Absolutism in
Europe
What ideas did absolute monarchs use to
justify their power?
What New York State says you should
know:
NYS Curriculum- Unit Four: The First Global Age (1450-1770)
F. Political ideologies: global absolutism
1. Human and physical geography
2. Thomas Hobbes, The Leviathan
3. Jacques-Benigne Bossuet:
Absolutism and Divine right theory
4. Case studies: Akbar the Great,
Suleiman the Magnificent, Philip II,
Louis XIV, Ivan the Terrible, and Peter the Great
G. The response to absolutism: The rise of parliamentary
democracy in England
1. Background-Magna Carta
2. Divine Right of Monarchy-Stuart rule
3. Puritan Revolution-Oliver Cromwell
4. Glorious Revolution- John Locke and the English Bill of Rights
Absolute
Absolute = Total; complete.
Absolutism = The political ideology that a ruler should
have complete and total power over a nation.
The ruler or government’s power should not be limited
by a constitution, opposition, or public
Introduction
● During the 1600s and 1700s, powerful kings
and queens ruled most of Europe.
● These monarchs had absolute, or total,
power.
● They claimed to rule by divine right, or the will
of God.
● They centralized power in their nations
The Leviathan
●
●
●
●
Philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote “The
Leviathan” to support the Stuart monarchs in
England.
He believed that life was naturally “nasty,
brutish, and short” and that people were
selfish and greedy.
Without a strong government to maintain
order, a nation would fall into rebellion and
chaos
He argued that the best way to peace and
wealth was having a monarch who had
absolute power over his country.
Bossuet - The Divine Right of Kings
● Bishop Jacques Bossuet of France
argued that the king of France was
god’s representative on earth.
○ People needed to follow the king
without question.
○ The King had the Divine Right to
rule.
Louis XIV was called the Sun King
because of his divine right to rule.
He demanded complete loyalty
from the people of France
Louis XIV
Ivan the
Terrible
Peter the
Great
Philip II
Absolutism in Spain
During the 1500s, Spain became very
wealthy from its empire in the
Americas.
Philip II ruled from 1556-1598. He
wanted to control all parts of the
government. He claimed that his
authority to rule came directly from
God.
Absolutism in Russia
●
●
Ivan the Terrible (Czar Ivan IV) - Ruled 1462-1505
○ Harsh and violent ruler.
○ Centralized royal power.
○ Organized a special police force that killed
nobles and destroyed villages that disagreed
with him.
Peter the Great: Czar from 1682-1725
○ Brought all Russians under his power
○ Control of the Russian Orthodox Church
○ Westernized Russia
Absolutism in France
● By the late 1600s, France was the
most powerful European nation.
● Louis XIV (the 14th) ruled for 72 years
(1643-1715)
○
○
○
○
○
Was called the Sun King
Expanded the government to collect taxes and
carry out the law away from Paris
Strengthened the French Army
Built Palace of Versailles outside Paris
Was strongly anti-protestant and fought
against the Huguenots (French Protestants)
The Palace of Versailles