The Enlightened
Absolutists
Prussia
 Frederick The Great (Frederick
II) (r. 1740-1786)
th
18
Century Military
 Professional, standing armies are now the norm.
 Armies are bigger than in the early modern period. Large
battles may include 100,000 soldiers total.
 Training and paying these armies full time required lots of
money and resources which requires central control.
 Fortunately, having a large standing army allowed the state to
enforce more control. How convenient.
 Armies moved very slowly and carefully due to logistical
concerns. Battles were rarely decisive.
Austria/HRE – Charles VI
(r. 1711-1740)
Charles VI Has A Daughter
Problem
 Marie Theresa of Austria (r.
1740-1780)
War Of Austrian Succession
(1740-1748)
The Seven Years’ War
 Prussia
 France
 Great Britain
 Austria
 Hanover
 Russia (until 1762)
 Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel
 Spanish Empire (from 1761)
 Iroquois Confederacy
 Sweden (1757-62)
 Portugal (from 1761)
 Saxony
 Hesse-Kassel
 Mughal Empire (from 1757)
 Schaumburg-Lippe
The Seven Years’ War (17561763)
Frederick Is Saved By A
Miracle!
Post-War Frederick & Prussia
Russia & Catherine The
Great
 (r. 1762-1796)
Catherine Come To Power
Catherine The
Enlightened
Catherine The
Less Enlightened
Austria
 Marie Theresa of Austria (r. 1740-1780)
 "She has, as you well know, a terrible
hatred for France, with which nation it
is most difficult for her to keep on
good terms, but she controls this
passion except when she thinks to her
advantage to display it. She detests
Your Majesty, but acknowledges your
ability. She cannot forget the loss of
Silesia, nor her grief over the soldiers
she lost in wars with you." Prussian
ambassador's letter to Frederick the
Great.
Marie Theresa’s Reforms
"She is most unusually
ambitious and hopes to
make the House of Austria
more renowned than it has
ever been." – Prussian
ambassador's letter to
Frederick II of Prussia.
"That woman's
achievements are those of a
great man." – The writings
of Frederick II of Prussia.
Joseph II
 (r. ~1780-1790)
 He tries to implement the
enlightened absolute ideal,
but fails.
The Bottom Line(?)