Chapter 6 to 8 Flashcards
Describe the witch hunts in two sentences (who, what, where, when)
-Witch-hunts were common in Western Europe between 1400 and 1800. Around 50,000 people were burned at the stake for “sympathizing with the devil” (Foner, 2009, p. 105). Most of these witch-hunts took place in the 17th Century.
Trigger witch craze
- In 1486, the publication of the book Malleus Maleficarum (i.e., The hammer against the witch) by the German inquisitor Heinrich Kramer is often regarded as the event that triggered this era of witch craze.
- Kramer urged his readers to do everything possible to accuse, arrest, convict and execute witches in their community.
who supported the hammer against the witch
-This popular book quickly enjoyed the support of the Pope Innocent III.
-The book [the hammer against the witch] described signs to detect witches:
1-Renunciation of faith.
2-devotion of body and soul to the service of evil.
3-being able to shift their shape.
4-being able to fly and to use objects to perform magic rituals.
were women or men “more likely” to BECOME witches
-Kramer also warned that women were more easily tempted to follow the devil because women are more stupid, fickle, light-headed, weaker and more carnal than men. (Russell, 1981, p. 79).
other witchcraft book
-Other books on witchcraft such as Daemonology by King James I of England on witchcraft also portrayed women as more likely to be tempted by the devil.
Therefore, women were more likely of being accused of witchcraft than men.
were women or men more likely to be ACCUSED OF witchcraft
-Geoffrey Scarre (1987) determined that women represented over 90 of the people of faced witchcraft trials in cities that experienced large witchcraft crises such as Basel, Switzerland and Essex, England (p. 25).
What kind of women were accused of witchcraft
-Most of the women accused of witchcraft were independent women who deviated from their traditional gender roles by owning land, being outspoken, doing business, not going to church…
Did the Protestants join in this witchcraft craze and hod does this figure in the causes of the witch trials
- By the beginning of the 17th Century the Catholics and Protestants disagreed on many points. However, the belief in witchcraft remained widespread in Europe after the Protestant Reforms.
- In fact, the intense religious tensions caused by the reforms and the growth of capitalism in Europe are mentioned by historians to explain the spectacular growth of witchcraft accusations in the 17th Century (Russell, 1981, p. 72).
How did Protestantism contribute to the growth of witchcraft accusation
- The rise of Protestantism and capitalism divided communities and threatened established communal values across tightly knitted villages across Europe.
- This was because capitalism and Protestantism ended the lack of social mobility and the religious unity that had marked medieval Europe.
Give an example of how large scale the witch craze had become in the 17th century
-Some cities such as Cologne, Germany developed large infrastructures such as prisons and torture chambers exclusively to deal with witches. This particular city condemned 600 people to death for witchcraft during the early 17th century (Russell, 1981, p. 86).
wat is the basis for the belief on witches that banded Protestants and Catholics together
-This was made possible because the belief that people could do evil deeds for the devil in exchange for riches or healing powers was accepted by both Catholics and Protestants.
why were witches killed so quickly??
-Thus, political and religious authorities had to move swiftly when a member of their community was suspected of doing the devil`s work in their town. Accusation often led to executions for the sake of the community. no corruption
What would usually trigger a witch craze
-Suspected witches also served as convenient scapegoats when the political, religious and medical authorities failed to offer plausible explanations to mysterious events such as epidemics, miscarriages, premature deaths, storms, death of livestock or a poor harvest.
what kind of technics were used for the conviction of witches
-The accused were often tortured and forced to admit that they were guilty of engaging in sinful activities with the devil such as dancing, feasting and even having sexual relations with the devil.
Example of a woman convicted with “Bad” evidence
- For example, in 1652 Suzanne Gaudry, a French woman, was accused of witchcraft.
- She admitted to the following devilish deeds after being stretched upon the torture rack:
Suzanne Gaudry confesses that she is a witch, that she had given herself to the devil, that she had renounced God…that she has cohabited with the devil and that she been to dances.. -Gaudry was also accused of causing the death of the livestock of her neighbour. She was strangled and burned to death. Her ashes were buried in a nearby forest.
which country first ended the wich trials
-In 1687, Louis XIV banned trials for witchcraft in France. Accusations began to decline quickly in other European kingdoms.
How did the witch trial in Salem figure in the Witch Craze “climate”
-Thus, the witch craze of 1692 in Salem Village, Massachusetts was one of the last major cases. It caused 19 deaths.
Define absolutism
Absolutism means that the ultimate authority is solely in the hands of a monarch who justifies his/her position by claiming that he/she has a divine right to rule.
-Hence, absolute monarchs owed an explanation to nobody except God himself. Criticizing an absolute monarch was like criticizing God`s will.
