Age of Absolutism Study Notes

Age of Absolutism Unit Introduction Time Period and Name: The time period of 1550 – 1800 was a time when the world saw the emergence of the “Absolute Monarch”, which is a king or queen who has complete control over a country. Absolutism originated in Spain when Philip II was in power, and it began to fade out after the rule of Catherine the Great in Russia. Because this 250-year period saw the rise and fall of many absolute monarchs, it is known as the “Age of Absolutism”. Absolute Monarch Ideology: The ideology that absolute monarchs follow is called “absolutism”. All of the mentioned absolute monarchs were successful because they all followed the ideology, or belief, of absolutism to perfection. Absolutism has three key components. The first is having a strong central government so that no one can stand in the way of the monarch’s policy making. The second is having a strong military to deal with war when the country expands its boundaries or if an invasion from another country may occur. The third and final is using the economic theory mercantilism, (the policy of exporting more than is imported) to create a strong economy and wealth for the country in order to support the countries absolutist tendencies. Introduction Questions: Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. In what time period did the Age of Absolutism occur? 2. Explain what an absolute monarch / monarchy is. 3. What is the name of the ideology that absolute monarchs follow? 4. What are the three key components of absolutism? Explain each one in detail. Section # 1 – Spain (1516 – 1598) The Hapsburg Monarchy / Dynasty: The Hapsburg Monarchy had been in place well before the year of 1500, but during the age of Absolutism the Hapsburg Monarchy was Europe’s most powerful royal family. The Hapsburg Empire included Spain, Portugal, the Holy Roman Empire (present day Germany, Netherlands, Austria, Netherlands, Belgium, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Slovakia Luxembourg, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and parts of Poland, France and Italy), and the empire in the Americas created by the Conquistadors (present day Mexico, Southwestern United States, and Northern South America). Needless to say, at one point in the Hapsburg Empire covered almost half of the known world at that time. Ruling this huge empire was a tough task that some met and others did not. Charles V (5th): (1516 – 1556) The Hapsburg Empire reached its greatest size in 1516 under the rule of Charles V who was the grandson of King Ferdinand II of Spain and Queen Isabella I of Spain and the nephew of Henry VIII’s 1st wife Catherine of Aragon. This would make Charles V the cousin of Mary I of England (“Bloody” Mary), who would eventually marry Charles V’s son Phillip II. Bloodlines aside, Charles V governed all of the Hapsburg land effectively and with pride. He gained international respect of his people and enemies with his shrewd use of power and diplomacy. Throughout his reign Spain was constantly at war and constantly trying to create wealth to finance the wars. By 1556 Charles V was exhausted and he decided to abdicate (step down). Charles V always thought the Hapsburg Empire was too big to be ruled by just one man. For this reason, Charles V relinquished his thrown and divided it between his brother Ferdinand II and his 29-year old son Philip II. Ferdinand II was given Austria and most of the Holy Roman Empire while Philip was given Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands, Milan & Naples (Italian lands), and the newly established American Empire of the New World. Ferdinand I (1st) of Austria: (1556 – 1564) When Ferdinand I took the Austrian throne in 1556, he became the 1st Austrian Hapsburg monarch and would eventually become the Holy Roman Emperor. Ferdinand I was a devout Catholic who opposed the spread of the Protestant faith. This opposition to Protestantism would bring Austria into many conflicts, and would be a huge reason why Ferdinand could never established an absolute monarchy in the Austrian Hapsburg Empire. Ferdinand would eventually die in 1564. Phillip II (2nd): (1556 – 1598) Philip II, a devout Catholic as well, and hardly any of his time towards leisure activities. Philip II was the epitome of an absolute ruler, who ruled with complete power over the government and the people. During his rule, Philip II had five objectives on his political agenda; 1) create wealth for himself and Spain, 2) create a powerful Spanish military, 3) expand Spain’s borders and its political influence, 4) spread the Catholic religion throughout Europe, 5) make Spain the most powerful country in Europe. Philip II felt that if he achieved the 1st four objectives on his political agenda, then the 5th item would naturally happen. Spanish Wealth: ascended to the Spanish throne in 1556 and did not give it up until his death 42 years later in 1598. Unlike his uncle, Ferdinand II, Philip II was able to establish an absolute monarchy in his Spanish Hapsburg Empire. For many reasons, Philip II is remembered as one of the hardest working and most devoted monarchs in history. Unlike many other monarchs of his time, Philip II devoted much of his time to government work During Philip II’s 42-year reign