TH 16 – 1
AP EURO HISTORY
ABSOLUTISM
I ABSOLUTISM:
Notes
1. Derived from the traditional assumption of power (e.g. heirs to the
throne) and the belief in “divine right of kings”
2. All political power, or sovereignty, resides in the king. Absolute monarchs
rule by divine right and are answerable only to God.
3. Why did the people accept absolutism? After the upheaval and chaos
of the 30 Years War, people were desperate for a return of order and
peace.
II PHILOSOPHY OF ABSOLUTISM
1. Jean Bodin (1530-96)
a. Among the first to provide a theoretical basis for absolutist states.
b. Wrote during the chaos of the French Civil Wars of the late 16th
century
c. Believed that only absolutism could provide order and force
people to obey the government
2. Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679): Leviathan (1651)
a. Pessimistic view of human beings in a state of nature:
1) “Solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short strong”
2) Anarchy results
3) Central drive in every person is power
b. His ideas became most closely identified with Voltaire in the 18th
century: “Enlightened Despotism”
c. Hobbes ideas were not very popular in the 17th century
1) Hobbes did not favor “divine right” of kings, as was
favored by Louis XIV in France and James I and Charles I in
England
2) Those with constitutional ideas saw Hobbes’ ideas as too
authoritarian
3. Bishop Jacques Bossuet (1627-1704)
a. Principle advocate of “divine right of kings” in France during
the reign of Louis XIV.
b. Believed “divine right” meant that the king was placed on throne
by God, and therefore owed his authority to no man or group
1
TH 16 – 1
AP EURO HISTORY
France became the epitome of absolutism. Each king and first minister
worked towards the centralization of power:
King
First Minister
Henry IV
Sully
=
H IV/S
Louis XIII
Richelieu
=
L XIII/R
Louis XIV
Mazarin & Colbert = L XIV/M or
L XIV/C
CHARACTERISTICS OF ABSOLUTISM
CHARACTERISTICS
Control the Nobility.
Expand government
bureaucracy.
Control the economy.
Use secret police
Maintain a large standing
army.
Glorify the king, and the
state.
Pursue a policy of
expansion using war.
HOW DID THE KINGS DO IT ?
H IV/S: Kept nobles off the Royal Council & instituted the paulette.
L XIII/R: Destroyed castles, crushed conspiracies, and created
intendants to take away some of the noble's power over local government.
L XIV/M: Crushed the Fronde and forced nobles to live at Versailles
H IV/S: Appointed members of the Middle Class to Royal Council.
L XIII/R: Divided France into districts each run by an intendant
appointed by the king and "authorized to decide, order and execute all that
they see good to do." Intendants were selected from the Middle Class or
lower level nobles.
H IV/S: Lowered taxes on lower classes, instituted the paulette,
subsidized the Company for Trade with the Indies.
L XIII/R: Laid foundation for mercantilism by obtaining colonies.
L XIV/C: Established mercantilism, subsidized industry, placed tariffs
on imports, developed colonies, built trading fleet and navy. L XIV's
revocation of the Edict of Nantes hurt the economy by driving out skilled
workmen and businessmen.
Watch everyone, report everything, and crush conspiracies
L XIII/R: Used army to crush resistance from nobles and for 30 Years
War.
L XIV: Had Louvois reform and build a professionally trained army.
Louis XIII / R: Revived art and literature, supported the origins of
French Classicism.
Louis XIV: Built Versailles, established French fashion and culture as
the envy of the western world. The French language became the language
of international diplomacy and spoken by everyone with any education.
Henry IV/S: Fought the wars of religion to bring peace to France
Louis XIII/R: Fought the 30 Years War to gain territory along France's
eastern border and curb the Hapsburgs (Austrian and Spanish). Wanted
control over the German States. Got the province of Alsace.
Louis XIV: Fought 4 major wars, especially the War of Spanish
Succession. Gained territory in Belgium, and along the Rhine River,
especially the province of Lorraine. Lost Nova Scotia, Newfoundland,
and Hudson Bay.
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