Why were rulers now referring to absolutims
-This approach was commonly used by the European rulers of the 17th Century. The absolute rulers centralized power within their kingdoms and they greatly enhance royal authority to a level that Europe had not seen in many centuries.
how did monarchs achieve this shift to absolutism
-The absolute monarchs achieved this by taking measures such as creating permanent armies, banning private armies and fortresses, funding scientific academies, controlling trading companies and wrestling control over justice and taxation away from the nobles.
Ultimate Goal of absolutism
-The absolute rulers tried to have absolute control over legislation, taxation, justice and the army. They made systematic attempts to erode the traditional powers and the privileges of the nobility (i.e. the landowning aristocrats).
France and absolutism which monarch, which dinasty
- Bourbon kings who ruled France between 1589 and 1792 embodied Absolutism in the 17th Century.
- Louis XIV (1643-1715), the Sun King, was the finest example of an absolute monarch.
Louis XIV early life
- He was only 5 years old when he inherited the throne from Louis XIII in 1643.
- His mother Anne (Austrian) and Cardinal Mazarin (Italian), the prime minister, were the rulers during his regency (regents were adults who governed a kingdom when the monarch was just a child).
La Fronde
- The French nobles wanted to limit the powers of their young king. But the regents refused to make compromises. This caused La Fronde (1648-1653). The Regents were particularly unpopular due to the fact that they were both foreigners.
- This was a coup d’état that forced Louis XIV and his mother to leave their palace. This was a traumatic event for Louis XIV. He never forgave the French nobles. He spent the rest of his reign taking measures to diminish the power of the French nobility.
La Fronde’s success?
-The Fronde failed because of the lack of popular support. This allowed Louis XIV and his regents to regain power.
what position did Louis XIV abolish
-In 1661, Cardinal Mazarin died and Louis XIV did not appoint a new prime minister.
What was Louis XIV goal/view of himslef
-Louis XIV wanted to make sure that everything would revolve around him. He wanted to be the “Sun King”, the source of light and admiration of all his French subjects
What did Louis XIV replace the position of prime minister with
Instead of appointing a new prime minister, Louis XIV surrounded himself with competent advisors such as Jean-Baptiste Colbert, who was his Controller General of finance. Colbert was an advocate of mercantilism.
(Valued skill over nobility - goes against tradition )
mercantilism
-Mercantilism is an economic theory that argues that the government should play a large economic role by taking measures such as granting monopolies on the production and importation of products.
How did the french government apply mercantilism
- It is also an economic theory that held that the volume of trade does not change.
- Thus, the governments had to encourage exports and discourage imports; especially by using tariffs, subsidies and taxes if it wanted to become wealthier.
Thing Louis XIV is most known for
-In 1669, Louis XIV ordered the construction of the Palace of Versailles in a forested area south of Paris. This is where the French monarchs used to go hunt.
What was the old french palace
-It replaced the Palais des Tuileries, the traditional residence of French kings in Paris.
describe Versail
- Versailles became the most opulent European royal palace when Louis XIV moved there in 1682.
- The new palace had 700 rooms. It was big enough for 20,000 guests and employees of the French king. The other European monarchs were jealous (Brinkley, 2005, p. 79).
goal of Versail
- According to Louis XIV, distracting the nobles with hunting parties and balls was the best way of making them powerless (Louis XIV wanted to keep his friends close and his enemies even closer).
- Louis XIV entertained his guests from the nobility in his opulent palace while he was taking all the decisions with his intendants. The intendants were educated advisors of the king. They gave him advice. Previous French kings had traditionally picked their advisors amongst the most powerful families of the French nobility even if they were incompetent. Louis XIV picked competency ahead of social rank when he selected his advisors.
Did Louis XIV make smart ruling choices
-The best advisors still could not prevent Louis XIV from making costly mistakes for France.
what would make you shit your pants in the court of Louis the XIV
-Louis XIV had many means of giving his orders. He could use his Lettres de Cachet to inform any of his subjects of harsh royal decisions such as incarceration or deportation without a trial.
edict
-Royal decisions that affected the entire kingdom of Louis XIV were called edict.
major mistake Louis XIV
- In 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes that guaranteed religious tolerance in France since 1598. The Edict of Nantes had been promulgated by Henry IV, the grandfather of Louis XIV. -By promulgating the Edict of Fontainebleau Louis XIV imposed Catholicism as the only legal religion in France.
- He argued that the Huguenots (i.e., French Protestants) were bad for the unity of his kingdom. Protestant churches and schools were closed and Protestants were rebaptized to confirm their new Catholic faith.
edict of Fontainebleau consequences
-Approximately 200,000 Huguenots fled France. Many took their skills and fortunes to Protestant kingdoms and others crossed the Atlantic to settle in New York, Boston and Charleston, South Carolina. Henry Laurens, a wealthy slave trader and rice planter from South Carolina, was the grandson of a Huguenots. He actively participated in the American Revolution.
art under Louis XIV
- Louis XIV was also a patron for the artists of his kingdom. His rule was marked by a golden age of theatre in France with playwrights such as Molière and Racine.
