Chapter 16Part 1Absolutism

VConstitutionalism

Absolutism in Western Europe 1589-1715

Absolutism: the traditional assumption of power (heirs to the throne) and the belief in “divine right of kings”

Louis XIV was the quintessential absolute monarch

Characteristics of Western European

Absolutism The Ruler of a country was

sovereign The Ruler is not subordinate to

national assemblies The nobility is under the control of

the ruler Will be different in Eastern Europe Nobility could still put obstacles in the

way

Characteristics of Absolutism in Western

Europe Bureaucracies in the 17th century

were often composed of career officials who owed their appointments to the king and were loyal to the king Often upper middle class bourgeoisie

(nobility of the robe) Control over the Church Maintained large standing armies

No more reliance on nobles or mercenary troops

Characteristics of Absolutism in Western

Europe Use of secret police to weaken political

opponents Those who did not overtly oppose the

state were usually left alone

In contrast to the totalitarian regimes of the 20th century which required active participation and enthusiastic support

The difference? Financial, technological resources

The Philosophy of Absolutism

Jean Bodin: Believed that only absolutism could provide order and force obedience to the government

His POV: the religious wars in France in the late 16th C.

Was among the first to provide a philosophical basis for absolutism

The Philosophy of Absolutism

Thomas Hobbes wrote The Leviathan

Had little faith in human nature People were naturally nasty and

brutish Without strong government control

and micromanagement chaos would result

Did NOT believe in “Divine Right” But too authoritarian for

constitutionalists

Philosophy of Absolutism Bishop Jacques Bossuet: BIG

advocate of divine right

Since the king was placed on the throne by God, he owed nothing to anyone else.

Was a favorite of Louis XIV

French Absolutism 1589-1648

In the 17th Century:

Population of 17 million = 20% of Europe’s population

Largest country in Europe

Huge #’s helped make France the strongest European nation (bigger armies possible)

17th Century French Society

Divided into 3 estates based on rank and privilege

First Estate: The Clergy = 1% of the population

Second Estate: The Nobility = 3-4 % of pop

Third Estate: Everybody else from the Bourgeoisie to the landless peasants

Taxes The Clergy and Nobility did not pay

taxes The peasants and urban workers had

little money

The Bourgeoisie supported the whole country

Henry IV 1589-1610 Established the Bourbon Dynasty

after surviving the War of the Three Henrys

Was a Politique: converted to Catholicism to gain popular support

But issued the Edict of Nantes: religious freedom for Huguenots and gave them the right to live in fortified cities

Henry IV Laid the foundation for France to

become the strongest European power in the 17th Century

Strengthened the social hierarchy by strengthening existing institutions: Parlements, the Treasury, Universities and the Catholic Church

Henry IV The First French King to take an

interest in France colonizing in the New World

Encouraged trans-Atlantic trade

Henry IV Weakened the Nobility of the Sword They were not allowed to influence

the Royal Council

Many of the Nobility of the Robe (who had purchased their titles) became high government officials and were intensely loyal to the monarch

The Duke of Sully: French Finance Minister

His reforms enhanced the power of the monarchy

Mercantilism: increased the role of the state in the country’s economy to achieve a favorable balance of trade with other countries

Granted monopolies in the production of gunpowder and salt

Sully and Mercantilism Encouraged the silk industry,

tapestry industry Only the government could operate

the mines

Reduced the Royal debt With systematic bookkeeping and

budgets Reformed the tax system (more

equitable) Improved transportation: roads,

bridges, canals Even began to build a canal linking the

Mediterranean to the Atlantic!