Spain experienced the “siglo de ore”, or what historians call the “Golden Age” of Spain. This time period was labeled the Golden Age because of Philip II’s devotion to art and literature. Philip II had architects build beautiful statues and sculptures throughout Spain, and he established academies of science and mathematics to enrich the knowledge of Spanish people. This was all funded by the Spanish trading empire in the Americas (New World). This trading empire consisted of precious metals, tobacco, cocoa, indigo, and sugar, all of which were in heavy demand by other European countries and constantly flowing from the Spanish trading empire in the Americas. As other countries bought these materials, the Spanish economy grew as well as its wealth. Spanish Military: Not only did Philip II use the wealth of Spain to enrich Spanish culture, he also used it to build one of the most powerful and most feared militaries in all of Europe. At the heart of the Spanish military was the mighty Spanish Armada. This naval fleet consisted of 132 ships, 20,000 men, and 2,400 cannons. The power of the Spanish Armada was well known and well respected throughout Europe and the world. Having the goal of expanding the Spanish Empire, Philip II waged many wars during his time on the Spanish throne. At the battle of Lepanto in 1571, which took place in Mediterranean Sea, Spain defeated the Ottoman Empire’s naval fleet. In 1580 Spain overtook Portugal, and united the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) under Spanish control. Although both of these wars were seen as great accomplishments, they both put a strain on Spain’s wealth. The underlying factor to fighting a war is having the money to fund it. Feeding the soldiers, paying the soldiers, providing ammunition, building weapons, and repair of weapons all began to add up. The Spanish treasury could simply not keep up with Philip II’s spending habits. As you will see, one more war will be the final blow for Philip II. Philip’s Wars: Strengthening the Catholic Faith: Ultimately Philip II wanted to rid Europe of the Protestant faith, and make the entire continent of Europe Catholic. In his crusade against the Protestant faith, Philip II fought one more war. Unlike the 1st two wars, this war was unsuccessful. The war on the Protestant faith started in 1581 and took place in the Northern Netherlands (Dutch) and England. Philip II’s goal was to drive out all followers of the Protestant faith in Europe. As you will see, the Dutch were successful in fighting off Spain, but only because of the help they received from England. England became involved in this war in a unique way. Prior to the beginning of this war, Philip II was married to Queen Mary I of England (his cousin) in an attempt to unite Spain and England and help spread the Catholic faith all throughout England. Mary I was also a devout Catholic who opposed the Protestant faith. She is known for burning almost 300 Protestants alive for their religious beliefs, giving her the fitting name “Bloody” Mary. Mary I only ruled England for five years, and could not conceive a child because of the ovarian cysts that caused her death. Philip II tried to gain the hand of Mary I’s successor, and half sister, Queen Elizabeth I of England for the same reasons. Elizabeth I, who was a Protestant, rejected the marriage proposal and secretly joined the Dutch in their fight against Spain. When Elizabeth I openly supported the Dutch in their war against Spain, Philip II declared war on England. In 1588 the mighty Spanish Armada set sail to conquer England. The smaller and faster English ships were too much to handle, and in the end the Spanish Armada was defeated. Philip II never really saw the end of this war. The war ended 13 years after Philip’s death in the year 1609. The war treaty granted the Netherlands their independence from Spain and both the Netherlands and England remained predominantly Protestant. Philip II’s Legacy: Early in Philip II’s reign, it appeared that he was going to achieve all five of his objectives on his political agenda. But in the end it all came crashing down. Philip II achieved his 1st three objectives by creating wealth for Spain and himself, establishing a strong military, and expanded the borders of Spain. Philip II was well on his way to achieving his 5th objective, which was making Spain the most powerful country in Europe. Philip II’s one downfall was his effort to achieve his 4th objective, which was spreading the Catholic faith throughout Europe. Failure to achieve this objective destroyed his achievement of the other objectives. The war he waged on the Protestant faith drained the wealth of Spain, led to the destruction of the heart of Spain’s military (Spanish Armada), and ended Spanish border expansion. This ended any hopes of Spain being recognized as the most powerful country in Europe. Although Spain was on the decline before Philip II died, after his death in 1598 Spain would never be as powerful or as great as it was during the reign of Philip II. As Spain began to decline, England and France would compete for the recognition of being the most powerful country in the world. 7. Who was the first Austrian Hapsburg ruler? 8. How long did Philip II rule Spain (include the dates)? 