- France became culturally dominant in Europe under Louis XIV.
what was happening in Spain at the time of Louis XIV
-However, Louis XIV’s attempts to ensure the permanent political hegemony of France over Europe were costly failures even if he did install a member of the Bourbon family on the throne of Spain. This gain was part of the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 that ended the War of Spanish Succession (the members of the present-day Royal Family of Spain are descendants of Louis XIV).
France after Louis XIV
- The excessive expenses of the Louis XIV ruined and weakened France. This was an unbearable burden for his successors (Louis XV and Louis XVI) who were unable to maintain France`s hegemonic position in Europe.
- v expensive lifestyle
other countries where there was successful an absolutism rule
-Russia was another kingdom where the powers of the monarchs were nearly unlimited during the 17th century.
first Tsar of Russia
-The first Tsar (or czar) of Russia was Ivan the Terrible (1547-1598).
Ivan the Terrible
- He was the Prince of Muscovy and he managed to turn his principality into an enormous kingdom.
- Ivan also had a volatile temper and he mercilessly crushed all his opponents. He even murdered his son during an argument.
end of Ivan Terrible rule
-In 1598, the absence of an heir to succeed Ivan the Terrible led to a long Russian civil war called the Time of Troubles.
New Tsar after Ivan the terrible
-After 15 years of instability, Mikhail Romanov was appointed to become the new tsar.
Romanov dynasty
-His dynasty, the Romanovs, ruled Russia from 1613 to 1917. Peter the Great (1689-1725), was the most influential ruler of this dynasty.
Peter the great early life
- He inherited the throne when he was only a child so he was also limited by regents until 1696.
- Peter the Great was a 6’9 colossus who was also an absolute monarch.
- His size and energy were intimidating and he dictated the reforms that would modernize Russia during his long rule:
Peter the Great hit Muscovy with tremendous impact. To many of his contemporaries, he appeared as either a virtually superhuman hero or the Antichrist.(Riasanovsky, 1977, p. 264).
Peter the great’s relationship to other European countries
- In 1697 and 1698 Peter the Great visited England, Prussia and the Netherlands. He developed an admiration for European culture and his trip gave him many ideas to reform his vast kingdom.
- Peter the Great wanted to Europeanize Russia (i.e., make it look more European).
what was Russia like b4 Peter the Great
-Russia was almost entirely dependent on agriculture, literacy was very low and it was far behind the rest of Europe in terms of arts, sciences and military technology.
peter the great goal 4 Russia
–Peter the Great wanted to make Russia strong, modern and more open to the world.
-To do this, Peter the Great imposed sweeping reforms: he wanted to Westernize and modernize all the Russian government. Society, life and culture (Riasanovsky, 1977, p.251).
Russian imposed fashion changes
- The Russian women had to stop wearing veils and they could no longer be forced into getting married.
- As for the men, they had to shave their long beards, cut their long coats, start playing cards, stop spitting and stop scratching themselves during meals.
How mandatory were these fashion changes
-Failure to comply meant having to pay severe fines (Peter was so obsessed with these measures that he hired tailors and barbers when had held events at his palace. He even shaved many of his guests himself).
Socio-geographical changes pt the great
- His most ambitious goal was to “open a window to the west”.
- He believed that his capital, Moscow, was too far from the rest of Europe.
- In 1703, he began the construction a new capital, St. Petersburg (it became the capital of Russia in 1712).
a consequence of wanting a capital change
-This dream to have a new capital and an ice-free port on the Baltic Sea caused a war against Sweden.
Sweden v Russia
-Peter’s troops triumphed after 20 years (1701-1721). The Swedes failed to invade Russia in 1708.
Russia became dominant power in Europe
What were the socio-political consequences of the victory of Russia over Sweden?
-This consolidated Peter the Greats image of strength. It also confirmed Russia’s status as the strongest kingdom of northern Europe and it triggered the decline of Sweden:
the resulting Treaty of Nystadt meant that Russia became firmly established on the Baltic, acquiring its essential window on Europe and that in fact, it replaced Sweden as the dominant power in the north of the continent.`(Riasanovsky, 1977, p. 249).
-Peter the Great declared that Russia was an empire in 1721 as soon as he officially won his war against Sweden.
Economic consequences st petersburg
- Having a port on the Baltic also helped Peter the Great diversify the economy of Russia.
- Demand for Russian mineral resources grew quickly during the 18th century. Mining still remains a major industry in Russia today.
-St. Petersburg was strategically located near the swamps where the Neva Rivers meets the Baltic Sea. It rapidly grew into a major city despite the fact that it was built in an area that is vulnerable to floods.
