1550-1800

Following the Age of Exploration, Spain had become the wealthiest and most powerful nation in the world, controlling a vast territory.

Philip II of Spain made Spain even more powerful when he took control of Portugal and all it’s territories.

Spain now had a kingdom that circled the entire world.

King Philip continued to expand the Spanish kingdom.

King Phillip believed he ruled by divine right, meaning that he believed his authority came straight from God.

He felt it was his duty to defend the Roman Catholic Church from the Protestant Reformation.

This great undertaking would consume his life and bring him into conflict with other countries.

Like Ancient Rome, Spain’s wealth, power and enormous territory led to some serious problems.

The prices of goods constantly rose. (inflation)

Also, unfair taxes hit the poor, keeping them from ever building up any wealth of their own.

As prices rose, Spaniards bought more goods from other lands. The wealth from the Spanish colonies, then, began to flow to Spain’s enemies.

Philip took matters into his own hands and looked to expand his kingdom even further.

He decided to take on England, the only other country that rivaled Spain in economic and military might.

Elizabeth I, daughter of King Henry VIII, was Protestant.

Philip did not like the fact that England had become tolerant to Protestant religions and wished to “return England to Catholicism”.

While he claimed to do this in the name of God, this invasion was more likely politically motivated.

Phillip sent a huge armada – a fleet of warships – to invade England.

The Spanish ships were no match for the English navy, however.

Spain had a much larger fleet but England had smaller, faster ships and better firepower.

The Spanish were battered on numerous confrontations. When they finally decided to return home, most ships were lost in a terrible storm.

This was a terrible loss for Spain and an enormous victory for England.

From here on, the power in Europe shifted from the Spain to England.

Spain’s power and prosperity started to decline in the 1600’s.

During the later 1600’s, there were many struggles for religion.

Protestant religions such as Calvinism became militant (combative) with Catholicism.

Each struggled for converts and thus led to religious wars.

One of the most notable was the French Wars of Religion fought between the Huguenots and the Catholics. The Huguenots were able to overthrow the Catholic leaders and gain religious tolerance.

Major war in the 1600’s. Religion, politics and

territory all played a role in the Thirty Years War.

It is considered the “last of the religious wars”.

Fought mostly in Germany, most all major European countries except England were involved.

The Thirty Years War was Europe’s most destructive war ever.

Weapons such as the flintlock pistol and the musket fitted with a bayonet were introduced during this time.

About 4 million people had died, and the economy of Germany was in ruins.

Better firearms and mobility on the battlefield meant that soldiers had to be well trained and disciplined.

Governments then started to support standing armies.

By 1700, France had a standing army of around 400,000.

The Alexandre Dumas novel, “The Three Musketeers”, takes place in France during the Thirty Years War. In the novel, the Musketeers are sworn to protect King Louis XIII’s throne from the evil Cardinal Richilieu who tries to assume the throne.

As a response to the growing crises in Europe, many countries sought stability by increasing their monarch’s power.

This ideal is known as absolutism, a system which the ruler has total power.

Absolute rulers could make laws, levy taxes, administer justice, control the state’s officials and determine foreign policy.

Possibly the best example of absolutism is France under the rule of Louis XIV.

Took power at age 23 Was the sole and

absolute ruler of France

Everything had to be passed through or approved by him

He made a myth about himself, calling himself the “Sun King” for he believed he was the light of the people.

He was very much Catholic and against Protestants like the Huguenots.

He destroyed their churches and schools.

Many fled the country

He also worked hard to increase the wealth of France.

He helped increase the French industries and also encouraged his people to buy French goods and not from foreign countries.

Louis made France one of the most powerful nations in Europe.

France also had more people and a larger army than any other country.

Louis enjoyed a life of luxury at his court. He built a huge and beautiful palace at

Versailles near Paris. He also made sure that nobles had to depend on his favor in order to advance in society.

With his large standing army, he waged war, forcing many countries to alliance against France.

He was able to add more lands to France and expand the empire; however, at his death in 1715, he left France debt-ridden and surrounded by enemies.

During King Louis’ reign there was a prisoner held in the Bastille.

The identity of the prisoner is unknown because his face was concealed by an iron mask.

There has been much discussion and debate about the identity of this man. Some even believe was a government official, enemy, or that he may have been the twin brother of King Louis XIV himself!

This myth was even subject in Alexandre Dumas’ novels.

Following the death of Elizabeth I, England would also experience its own civil war.

In essence, it was a struggle for power between the king and Parliament; however, religion also played a major role.

King Charles I believed that the king was chosen by God and therefore, he could rule however he felt and neglected Parliament.

There were many Puritans who served in the Parliament and they disagreed with the king’s belief in the Church of England.

He made life difficult for the Puritans by imposing high taxes on them.

This angered the Puritans for they felt he had no right to do so.

As a result, thousands of Puritans left for the America’s rather than adhere to the king’s religious policies.

Some stayed; however, and opposed the king’s authority.

Eventually, civil war broke out between the two sides, the king’s supporters and Parliament’s supporters.

Parliament won due to the New Model Army and their bold, new leader, Oliver Cromwell.

The New Model Army was made up of extreme Puritans who believed they were doing battle for God.

Cromwell purged Parliament of all those who did not support the Puritan cause.

They even tried and executed King Charles for treason—the first time a king had ever been executed in public!

This revolution helped lay the foundations of the current government in England, which is a limited constitutional monarchy and also gave religious tolerance towards the Puritans.

Other examples of absolutism in Europe would be Frederick William who came to power in Austria.

Known as the “Soldier King”, he expanded his kingdom to include Prussia and modern day Czech Republic and Hungary.

This empire would soon rival France in power.

Russia also had its own example of absolutism when Ivan IV took power.

Ivan was the first Russian ruler to take the title Czar, which is Russian for Caesar.

Later czars such as Peter the Great would “Europeanize” and modernize Russia.

His goal was to make Russia a great power.

He strengthened the army and created Russia’s first navy.

He introduced many new European customs to reform and modernize Russia.

By Peter’s death in 1725, Russia was one of the most important European states.

New ways of thinking arose during this time in the intellectual movement called the Enlightenment.

Thinkers tried to apply reason to solve real world issues such as poverty and peace.

By using reason, people thought, it is possible to make society better.

THOMAS HOBBES Thomas Hobbes

emphasized the importance of social order and thought this could only be achieved by placing the power into one absolute ruler.

The best government, he said, is that of a strong king who can force people to obey.

JOHN LOCKE John Locke on the other hand

argued against having an absolute ruler. He believed in freedom, equality and the natural rights of the people.

He felt that the people and the government should have a mutual contract and belief. The government should protect these “natural rights” or else the people had the right to overthrow the government.

Due to the political revolutions and upheavals in Europe, there were changes in philosophies regarding politics. Two

English writers were important to this movement.

Enlightenment ideas had strong influence on the American and French Revolutions, which came at the end of the 1700s.

Locke’s ideas are found in the Declaration of Independence and the United States Constitution.