9. What religion was Philip II? 10. The period that Philip II ruled Spain is given a certain name. What is the name of this time period and why was it given this name? 11. What was the strongest part of the Spanish military? Section # 1 Questions: Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Who are Charles V’s grandparents? 2. Who is Charles V’s aunt? 3. Who was Charles V’s cousin and whom did she marry? 4. Who was Charles V’s son and whom did he marry? 5. Why did Charles V give up the Hapsburg throne and divide it? 6. To whom did Charles V give what countries and areas when he divided the Hapsburg Empire? 12. What religion was Philip II trying to spread throughout Europe, and what religion was he trying to end? 13. Who did Philip II marry and who rejected his marriage proposal? What were the goals underlying both marriages? 14. Which war ended the dominance of Spain and Philip II? Explain why this war caused Philip II’s downfall in detail. Section # 2 – France (1589 – 1715) The Bourbon Monarchy/ Dynasty: In 1589 the Bourbon Monarchy of France began. Despite a 19year gap during the French Revolution and the rule of Napoleon, the Bourbon Monarchy would rule France until 1848. absolute rule by limiting the power of the Estates General (French Congress), which made himself the only person who had any influence over French government. Although Henry IV improved French life in every facet and maintained a peaceful atmosphere, he was assassinated in 1610 after ruling France for 21 years. Louis XIII (13th) and Cardinal Richelieu: (1610 – 1643) th Henry IV (4 ): (1589 – 1610) The first in a long line of Bourbon Monarchs was Henry IV. Although Henry IV was a Protestant, he converted to Catholicism because France was and still is a predominantly Catholic country. Because he was once a Protestant, he did have some sympathy for Protestants. In 1598 he issued the Edict of Nantes, which granted Huguenots (French Protestants) religious freedom and let them fortify their towns and cities for protection. Henry IV laid the groundwork for After Henry IV’s death in 1610, his 19 yearold son Louis XIII became the 2nd Bourbon monarch to inherit the throne of France. For the first 14 years of Louis XIII’s reign, the Estates General began to gain back some of their power that Henry IV took from them. In 1624 Louis XIII appointed Cardinal Armand Richelieu as his Chief Administer. Cardinal Richelieu’s job was to take the power away from the French nobles and Huguenots and give it all back to King Louis XIII. The goal was to make Louis XIII’s power unquestioned and absolute throughout all of France. Cardinal Richelieu did what he was appointed to do. After all power was returned to Louis XIII, Richelieu set out to make France the most powerful country in Europe. He strengthened the French Army and built up the French economy. Seeing that his death was near, Richelieu did not want everything he had done to make France a great nation come tumbling down. In an effort to preserve everything he had done for France, he handpicked Cardinal Mazarin to be his successor. After Richelieu’s death in 1642, Cardinal Mazarin stepped in to fulfill the duty. One year later in 1643, King Louis XIII’s 33-year reign ended with his death. Louis XIV (14th) and Cardinal Mazarin: (1643 – 1715) In 1643 Louis XIII’s son became the 3rd third Bourbon monarch to rule France. This new monarch was a five-year old boy named Louis XIV who would rule France until his death 72 years later. Because of his famous 72-year reign, Louis XIV is recognized as the most powerful and most famous Bourbon monarch ever. Due to his young age, Louis was unable to rule France right away. Cardinal Mazarin, the Chief Administer, assumed the responsibility of ruling France up until his death in 1661. In 1661 the now 23-year old Louis XIV announced that he would rule his own government. He claimed that he was given the divine right by god to rule France and named himself the “Sun King”, for he was the light that shines upon France. Louis XIV is quoted with saying, “Just as the sun stands at the center of the solar system, so the Sun King stands at the center of France.” Louis XIV epitomized what an absolute monarch is supposed to be, and he was not afraid to let people know about his power as he often repeated the phrase “L’etat, c’est moi” – “I am the state.” “What a grandeur that a single man (Louis XIV) should embody so much! Behold this holy power, paternal, and absolute, contained in a single head: you see the of God in the King, and you have the idea of royal majesty.” - Jacques Bossuet, Louis XIV’s Leading Church Official Palace of Versailles: For protection from a possible civilian uprising, Louis XIV decided to live outside of the capital of France (Paris) where the bulk of the French population lived. Louis moved his government to Versailles (12 miles outside of Paris), where he would construct the Palace of Versailles. No expense was spared when building this palace, as it became the symbol of Louis XIV and French absolutism. Not only was the palace absolutely beautiful, it was home to nearly 10,000 people. Nearly all of the people that lived in Versailles were nobles. Instead of using nobles for government service, Louis used them to wait on him hand and foot. Although