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The Enlightened MonarchsPrussia…Frederick the GreatAustria…Maria Theresa
…Joseph IIRussia….Catherine the Great
The Enlightened Despots / Absolutists:
Philosophes don’t agree on politics Many thinkers concerned with political
reform and some politicians concerned with thinking
Most “Enlightened” (outside US) think reform better from above than below
Praise “benevolent absolutism” “Enlighten” the monarch!
Prussia: Frederick (II) the Great 1740-1786 Son of Frederick William I Rejects “military” for culture, poetry…
Rejects Calvinism --- tries atheism Imprisoned at 18 for trying to run away
So….maybe life as a leader isn’t so bad…
1740 invades Austria (War of Austrian Succession: breaks Austria’s Pragmatic Sanction!) Maria Theresa no match for Prussian army
Prussia: Frederick the Great – Warfare recap War of Austrian Succession 1740-1748 –
others join = European War 1742 Austria cedes Silesia to Prussia Prussian population doubles But…MT won’t give up so easily…
1756-1763 Seven Years’ War MT allies with France / Russia – vs. Prussia! Great Prussian army survives Peter III (Russia) gains throne and stops war b/c
he admires Frederick!! 1772 1st Partition of Poland – receives
territory between Prussia and Brandenburg - partitioning continues in 1793, 1795
Prussia: Frederick the Great – Enlightened???
“Of all states, from the smallest to the biggest, one can safely say that the fundamental rule of government is the principle of extending their territories…The passions of rulers have no other curb but the limits of their power. Those are the fixed laws of European politics to which every politician submits.”
“I must enlighten my people, cultivate their manners and morals, and make them as happy as human beings can be…”
Prussia: Frederick the Great –
“The first servant of the state” Promotes education
(Realschule/universal primary schools)) / Promotes free press = very little / no censorship!!
Legal Reform Abolishes torture (except for treason & murder) –
Judges impartial (single code of law established after his death)
Officials noted for honesty / hard work / efficiency Prussian Civil Service Commission values merit over
birthright Religious toleration (even for Catholics and
Jews) Reconstruction of agriculture / industry
But….then again…serfdom continues, privileges of nobility / Junkers still strong
Austria: Maria Theresa(b. 1717) 1740-1780
Charlie VI’s daughter *Pragmatic Sanction MT’s husband Francis Stephen I [of
Lorraine (1745-1765)] – Holy Roman Emperor
Son, Joseph II (1765-1790): co-regent with mother in Austria
But MT = “The Power” over 40 years (16 children – culture, morals, prayer) Joseph II, Leopold II, and Marie Antoinette! Motto: “Clemency and justice’
Austria: Maria Theresa, 1740-1780 1740 --- Austria is immediately invaded
War of Austrian Succession 1740-48• Loss of Silesia
Reforms• Church / State relations govt. controlled
• Devout Catholic – BUT limits Pope’s power in Austria• Administrative reforms – tax all (even nobles!)• Improve agriculture – reduce lords / begins to free
serfs!!! (but she proceeds cautiously) • Compulsory education!
• state supported public primary education for all male peasants, secondary education for selected students, and teacher training institutions
1756-1763 --- 7 Years’ War – no win
Austria: Maria Theresa, 1740-1780
Finally, Prussia & Austria unite with Russia against POLAND!!! (1770) 3 Partitions of Poland: 1772, 1793, & 1795
MT supports this????• “violation of every standard of sanctity and
justice”• But will be done, with or without her…so she joins
Poland disappears by 1795!!! (Poland gone until WWI!!!)
Austria: Joseph II 1780-1790 1765--- co-regent with MT 1780 – MT dies – leaves Joseph II a powerful
empire = classic enlightenment & utilitarianism
“the greatest good for the greatest number” institutes freedom of the press!
But…impatient radical, anticlerical “Josephinism” = state vs. Church / nobility; Church
ind. from Rome (modeled after Gallicanism) Edict of Tolerance, 1781
reformed legal system – more uniform laws; easier for peasants to own land
1781 grants personal liberty to serfs Military reorganized and laid foundation for
national army Economic reforms:
abolished many internal tariffs; encouraged road building; improved river transport; inspected farms & industrial areas; 1789 taxation of ALL properties
Leopold II (1790-1792) Grand duke of Tuscany (1765-1790); Holy
Roman Emperor (1790-92) – enlightened ruler
Repealed Joseph’s taxation laws & gave nobility back political and administrative power
Retained Joseph’s religious policies, and concern for peasant class
Reached peace agreements with Prussia (1790) and Ottoman Empire (1791)
Issued Declaration of Pillnitz, 1791 along w/ Prussia against the republican revolutionaries in France
RUSSIA: Remember Peter the Great (1682-1725) --- who loved England and opened up Russia to Westernization --- who made all men shave and wear “German clothes” when he returned from England?
Then there were the others…
Catherine I:1725-27 (Peter’s 2nd wife – he sent the 1st to a convent)
Peter II: 1727-30 (grandson of Peter)Anna: 1730-40 (dominated by advisors)Ivan VI: 1740-41 (overthrown)Elizabeth: 1741-62 (youngest daughter of
Peter the Great – golden age of aristocracy)Peter III: 1762 (mentally unfit: deposed and
killed-- -by his wife???)But finally…an “enlightened” monarch
appears…his wife…
Catherine II “the Great??”1762-1796
• Sophia Augusta Fredericka – a German princess• Did she kill Peter??????
• Unlike PG: love for West not merely pragmatic• An “enlightened despot” – cultured, learned Russian,
corresponded w/ Voltaire and Diderot• The philosophes loved her! BUT was she hoodwinking
them?• Art, architecture, literature, music, education
• Like PG: strong – ambitious – rebuilt roads and schools – aggressive foreign policy of expansion
• War with Ottomans, 1769 = 1771, access to Danube river and Crimea; 1774 Treaty of Kuchuk-Kainardji, 1783 annexation of Crimea = Warm Water PORT on BALTIC!!
• Partitioning of Poland, 1772, 1793, 1795
But then what happens???
Legislative Commission (summer 1767)– consultation…
Catherine realizes “Enlightenment philosophy” not practical – especially in Russia!
peasant class = completely bound/unfree class Pugachev’s Rebellion 1773: peasant (Cossack)
insurrection – Pugachev claims to be Tsar & declares peasants freed from military and tax obligations, comes with 100,000 men, rebellion over by 1774
1775 made “convenient friends with her nobles” Charter of Nobility, 1785 = gentry accepts government
and government gives full authority over rural masses to gentry
Economic reform: limit internal tariffs; expand urban middle class; increase agricultural exports
Limitations of Enlightened Despotism
authoritative action from above state more completely sovereign old, established systems and rights questioned
BUT... Joseph II incites revolt Catherine the Great & Frederick still repress the
masses Frederick abandons religion personally
Helps to trigger growing religious revival Aristocratic resurgence in all 3 countries