This document discusses the development of absolute monarchy in Europe from the 16th to 18th centuries. It describes how monarchs asserted divine right to rule and increased their power by weakening the nobility and creating strong centralized governments. It led to conflicts over religion and succession that were resolved through wars and agreements limiting royal power, establishing constitutional monarchies and parliamentary systems. Key figures discussed include Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia, and Maria Theresa of Austria.

2.  kings/queens believe everything in their
territory is their property
 Answer only to
God, not his/her
subjects

3. DIVINE RIGHT:
belief God created
monarchy & they act
as God’s representatives
on earth

4.  1562-1598  Huguenots & Catholics
fought 8 religious wars
 Chaos in France  leads to opening for
strong leaders to take over
 Similar cases in other European countries

5.  INCREASE OF MIDDLE CLASS, DECLINE OF
FEUDALISM, RISE OF CITIES
 17th Century was period of huge change in Europe
 monarchs imposed order by increasing own
power
 Monarchs created new government bureaucracies
to control economic life  GOAL: be free from
limitations set by nobility & Parliament; therefore
rule absolutely

6.  Who: Hapsburgs of Austria and Spain vs. France,
Sweden, and German states
 What: When each religion in central Europe tried to
gain followers  led to war
 When: 1618 – 1648
 Where: Mostly fought on German soil
 Why: One last major war of religions in Europe;
following it’s end, religion divided Europe and
everyone had to be ok with it!

8. Ends war in 1648, consequences:
1) Weakened Hapsburgs of Spain & Austria
2) Strengthened France – gave it German territories
3) Made German princes independent of Holy
Roman Emperor
4) Ended religious wars in Europe
5) Introduced new method of peace negotiation
6) Most important: abandoned idea of Catholic
empire in Europe & recognized Europe as group of
independent states now all equal to each other

9.  DIEGO VELAZQUEZ—paintings
showed pride of Spain’s monarchy;
rich colors
 DON QUIXOTE DE LA MANCHA: 1605,
called birth of modern European novel—by
 Miguel Cervantes
 about poor Spanish nobleman who goes
crazy from reading too many books on
heroic knights
 set out to “right every manner of wrong”

11.  1215 - King John was trying to impose too many
laws, so he was forced to sign the
Magna Carta, agreeing to obey laws
& consult with Parliament
1603 Queen Elizabeth dies with no heir  James I
becomes King (absolute monarch)
 gets rid of Parliament
 raises taxes, wages war, persecutes Puritans (those who
want to purify the Anglican Church of Catholic
influences)  forces some to flee to America to avoid
persecution!

12.  1625 - inherits throne & rules without Parliament at
first
 1628 - Charles realizes he needs $$ (again) from
Parliament for wars he’s started with Spain &
France  He is forced to sign Petition of Right if he
wanted $$
 monarch cannot raise taxes without Parliament’s consent
 monarch cannot imprison people without just cause
 1629 - he dissolves Parliament again.They gave
him the money and he RAN! They’re angry.

13.  1641 - Scotland threatens to
invade England & Charles needs $$
again…so he asks Parliament AGAIN for $$, even though he keeps
dissolving them after he gets some
 So Parliament tries to limit his power  he’s angry and conflict
erupts  Civil War goes down
 Royalist/Cavaliers are the supporters of King Charles (mostly
nobles)
 Roundheads – opposition army – leader is Oliver Cromwell
(common people) They win.
 1649 - Roundheads bring Charles to trial for treason & execute him.

14.  Cromwell becomes military ruler of England (abolishes
monarchy)
 passes strict laws against “sinful” acts (closes theatres, outlaws
gambling /dancing, bans books, etc.)…he’s crazy. He even bans
CHRISTMAS!!
 crushes rebellion in Ireland & takes land for his own soldiers
 religious toleration for everyone except Catholics (Ireland)
 1658 - Cromwell dies & new Parliament invites Charles
II to rule as King  “RESTORATION”
 He enjoyed parties and entertainment and restored everything
fun! He never married and had no legitimate kids.