the nobles would XIV normally be angry at their power being limited, they remained happy because Louis provided them with a beautiful home, protection, and a huge tax break. As you will see in later units, this tax break would lead to a bigger problem in years to come. Louis XIV’s Successes: Louis XIV had a lot of great accomplishments during his 72year reign. He turned France’s army into the strongest in Europe, which would help him effectively deal with conflicts both foreign and domestic. Louis XIV also created much wealth for France by strengthening its economy through the promotion of trade and industry. The strength of Louis XIV’s economy lie in his established trading outposts in America and Canada, which was collectively known as New France. Louis XIV’s Failures: Louis XIV’s 1st failure was his unfair tax system. While Louis XIV was creating wealth for France, he was trying to create wealth for himself and the French nobles. He did this by not taxing the nobles and church officials (clergy) and heavily taxing the French peasants. This unjust tax system would remain in place until 1789 when it became one of the leading causes of the French Revolution. A 2nd failure of Louis XIV was his religious beliefs. In an effort to make his power absolute, Louis had already limited the nobles power, but had not yet limited the power of the Huguenots (French Protestant). Like many of his predecessors, Louis XIV was a devout Catholic who wanted to crush the Protestant faith wherever it may be. In 1685 Louis XIV repealed the Edict of Nantes, which granted Huguenots religious freedom and the right to fortify their towns. Louis XIV also made it a law that Huguenots could no longer practice their religion and their children had to become Catholics. The result of this was the emigration of 200,000 Huguenots to other European countries. As these Huguenots left, so did the wealth that they created. These Huguenots were very active in trade and commerce, and were a huge part of the prosperous French economy. This loss of economic activity destroyed the French economy and the country’s wealth. Charles II of Spain was going to die without and heir to the throne. Both France and Austria had claims to the throne, and much of Europe did not want to see France acquire the Spanish throne. When Charles II died he passed his throne to Phillip of Anjou who was Louis XIV’s grandson. All of Europe feared that Louis and Phillip would unite their countries into one nation, most likely France. From 1701 – 1713 The Great Alliance of the Dutch Netherlands, England, and Austria fought Spain and France for the right to the Spanish throne in what is known as the War of Spanish Succession. The war ended in 1713 with the Treaty of Utrecht, which stated that Phillip of Anjou could remain the king of Spain, but France and Spain could never unite as one country. War of Spanish Succession: During the reign of Louis XIV, France enjoyed one of its most brilliant time periods, but towards the end of Louis XIV’s reign France’s brilliance began to come unraveled in a number of ways. The tax system Louis XIV created led to an extreme class conflict due the heavy tax burden it placed on the lower class. The economy was also on the decline because of the emigration of the Huguenots to Louis XIV 3rd and final failure was his expansion policy. It was well known to all European countries that Louis XIV wanted to use his powerful army to expand the borders of France. For fear of French expansion, many countries allied in opposition to France. One country that Louis XIV had his eye on was Spain. Current King Louis XIV’s Legacy: other countries. This economic decline was destroying the wealth of France. This left France with little money to invest in the French culture and the French Army. The War of Spanish Succession was the downfall of Louis XIV. Due to lack of funding, the French army was not a powerful as it once was. At the end of the war France failed at making Spain part of its country. The war effort depleted French wealth even further leaving France in financial ruins, and it created extreme opposition by the French people towards Louis XIV. When Louis XIV died in 1715, he bequeathed his declining empire to his grandson Louis XV who could never make France as great as it once was under Louis XIV. As you will see in later units, Louis XIV laid the seeds of The French Revolution which would come 74 years later and change the entire world. Section # 2 Questions: Answer these questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. Who was the first Bourbon monarch, how long did he rule France (include the dates), and how did he die? 2. What was the predominant religion of France? 3. What are Huguenots? 4. Who issued the Edict of Nantes and what were terms of it? 5. What is the Estates General? 6. Who was the second Bourbon Monarch, how long did he rule France (include the dates), and who was his Chief Administer? 7. Who was the third Bourbon Monarch, how long did he rule France (include the dates), and who was his chief administer? 8. What is “divine right”? 9. What did Louis XIV call himself, and what was the idea behind the name? 10. What phrase did Louis XIV commonly repeat? 