ABSOLUTISM IN EUROPE (MY NOTES)

Components of absolutism:

1.      Ambitious dynasty

2.      Privileged but loyal nobles

3.      A peasantry devoid of rights dominated by nobles

4.      Emergence of a standing army: war is the main function and expense of the state even during peacetime.

CONTRAST WITH:

1.      Britain

2.      Netherlands

Countries with absolute monarchies:

1.      France (Bourbons, Louis XIV)

2.      Austria (Habsbourgs)

3.      Prussia (Hohenzollerns, Frederick William I)

4.      Sweden (Charles XI and XII)

5.      Russia (Romanovs, Peter the Great)

Patterns of absolutism:

1.      Role: Benevolent but strict father, obedient subjects

2.      Need to raise money for the military

3.      Alliance between the crown and the nobles

4.      Peasants losing their rights

5.      Cities losing autonomy and tax exemptions, mayors became civil servants who bought the title, government officials became residents

6.      Secularization of domestic politics and international relations:

a.       Gallican Church in France. Church appointments by the king, Ending the inquisition, reduced church authority over marriages, control censorship, establishing state supervision over education

b.      1716 – Peter made Russian clergy to take an oath that they would not interfere with state affairs. He abolished patriarchy, Westernized attire and many details of daily life.

c.       war for state reasons, not for religious reasons.

7.      Merging of the state with the absolute ruler: I am the state.

8.      Symbolism (uniforms, ceremonies- elaborate pageantry), architecture, art, city planning (boulevards, geometric cities).

9.      Persecution of religious minorities (heresy) (Hugenouts, Jansenists)

10.  Patronage system

How do they fill state coffers?

1.      Tax more efficiently (rise of bureaucracy)

2.      Sell honors, titles and hereditary offices (France)

3.      Sell royal lands

4.      Sell monopolies

5.      Tariffs on imports

6.      Borrow from financiers

Limits of Monarchic Power

Local powers and interests

Finances

INTERNATIONAL DIMENSION

Balance of Power (particularly important player- England)

FRANCE

Louis 14th – Versailles, more than 10,000 nobles: eat, drinks, hunt, chase women, gamble.

Fronde

Elaborate etiquette, fashion

Conde – prince supressed the Fronde.

Regency

Mazarin

Parlement

Nobles of robe

Nobles of sword

Mercantalism –East India Company –fail

PRUSSIA

Grew with the treaty of Westphalia

Frederick III established himself as the king: Frederick I

Frederick William I:

a.       Sergeant King: turned palacae into military training center

b.       abandoned luxury tailors, only uniforms

c.       firstsystem of military reserves in Europe.

Junkers

Kept privileges in exchange for service to the monarch:

a.       Own land, evict peasants, free from taxation

b.      the right to export grains without tolls, duties, taxes.

c.       Seniorial justice over their peasants

Serfdom

Bourgeoise had no power.!!!

Birth of modern bureaucracy

RUSSIA

Ivan the Terrible, dies in 1584

Time of Troubles

Peter the Great (ruled 1682-1725)

Muscovy: Sweden, Poland-Lithuania, Crimean Tartars

Boyars

Chronic shortage of rural labor

1649: official serfdom

Old believers

Westernization: ship-making, clothing, etiquette, architecture (St. Petersbourg)

Abolished patriarchate

Two oaths in civil service: one to him, one to state – distinguishes!

Russia lacked natural resources and a big merchant class

St. Petersbourg