How was St-Petersburg built
- This new Russian emperor hired Italian architects to give a distinctively European style to St. Petersburg, his new imperial capital.
- Building this city and the frantic pace imposed by Peter the Great required the cheap labour of serfs. More than 25,000 serfs died during the construction of the new imperial capital of Russia (Furtado, 2012, p. 388).
what were power struggles like in England at the time France and Russia were living under absolutism rule
ignore
king after Elizabeth I
- In 1603, Elizabeth I died without an heir. This caused the end of the Tutor Dynasty. Elizabeth I was replaced by her cousin, James I. He was also the King of Scotland.
- This marked the return of the Stuart dynasty in England from 1603 to 1689. Their repeated attempts to impose absolutism on their English subjects were ultimately unsuccessful.
James I relationship 2 religion
-James I also became the head of the Anglican Church when he replaced Elizabeth I. James I had a Catholic wife but he had no desire to change the moderate protestant nature of the Anglican Church.
Catholics reaction to James I’s stance on Protestantism
- This bitterly disappointed the Catholics of England who had been marginalized during Elizabeth I`s long rule.
- They plotted to assassinate their new monarch by hiding a great quantity of gunpowder in the cellar of Parliament.
gunpowder plot dénouement
Their Gunpowder plot was betrayed and 11 conspirators were executed for trying to blow up Parliament during a visit of James I.
what did James I think about the limits of power in England?
- James I was not used to dealing with a parliament. He had ruled Scotland as an absolute ruler but the English had a tradition of limiting the authority of their monarch that dated back to the Magna Carta (1215).
- James I quickly expressed his views of his new role as King of England:
monarchy is the supremest thing upon earth; for kings are…God`s lieutenants upon earth, and sit upon God`s throne - He continued by saying that kings:
make and unmake their subjects…judges over all their subjects and in all causes and yet accountable to none but God only.James I, 1604
How productive was James I
-His inability to negotiate with the parliament prevented him from having funds to finance major projects and wars. England was in a political dead-end during the 22 years of James I’s reign.
James I succession
-James I died in 1625. He was replaced by his son Charles I. The feuds with the parliament quickly resumed.
Charles the I and Parliament
- In 1641, Charles I had to deal with instability in Scotland and Ireland. He asked the parliament to form an army.
- The parliament refused to give an army to Charles I who had absolutist views. But Charles I ignored the parliament and he mounted an army anyway.
how did the PArliemtn react to what they thought was tyrannical rule
- The parliament reacted by forming the New Model Army. Oliver Cromwell quickly emerged as the leader of this army.
- The parliament reacted by forming the New Model Army. Oliver Cromwell quickly emerged as the leader of this army.
Charles I end of rule
- Charles I asked for peace in 1648. He would soon regret his decision.
- In 1649, Charles I was trialled for treason. He was still the King of Scotland but the Scots who tried to save him were stopped by Cromwell.
- Charles I was declared guilty of treason and he was beheaded.
how did different parties react to this beheading
- This execution shocked people across Europe due to the widespread belief in Absolutism outside of England.
- This did not bother the Parliament who abolished the monarchy. England temporarily became a Commonwealth (i.e., a republic).
what new position did Cromwell take on?
-Cromwell was still the head of the New Model Army and he quickly became frustrated by the Parliament. In 1653, he disbanded Parliament and he became the Lord Protector.
how did Cromwell stay in power so long
-Cromwell managed to eliminate the king and the parliament within 4 years! He managed to stay in power by handsomely rewarding the generals of the New Model Army.
what was Cromwell’s rule like
-Cromwell also imposed his Puritan values on his English subjects by banning Christmas, theatres, pubs and make-up.
Cromwell succession
- He died in 1658 and he was briefly replaced by his incompetent son Richard (he was nicknamed Queen Dick).
- Richard Cromwell did not have the strength to impose the unpopular rules passed by his father and monarchy was quickly restored in 1659.
Cromwell 2 succession
-Charles II was the successor of Charles I restored the Stuart dynasty. He was in the mood for revenge. He ordered that Oliver Cromwell`s body be removed from his grave and hung.
what was a major event of Charles II’s rule
-It was also during Charles II`s rule that a great fire ravaged the city of London in 1666.
Major “policy” implemented by Charles II
- Habeas Corpus forbade arbitrary, secretive and preventive detentions. Thereafter, nobody could be imprisoned without knowing the charge and without a trial. Habeas Corpus is considered a basic human right nowadays. In the 17th Century, it was an important barrier against abuses of power by English monarchs
Charles II succession
-In 1685, Charles II died without an heir to the English crown. It was James II, his catholic brother, who became the fourth ruler of the Stuart dynasty.
why was James II tolerated as ruler
The fact that he was a catholic was a major problem for his English subjects but James II was old and his oldest daughter was a protestant.
