Unit Three
European History:
Rise of the Nation-state and Royal Absolutism
154-180
STUDY GUIDE
The following is a list of items about which you should be able to speak intelligently if you are to succeed on this
exam.
General:
Four countries growing in strength
(Spain, England, France, Russia)
One country weak and disjointed (HRE)
Two countries within HRE growing in strength
(Austria and Prussia)
Each country and its major royal family of the time
Official religion in each country
Reasons for expansion in each country
Locations of expansion/colonization of each country
2 major goals of each monarch (for country and self)
Obstacles to royal absolutism
Strongest nation in the world ca. 1550-1650
Cause of Spanish dominance during Golden Age
Strongest nation in the world ca. 1700
Spain:
Hapsburgs
Ferdinand and Isabella
Charles V
Philip II
Holy Inquisition and effects
Spanish Armada – failure
Golden Age and decline – causes
England:
War of the Roses
Tudors
Henry VIII
Elizabeth I
Stuarts
(Mary Queen of Scots and her fate)
James I
Unification of thrones of England and Scotland
Divine Right of Kings
Anglican Church vs. Puritans (Calvinists), Catholics
Parliament, Magna Carta
France:
Bourbons
Henry IV (1589-1610)
Louis XIII (1610-1643)
Louis XIV (1643-1715)
Louis XV (1715-1774)
Louis XVI (1774-1793)
The Sun King – “The State, that’s me!”
Obstacles to absolutism
Huguenots
Catholic Church
Nobles
Estates-General
Cardinals Richelieu and Mazarin – nation over faith
Edict of Nantes and its elimination
Overcoming nobles – buying them off as follows:
Palace at Versailles and bogus jobs for nobles
Intendants
Taxes on poor not nobles
Jean Domat and royal absolutism theory
Holy Roman Empire:
Disjointed especially since 1556 – Peace of Augsburg
Even less unified with 30 Years’ War (1618-1648)
Impact of the 30 Years’ War
300 + principalities
Religion of prince is religion of principality –
Lutheran, Calvinist, Catholic
No strong central power
2 principalities vie for leadership of the empire:
Austria – Hapsburgs, Catholic, the emperors of HRE
Prussia – Hohenzollerns, Lutheran, Junkers, military
Russia:
Russian Orthodox
Ivan the Terrible
Romanovs (1613-1917)
Peter the Great (1689-1723)
Catherine the Great (1762-1796)
Expansion – warm water ports, window to the west
Monarchs vs. nobles (Boyars)
Serfdom ≈ Slavery