11. What is the name of Louis XIV’s home and why did he build it where he did? 12. Explain in detail how Louis XIV kept the French nobles happy after he took away all of their power? 13. What were Louis XIV’s three failures during his reign? 14. What was the last war that Louis XIV was involved in, and why did it cause the downfall of Louis XIV? Section # 3 – Prussia and Austria (1618 – 1786) The Thirty Years War: (1618 – 1648) The Hohenzollern Monarchy / Dynasty: (1713 – 1918) In 1618 the Thirty Years War began. The bulk of the war was fought in the Holy Roman Empire, which consisted of many German states. Calvinism, a Protestant sect, was beginning to spread rapidly throughout the predominantly Catholic Holy Roman Empire. Catholic rulers within the Holy Roman Empire, and from all over Europe, opposed the spread of Calvinism and sought to destroy it. When the war ended in 1648, the outcome was a failed attempt a stopping the spread of Calvinism, a weakened and divided Germany, which lost one third of its people, and the rise of France as Europe’s leading power. The official document that ended the war was the Peace of Westphalia, which stated that Calvinism could be practiced in the German states and it divided the Holy Roman Empire into 300 separate states. These religious and physical divisions were a main reason why the Hapsburgs could never unite the entire Holy Roman Empire and establish an absolute monarchy. This inability of the Hapsburgs led to the opportunity of other German states to rise to power in Europe. One German State in particular that rose to power in Europe was Prussia in the early 1700’s. Prussia is no longer a country today, but during the 1700’s it was one of the most powerful countries in Europe. In the 1700’s Prussia’s boundaries mainly consisted of what is now present-day northeastern Germany, northwestern Poland, and a small part of Russia. Prussia was ruled by the Hohenzollern Family, which had governed the area sine the 1400’s. During the 1700’s the Hohenzollern (Hoh uhn tsahl ern) Monarchy established Prussia as a leading power in Europe by ruling it as an absolute monarchy. The Hohenzollern Monarchy held power of Prussia and presentday Germany up until the end of WWI in 1918 when the last Hohenzollern monarch, Kaiser Wilhelm II (William) was forced to abdicate (step down) because of his role in starting WWI. Frederick William I (1st): (1713 – 1740) The first Hohenzollern monarch to rule with absolute power was Frederick William I, also known as the “Great Elector”. Frederick William I took the Prussian throne in 1713, and shrewdly transformed his country into an absolute monarch over the next 27 years of his reign. Because Frederick William I believed that a strong military was an essential component to the success of any ruler, he first created a strong and disciplined military, which would eventually become the 4th largest in Europe. Although Frederick William I was successful at building an army, it was not an easy task. To meet the cost of building this army, Frederick William I raised taxes. This angered the Prussian Nobles, who were also known as “Junkers” (yoon kerz), which created anger towards Frederick William I. Sensing the discontent of the Junkers, Frederick William I didn’t make the Junkers pay taxes which made the Prussian peasants pay more taxes. Not only did he free Junkers from taxes; he only permitted Junkers to be landowners and gave them full power over the Prussian peasants. Frederick knew that these laws would anger the Prussian peasants, but he also knew that there was little the Prussian peasants could do in opposition to the laws. Frederick William I was most concerned with pleasing the Junkers, because he knew that they were the key to him attaining absolute power in Prussia. His plan worked to perfection as the Junkers swore allegiance to Frederick William I making his power absolute. Frederick William I’s Legacy: Frederick William I is known today as one of the hardest working, most dedicated, and most powerful absolute monarchs in history. He is credited with bringing absolute rule to Prussia, with building one of the most powerful armies ever, and generating wealth for Prussia by strengthening the Prussian economy. When Frederick William I died in 1740 the Prussian Empire was at its height. Frederick William I passed the throne to his son Frederick William II, with the hope that his son would better what he had already done. Frederick William II (2nd): (1740 – 1786) Frederick William II took the Prussian throne in 1740 and continued his father’s success. Like his father, Frederick William II ruled as an absolute monarch. Frederick gave himself the name “The 1st Servant of Prussia”, and in return for what he did for Prussia, the people gave him the name “Frederick the Great”. No aspect of the Prussian Government escaped his attention. Frederick William II strengthened the Prussian economy even further than his father did by exporting a lot of materials and food. Frederick William II began to mine valuable natural resources in demand all over Europe. Frederick William II also improved Prussian farming by encouraging farmers from all over Europe to immigrate to Prussia where Frederick William II introduced scientific farming techniques and new crops for them to grow. With the increase in exports, Prussian wealth under