activities
Religious Policies of Louis XIV
Considered himself the head of the French Catholic Church; Did’nt allow the Pope to exercise political power in French Church; Revoked Edict of Nantes with Edict of Fountainbelu; Supported the Jesuits in cracking down on the Jansenists
Edict of Fountainbleau
Revoked Edict of Nantes; Huguenots lost their right to practice Calvinism; About 200,000 Hugenots fled France; Huguenots later supported the enlgihtenment & toleration
Jansenists
Catholics who held some Calvinist views
The rise of mercantilism gave the state…
A new role in promoting commercial development & the acquisition of colonies overseas
Mercantilism
Stae control over a country’s economy to achieve a favorable balance of trade
Bulionism
A nation’s policy of accumulating as much precious metal as possible while preventing its outward flow to other countries
French mercantilist reached its peak…
Under Louis’ Finance minister, Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Goal of Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Economic Self-Sufficency for France; Oversaw construction of roads & canals; Granted gov’t supported monopolies in certain undustries; Heavily regulated guilds; Reduced internal tariffs that inhibited trade; Organized French trading companies for international trade; Forbade exports of foodstuff
By 1683, France was Europe’s…
Leading industrial country; Excelled in such industries as textiles, mirrors, lace-making; Combert’s most importatn accomphlisment was developing the merhant marine; Military buildup stimulated the economy
Drawback of mercantilism and the French economy:
Poor Peasant conditions (especially taxation) resulted in large emigration out of France; Louis opted for creating a massive army instead of a formidable navy; Resulted in France later losing naval wars with England; War in later years of Louis’ reign nullified Colbert’s gains
Louis XIV was at war for…
2/3 of his reign
Louis XIV’s nearly continuous wars provoked…
A coalition of European powers opposing him
Wars of Louis XIV..
Wars initally successful but eventually economically tuinous to France; France created the professional modern army; First time in modern Euro history that a single country was able to dominate politics
Balance of Power
System emerged in reponses to the threat posed by Louis; No one country would be allowed to dominate the continent since a coalition of other countries would rally against a threatening power; Dutch Stadholder William of Orange was most important figure in thwarting Louis’ expansionism
War of Devoltion
1st Dutch War; Louis invaded the Spanish Netherlands w/out declaring war; Treaty of Aix-la-chapelle
Treaty of Aix-la-Chalelle
France got 12 town on Spanish Netherland’s border; gave up Franche-Conte to Spain
The Dutch War
Louis invaded the S. Netherlands as revenge for Dutch opposition in the previous war; The Dutch flooded their countryside by opening their dykes -> preventing France (& England) from invading Holland; Peace of Nijmegan
Peace of Nigmegan
Represented limit of expansion under Louis XIV; France took back the Fronche-Conte from Spain, gained some Finnish towns, and took Alsace
Nine Years’ War
Louis launched another invasion of the Spainish Netherlands; League of AUgsburg formed in respose
League of Augsburg
Formed in reponse to Nine Years War; Demonstarted the mergence of balance of power
William of Orange
Now king of England; Brought England into the war against France; Inititated period of Anglo-French military rivalry that lasted until Naolean’s defeat; War ended with France remaining in control of ALsace and Strasbourg
War of Spanish Succession
Cause: the Will of Charles II (Spanish Habsburg King) gave grandson of Louis XIV all Spanish territiories; However-> European Powers feared that Louis would consolodate the thrones of France & Spain (thus creating a monster power that would upset balance of power); The Grand Alliance emerged
The Grand Alliance…
Emerged in oppostion to France; Made-up of England, Dutch Republic, HRE, Brandenburg, Portugal, Savoy
Treaty of Utrecht
Most important treaty since Westphalia; Maintained the balance of power in Europe; ended expansion of Louis XIV; Spanish empire divided; Britain was biggest winner (gained asiento from Spain -> Gibraltar and Minorca); Spanish Netherlands givent to Austria; Netherlands gained lands as a buffer against France
Though Louis’ Bourbon grandson was enthroned in Spain…
The unification of the Spanish & French Bourbon dynasties was prohibited; kings were formally recognized in Savoy and Prussia -> became the nucleus of the future of unified states of Italy & Germany
Costs of Louis’ XIV’s wars…
Destroyed the French economy due to sever disruption of trade; 20% of French subjects died; A huge debt would be placed on shoulders of Third Estate; French Gov’t went bankrupt; Financial & Social tensions sowed seeds of the French Revolution
Absolute monarchies limited the nobility’s participation in governance but…
preserved the aristocracy’s social positon & legal privileges
Characteristcs of Baroque:
Emphasized grandeur, emotion, movement, spaciousness, and unity surrounding a certain theme
Gianorenzo Bernini
Personified Baroque architecture and sculpture; Completed St. Peter’s Basilica; “The Ectasy of St. Teresa;”
Schonbrunn
Habsburg Emperor Leopold 1 built in Austria in response to Versailles Palace
Winter Palace
Catherine 1, the daughter of Peter) built in St. Petersburg
Peter Paul Reubens
Flemish paiinter; Court painter for Habsburg court in Brussels (Spanish Netherlands); Emphasised color and sensually; Animated figures and melodramatic contrast; monumental size; Most works dealt with Christian subjects
Diego Velazgrez
Greatest court painter of era; Numerous portraits of Spanish court of Philip IV and surroundings
J.S. Bach
Greates of Baroque Composers; Wrote dense and polyphonic structures (contrast to later balance + restriction of classic period); Wrote in variety of genres for a variety of instruments; Hired by several princes + churches
George Handel
Similar to Bach; Wrote in variety of genres; “The Messiah” -> his masterpiece
