Absolutism+&+Enlightenment

ABSOLUTISM - OVERVIEW

During the 1500s and 1600s, European monarchs reached the height of their power, and by the 1700s, absolute monarchs ruled four out of the five major European states. They set up large government bureaucracies and built powerful armies. They embarked on bold ventures at home and competed for empires overseas. As their power and resources grew, the center of world civilization shifted to Europe.

Theories on the absolutist state and the power of absolute kings

**FRANCE UNDER LOUIS XIV ** In the late 1500s, France was torn apart by religious conflict between French Protestants, called Huguenots, and Catholics. In an event called the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, thousands of Huguenots were slaughtered. In 1598, King Henry IV issued the Edict of Nantes to protect Protestants. This granted the Huguenots religious toleration and other freedoms. After Henry’s assassination in 1610, his nine-year-old son, Louis XIII, inherited the throne. Louis appointed Cardinal Richelieu as his chief minister. Richelieu sought to strengthen royal power by crushing any groups that did not bow to royal authority. In 1643, fiveyear-old Louis XIV inherited the French throne. When his chief minister died, Louis XIV resolved to take complete control of the government. He believed in his divine right to rule and even called himself the Sun King to symbolize his vital role within the nation. Louis XIV expanded the royal government and appointed intendants—royal officials who collected taxes, recruited soldiers, and carried out his policies in the provinces. To fuel the country’s economy, Louis’s finance minister, Jean Baptiste Colbert, expanded commerce and trade. Taxes helped finance the king’s extravagant lifestyle. Outside Paris, Louis XIV transformed a royal hunting lodge into the grand palace of Versailles. The palace represented the king’s great power and wealth. Elaborate court ceremonies were held to emphasize the king’s importance. For example, during the ritual known as the levée, or rising, high-ranking nobles would compete for the honor of handing the king his shoes. The purpose was to keep the nobles in Versailles to gain their support and prevent them from getting too powerful. Under Louis XIV, France became the strongest state in Europe. However, the country’s prosperity began to erode. This loss of wealth was caused by some of Louis’s decisions. He fought costly wars to extend French borders, but rival rulers resisted in order to maintain the balance of power. Louis also revoked the Edict of Nantes, driving over 100,000 hard-working and prosperous Huguenots out of France.

The Court of Louis XIV (source work) Life at Versailles

Absolutism in England (source work)

Enlightenment

under construction

What is Enlightenment? (source analysis)

Note: The above information provided in this "Absolutism-Overview" section is the reproduction of the text found at: <span style="font-family: 'Courier New',Courier,monospace; font-size: 110%;">http://www.phschool.com/atschool/worldhistory/pdfs/HSWH_SU_NTSG_nad_1607.pdf