Frederick William II grew out of control. Not only did Frederick generate wealth; he created a fair and lawful Prussian society. He first extended religious freedom to all people except Jewish people, and torture was eliminated as a form of punishment except in cases of murder and treason. Frederick William II also raised law judges salaries to reduce the risk of them being bribed. In general, life in Prussian was great under Frederick William II. Maria Theresa of Austria: (1740 – 1780) Just as Frederick took the throne of Prussia in the year of 1740, a 23-year old woman named Maria Theresa took the throne of Austria and became the 1st female Hapsburg ruler. The Austrian Empire at the time included Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary. Despite much controversy surrounding her appointment to the throne, Maria Theresa began her reign of Austria in 1740 and would not give up her throne until her death 40 years later in 1780. Throughout her reign, Maria Theresa and Frederick William II of Prussia were fierce rivals often at war with one another with Frederick William II always being the winner. Prussian Military: As has already been stated, Frederick William II had success in many areas during his time on the Prussian throne. Frederick William II’s greatest area of success was the use of the Prussian military to expand Prussia’s territory. During Frederick William II’s reign, Prussia’s army grew to be the 4th largest in Europe, and flexed its muscles quite often. The 1st war under Frederick William II was the War of Austrian Succession, which began because Frederick William II wanted to annex the Austrian province of Silesia. Both France and Spain backed Prussia, and Austria was by backed England. The war lasted from 1740 until 1748. After nearly eight years of fighting, the Treaty of Aix-laChapelle ended the war and Prussia gained the area of Silesia as part of their country. Although Austria retained most of its country, Queen Maria Theresa of Austria was angry at losing Silesia to Frederick William II of Prussia. Maria Theresa’s discontent would lead to the Seven Years War, which would involve much of Europe and take place in Europe, North America, and India. Seven Years War / French and Indian War: The Seven Years War took place from 1754 to 1763 and involved much of the same countries that fought in the War of Austrian Succession. The Seven Years War was different from the war of Austrian Succession in two ways. The 1st difference was that the country alliances were completely opposite. The 2nd difference was that the war would be fought on three continents (Europe, North America, and India). In this war, England and Prussia would be allies and Austria, France and Russia would be allies. All five countries would fight in Europe, but two countries would mainly fight in North America. With some help from England, Prussia fought against Austria, Russia, and France to defend the newly acquired land of Silesia. England and France fought mostly in North America over the newly discovered land and growing colonies. It is important to know that the Seven Years War fought in North America is also known as the French and Indian War. The Treaty of Paris 1763 officially ended the war and stated the following; 1) Prussia is to retain almost all of Silesia, while giving a small portion back to Austria, 2) England is to gain most of French Canada and all French land east of the Mississippi River. As you can see, this war was a clear-cut victory for Prussia and England. st 1 Partition of Poland: In 1772 Frederick William II and Maria Theresa had their first peaceful agreement in which both stood to gain something. Known as the 1st Partition of Poland, Frederick II of Prussia, Maria Theresa of Austria, and Catherine II of Russia peacefully divided up Poland into three parts for each country to own and rule. This topic will be explored further in the next section. Frederick William II’s Legacy: Frederick truly deserved his nickname “Frederick the Great”. During Frederick’s 46-year reign, Prussian more than doubled its size and population. With its efficient government, sound economy, and a superb army, Prussia was a dominant power in Europe at the time of Frederick William II’s death in 1786. Maria Theresa’s Legacy: During her time on the throne Maria Theresa would successfully do what her two predecessors (Leopold I and Charles VI) couldn’t. By the time of her death in 1780, she established an absolute monarchy, improved the Austrian economy by ending trade barriers between Austria and Bohemia, and reconfigured the Austrian tax system. One knock on Maria Theresa’s reign was her inability to defeat Frederick William II and significantly expand the Austrian Empire. Despite her losses, Maria Theresa is still recognized as one of the great leaders in Austrian history. At the time of her death Maria Theresa had given birth to 16 children (11 girls and 5 boys), which left plenty of choices for a successor to the Austrian throne. Her oldest son Joseph II was chosen as Maria Theresa’s successor. Maria Theresa’s most famous child is Marie Antionette who would eventually be the 1st executed queen of France during the French Revolution. Section # 3 Questions: Answer the questions on a separate sheet of paper. 