In the Meantime… Spain was drowning in debt

Henry IV was assassinated in 1610

By a fanatical monk who was upset with the Edict of Nantes

Henry’s death = a crisis in power Henry’s widow (now Marie de

Medici) ruled as regent until their son came of age

Louis XIII 1610-1643 His regency was a mess Feudal nobles and princes increased

their power Some increased their influence at

court Some convinced Louis XIII to exile

his own mother and assume power for himself

Cardinal Richelieu 1585-1642

Laid the foundation for absolutism in France

Richelieu –in spite of being a cardinal- was also a politique…put the state ahead of religious matters

Richeleau introduced the Intendant System

The Intendant System Was used to weaken the Nobility (Sword) Replaced local officials with intendants

(civil servants) who reported directly to the king

Were generally middle class (of the robe) One Intendant per each of France’s 32

districts Intendants were responsible for policing,

finance and justice in his district Intendants were NEVER placed near

their hometowns Government was more efficient and

centralized

Richelieu also continued with Mercantilism

Built on Sully’s achievements Increased taxes to fund the military But new tax system not as successful

as Sully’s Continued to sell government offices Farmers and peasants were

ruthlessly exploited

Richelieu and the Huguenots

Tweaked the Edict of Nantes with

The Peace of Alais (1629): Huguenots were still able to practice their religion freely BUT

No more fortified cities and Protestant armies

The Thirty Years’ War France supported Gustavus

Adolphus in the 3rd phase of the war

France declared war on the Spanish in 1635 (ended in 1659 with the Treaty of the Pyrenees) and also entered the Thirty Years’ War against the HRE’s Hapsburg army (Westphalia in 1648)

Kept to the same foreign policy of keeping Germany divided

Louis XIV 1643-1715 The Sun King because he was the

center of French power just as the sun is the center of the solar system

Personified the idea that the sovereignty of the state resides in the ruler

“L’ e’tat, c’est moi” “I am the state”

Louis XIV Was a strong believer in Divine Right

Had the longest reign in European History (72 years)

Inherited the throne at age 5 France was the major power in

Europe during his reign…largest pop = largest army

French culture dominated Europe

French became the international language for over two centuries and the language of the well-educated

Was the epicenter of literature and the arts until the 20th century

The Fronde (1640’s) Cardinal Mazarin controlled France while

Louis XIV was a child Some of the nobles (of the Sword)

revolted against Mazarin when Louis was between 5 and 14 years

Mazarin was able to defeat the nobles due to the competition among themselves

Louis never forgot the humiliation and will keep a close watch on the nobility throughout his reign

The Government under Louis XIV

Kept the aristocracy out of the government by recruiting his closest ministers from the middle class

Curtailed the powers of institutions that could pose a danger to the throne (the Parlements were afraid to cross him)

Louis XIV never called the Estates General together

Would arrest officials who were critical of the government

Control of the Peasants Peasants about 95% of the

population Kept only about 20% of their

incomes after tithes to the Church, government taxes, and feudal rents.

The Corvee caused more hardship: forced labor. Required peasants to give one month’s labor a year to the crown (road building, etc)

Idle peasants conscripted into the army

Rebellious peasants were executed or used as galley slaves

Versailles Was the grandest and most impressive

palace in all of Europe Baroque: reinforced the image of Louis

XIV as the most powerful absolute ruler in Europe

Was originally a hunting lodge for Louis XIII

Architecture of the palace: Marquis Louvois

The Gardens: LeVau The royal court = 600 people Cost of maintenance = 60% of all royal

revenue

Versailles Became a pleasure prison for the

French nobility Louis required nobles to live at

Versailles several months a year so he could keep an eye on them

Nobles were entertained: many hunts, tournaments and concerts

Elaborate theatrical productions by Racine (tragedies) and Moliere (comedies)

Religious policies of Louis XIV

Louis XIV considered himself the head of the Galician Church

He WAS very religious but would not allow the Pope to exercise political power when it came to the French Church

The Edict of Fontainebleau

When Colbert died: Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes

200,000 Huguenots fled to the New World, England, the Netherlands

Colbert was the champion of mercantilism…was a finance minister

Also Louis XIV supported the Jesuits

when they wanted to crack down on the Jansenists

Jansenists were Catholics who held some Calvinist ideas