15.  1685 - Charles II dies with no heir (he was too
busy partying)  James II becomes King (his
brother)

16.  He suspends laws, abuses power, appoints
Catholics to government office
 Parliament invites Mary (daughter of James II) &
William to take down James and rule England 
she was a protestant, so obviously the better
choice
 James II agrees  NO BLOODSHED =
GLORIOUS REVOLUTION (it was
glorious because no one died in a ridiculous war)

17.  In order for William and Mary to rule,
parliament made them sign this
 1689 - BILL OF RIGHTS &
CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY
ARE FINALLY ESTABLISHED!
 limited monarchy shares power w/Parliament (more
government, less royal/absolute power)
 individual freedoms guaranteed
 House of Commons has “power of purse” (finances)
 Basically they’re splitting up the government into
branches so that one branch doesn’t have too much
power…this inspired the system in America.

19.  Most powerful ruler in French history
 Weakened the power of his nobles and
excluded them from councils
 Spent fortune on luxurious items (meals &
residence)
 CHATEAU (Palace) DE VERSAILLES 
weakens France
 500 yards long; big statue of himself in courtyard
 Center of arts during reign (Opera and Ballet)

21. Back of the Palace of Versailles…my backyard totally looks like this too. Fun fact: the
palace is so big, everyone living in the town of Versailles at the time could comfortably
live here.

22. Ceilings made of gold, the Hall of Mirrors, a
bedroom, and LOOK AT THAT BACKYARD!!

23. LOUIS XIV’s BEDROOM…basically it’s all made of gold. The railing isn’t original
of course, this is a current photo of it as a museum.

24.  1700, Louis’s grandson, Philip of Anjou, was promised the
throne of Spain after King Charles II’s death (no heir)
 So that meant the 2 greatest powers in Europe (France and
Spain) would now both be ruled by the Bourbon Family!
 Countries in Europe felt threatened by this & joined together
to fight France & Spain  War of Spanish Succession.
 End of the war was kind of a tie. Basically they all agreed that as long
as Philip and Louis didn’t unite their kingdoms into one mega-
kingdom, then Philip could go ahead and rule Spain . They agreed.
 Louis dies 1715--left a mixed legacy to his country because he
was a great military leader and built France’s military to be
the STRONGEST IN ITS HISTORY…but he wasted a lot of
money being selfish.

25. 1. Hapsburgs of Austria (Holy Roman
Empire)  King Charles VI
Vs.
2. Hohenzollerns of Prussia – enemies of
Hapsburgs  King Fredrick William

26. FREDERICK WILLIAM II
(THE GREAT) MARIA THERESA
 Leader of Prussia & a
Hohenzollern
 Followed father’s strict
military rule, but softened
laws
 Wanted Austrian lands
bordering Prussia  WON
the war against Maria
Theresa (she was pissed.
She was trying to prove
herself as a female leader
and it wasn’t working out
for her at first!)
 Ruler of Austria & a
Hapsburg
 Lost war to Frederick
 Tried to save face SEVEN
YEARS WAR, 1756-1763
 SHE WON  But didn’t
change territories in Europe,
but Britain landed out on top
 France lost colonies in N.
America & gained sole
domination of India for a
while

27.  Believed Russia’s future depends on warm-water
port  then could compete w/western Europe
 Went on GRAND EMBASSY with a goal of
westernization: using Europe as model for change &
make Russia stronger
 Russian Orthodox Church under state control
 Reduced power of landowners
 Heavy taxes to pay for army of 200,000

28.  Introduced potatoes as new staple food
 1st newspaper
 Women’s status increased b/c have to attend social
gatherings
 Nobles give up traditional clothes for western
fashions (meaning they’re dressing like Europeans)
 Education is the key to progress.
 Russia becoming powerful by his death in 1725