1. What are the dates of the Thirty Years War, and what was the reason for the war starting? 2. What official document ended the war, and what did it state? 3. Explain how the Thirty Years War contributed to the rise of Prussia. 4. What family became the ruling monarchy of Prussia? 5. In what year did the Hohenzollern Monarchy end? 6. Who was the last Hohenzollern monarch, and why was he forced to abdicate (step down)? 7. Who was the 1st Hohenzollern absolute monarch, how long did he rule Prussia (include the dates), and what was his nickname? 8. What was the name given to Prussian nobles? 9. Why did Frederick William I not make the Prussian nobles pay taxes? 10. Because the Prussian nobles were not paying taxes, who had to pay more taxes to make up for the losses in tax collection? 11. Who was the 2nd Hohenzollern absolute monarch, how long did he rule Prussia (include the dates), and what was his nickname? st 12. Who was the 1 female Hapsburg ruler, what country did she rule, how long did she rule the country (include the dates), and who was her rival? 13. What were the dates of the Austrian War of Succession, what treaty ended the war, and what did Prussia gain form Austria during the war? 14. What were the dates of the Seven Years war, why was it being fought, and where was it being fought? 15. What is another name for the Seven Years War? 16. What treaty ended the Seven Years War, what did the treaty state, and who were the two clear cut winners? 17. In what peaceful agreement did Frederick II and Maria Theresa both gain land? 19. Who was Maria Theresa’s most famous child? Section # 4 – Russia (1553 – 1796) Russian Isolation: Although Russia is considered part of Europe, it missed out on much of what Europe experienced due to its isolated geographical position in Eastern Europe. Russia’s frigid temperatures and lack of a warm-water port, a port that would stay unfrozen year round, kept civilians and traders away. For these reasons Russia missed out on trading goods, the Renaissance, both the Protestant and Catholic Reformation, and the general spread of ideas that were taking place throughout Europe. This was both good and bad for Russia. It was good in that Russia never had a Catholic Protestant debate, like much of Europe had experienced, because all Russians followed the Eastern Orthodox religion. It was mostly bad because Russia fell way behind in the technology that all other European countries were developing. It would take the greatness of one man and one woman to turn all of this around in years to come. Ivan IV (4th): (1533 – 1584) 18. What was the one knock on Maria Theresa during her reign? One man responsible for Russian isolation and general poor Russian life was Ivan IV, also known as “Ivan the Terrible”. Ivan IV became the czar (king) of Russia in 1533 at the age of three. He would rule for another 51 years and turn Russia completely upside down. Known for his cruel and highly volatile personality, Ivan IV ruled with an iron fist. He arrested, exiled, or executed many Russian people and many of his closest advisors. He even killed his own son in a fit of rage. Ivan IV’s goal was to be an absolute monarch. Ivan IV saw the Boyars (boh yahrz), or Russian nobles, as a threat to his absolute power. In an effort to limit boyar power, Ivan IV took all of the boyar’s land and put it under his direct control. Boyar land made up about one half of Russia. On this seized land Ivan IV placed the Oprichniki (aw preech nee kee), which was a secret police force that terrorized the Russian people. Ivan IV’s Legacy: Although Ivan IV did create an absolute monarchy in Russia, for the most part he was a failure who deserved the nickname “The Terrible”. Ivan IV did gain some land from the Mongols (Mongolia), and did expand the Russian economy on a small scale. However, Ivan IV failed to gain a warm-water port to enhance Russian trade further, and the persecution of the Boyars and the Russian people was unthinkable. When Ivan died in 1584 much of Russia rejoiced. Ivan IV would go down in Russian history as one of the worst rulers ever. The Romanov Monarchy / Dynasty: Although much of Russia was happy about the death of Ivan IV, the 29 years following Ivan’s death would be far worse than life under Ivan. This time period, known as the “Time of Troubles”, was characterized by revolution and invasions by the neighboring countries Sweden and Poland. In 1613 a 17-year old named Michael Romanov was appointed czar of Russia. Michael, who ruled Russia until 1645, became the 1st Romanov monarch. The Romanov monarchy would rule Russia until the 1917 Russian Revolution, which would pull Russia out of WWI, see the Czar Nichols II and his family murdered, have the communist leader Vladimir Lenin rise to power, and see name of Russia be changed to the Soviet Union. Although the Romanov monarchy was in place with Michael’s appointment, Russia would experience civilian rebellion and revolution attempts for many years to come. Four more Romanov monarchs would try to restore order to Russia, but none were successful until the year 1682 when one of Russia’s greatest leaders rose to power. With the Romanov monarchy in trouble and Russia on the brink of revolution, things did not look better when a 10-year old boy named Peter became czar of Russia in 1682. Peter I was the fifth Romanov monarch and would eventually become one of the greatest leaders in Russian history. Known as “Peter the Great”, he took full responsibility of the Russian throne in 1689 and turned Russia into a true absolute monarchy. Peter I was a huge man, nearly seven feet tall, poorly educated, uncouth, and often brutal. At the same time, Peter I was open to new ideas, practical, hard-working and energetic. Both of his bad qualities and good qualities would help Peter achieve absolute power in Russia and lead the Russian society to greatness. Peter and Western European Thought: Peter I knew that Russia was far behind the rest of Europe in almost every aspect of life. In an effort to gain knowledge about Western European life, Peter I toured Western Europe. Upon his return, Peter I tried to incorporate Western European values into Russian life by instituting many radical changes. Peter I named this reform of Russian life “westernization”. Peter I first restored the Boyars and forced them to adopt the beliefs and clothing of Western Europe. Russian men entering Moscow were forced to shave their beards or pay a fine. Women, who had always been excluded from social gatherings, were ordered to attend parties. These changes were opposed at first, but were eventually accepted by all Russian people. Peter I also sent Russian government officials to Western Europe to study shipbuilding, naval warfare, mathematics, and foreign languages. He also invited experts from foreign countries to come train his Russian people. Peter I’s love of Western European culture and technology lead to many changes in Russian life. Russian Economy: Peter I (1st): (1682 – 1725) Peter I needed money to support the changes he was making to the Russian government and society. The Russian economy was bringing in money, but not the amount of money that Peter I needed to support his “Westerization of Russia”. In order to strengthen the Russian economy, Russia had to embrace the theory of mercantilism and consistently import goods into Russia and export goods to other countries. During the 1700’s goods were transported predominantly by water. The problem here is that much of Russia has extremely cold temperatures year round. Surrounding Arctic Ocean waters of Russia would freeze making it very difficult for wooden ships to maneuver and transport goods in and out of Russia. This made it very difficult for Peter I to build a consistent and strong economy. In order to build a strong economy Peter I knew that he had to gain permanent access to a waterway leading to a major sea or ocean that did not freeze over. The need of this waterway, or “warm-water port”, would be an underlying motive for much of what Peter would do throughout his reign. Russian Military: Peter I knew that he was going to have to go to war to gain a warm-water port. Peter I also knew that his army was not equipped or trained to fight a war. Peter I poured time, money, and training into the Russian army and created the largest standing army in Europe. With his new military, Peter I set out to gain his warm-water port. Peter I first tried to gain a warmwater port in the Black Sea by defeating the Ottoman Empire, but his effort was a failure. Peter I learned from his mistakes and turned his attention to neighboring Sweden, which owned much land along the Baltic Sea. The war began in 1700 and ended in 1709 with Russia winning land along the Baltic Sea and finally gaining a warm-water port. St. Petersburg: On the land along Baltic Sea gained from the war with Sweden, Peter I decided to build a new city. Peter I would name the city St. Petersburg and make it the new capital of Russia (Moscow being the old capital). During the Russian Revolution St. Petersburg’s name was changed to Leningrad. After the Russian Revolution was over the name was changed back to St. Petersburg. Peter I chose to build St. Petersburg on a piece of land that was very swampy. Peter I forced thousands of serfs, or Russian peasants, to drain the swampy area. Although many serfs died while doing this, Peter I got his city and referred to it as the “Window on the West”. He invited many Western European architects to St. Petersburg to help him design every little bit of the city. Just as the Palace of Versailles became a symbol of Louis XIV and French absolutism, St. Petersburg was a symbol of Peter I and Russian absolutism. Because of the warm-water port built at St. Petersburg, it became the biggest and most important trading city in Russia. Goods were constantly being imported and exported at St. Petersburg, which lead to a strong Russian economy and much wealth for Russia and Peter the Great. Peter’s Legacy: After a 43-year reign of Russia, Peter I died in 1725. Peter had done more for Russia than any other Russian leader before him. He expanded Russian territory, gained a warm-water port, created a huge army, strengthened the Russian economy, and secured Russia as a respected country to the rest of world for many years to come. Although Peter I did carry Russia to greatness, the progression of his vision would be lost until the year 1672 when another great Romanov leader came to the throne and restored the vision of Peter the Great. Catherine II (2nd): (1762 – 1796)