AP EURO
Unit #3 – Scientific Revolution and
the Era of the Enlightenment
Lesson #303
ENLIGHTENED ABSOLUTISTS
Essential Questions
5. How was the term “enlightened absolutist” an
oxymoron? Give at least one example.
6. How did England come to replace France as
the greatest nation in Europe?
Enlightenment explained…
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Hobbes
Locke
Montesquieu
Rousseau
Voltaire
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CP8k_f3PFq8
What was Enlightened Absolutism
1. 1740-1790
2. Textbook Definition: a form of absolute monarchy
which embraces some aspects of the
enlightenment, especially rationality.
3. Enlightened absolutism is sometimes called
enlightened despotism.
4. An "absolute ruler" or "despot" is someone who
believes that the ruler should have all the power
and no one should have any right to question or
challenge what the ruler does.
5. They tended to allow religious tolerance, freedom
of speech and the press, and the right to hold
private property. Most fostered the arts, sciences,
and education.
Enlightened Absolutists
• Frederick The Great
(Prussia) (r.1740-1786)
• Catherine the Great
(Russia) (r.1762-1796)
• Joseph II
(Austria) (r.1765-1790)
Frederick the Great
• Frederick II of Prussia (r.1740-1786)
• led Prussian army in two wars
– War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
– Seven Years War
• modernized the Prussian bureaucracy and civil service
• pursued religious policies throughout his realm that ranged
from tolerance to segregation
• reformed the judicial system and made it possible for men
not of noble stock to become judges and senior bureaucrats
• encouraged immigrants of various nationalities and faiths to
come to Prussia
• supported arts and philosophers he favored, but at the
same time enacted several laws censoring the press
• he died childless
“The First Servent of the State”
Anti-Machiavel
• Frederick wrote a book, published right after
he became king
• He was way more rational and benevolent
• Frederick argued that the king is charged with
maintaining the health and prosperity of his
subjects
• THE FIRST SERVENT OF THE STATE
Catherine the Great
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Catherine II of Russia (r. 1762-1796)
reformed the administration
continued to modernize Russia (Peter I)
the Catherinian Era, is often considered the Golden
Age of the Russian Empire
Construction of many mansions of the nobility, in the
classical style endorsed by the Empress, changed the
face of the country.
enthusiastically supported the ideals of the
Enlightenment
a patron of the arts
presided over the formation of the first college for
Women in Europe
Presided over massive expansion into Ottoman lands
47m
Peter III of Russia
• Born in a northern German state
• the only child of Anna Petrovna, the elder
surviving daughter of Peter the Great. The
German Peter could hardly speak Russian.
• Very unpopular.
• Married Catherine the Great
• Next in line after Elizabeth, who followed Peter the
Great
• He was deposed and possibly assassinated as a
part of a conspiracy led by his German wife,
Princess Sophie, who succeeded him to the throne
as Catherine II.
• His death could also have been the result of a
drunken brawl with his bodyguard when he was
being held captive after Catherine's coup
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
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Joseph II, Emperor of Austria (r. 1765-1790)
First son to Maria Theresa
Committed t to modernizing reforms
His policies are now known as Josephinism.
Promoted religious toleration
Issues 6,000 decrees and 11,000 just laws
Tried to relieve the peasantry of feudal burdens, and
to remove restrictions on trade and knowledge
• tried to liberate serfs, but this policy was violently
rejected by both the nobility and the peasants
• Built a rationalized, centralized, and uniform
government for his diverse lands
• promotion was solely by merit, without favor for
class or ethnic origins
Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor
Personal life of Joseph II
• Austere and humorless; slept on a bed of straw
• personnel of government was expected to be imbued with the
same dedicated spirit of service to the state that he himself had
• under constant pressure, in 1765, he relented and married his
second cousin, Princess Maria Josepha of Bavaria
• This marriage proved extremely unhappy, lasted only two years.
Though Maria Josepha loved her husband, she felt timid and
inferior in his company.
• Joseph confessed he felt no love (nor attraction) for her.
• He adapted by distancing himself from his wife to the point of near
total avoidance, seeing her only at meals and upon retiring to bed.
Maria Josepha, in turn, suffered considerable misery in finding
herself locked in a cold, loveless union.
• Married only two years, Maria Josepha died from smallpox.
• Joseph neither visited her during her illness nor attended her
funeral, though he later expressed regret for not having shown her
better kindness, respect or warmth.
• Joseph never remarried.
• He died with no sons; succeeded by his younger brother, Leopold
Wars of the Era
• War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
• Seven Years War (1756-1763)
War of Austrian Succession
• Maria Theresa was only living heir to Charles VI
• Charles issues PRAGMATIC SANCTION (1713)
after he had no sons
• Maria Theresa born four years later
– Ascended to throne at age 23, crown Archduchess of
Austria, Holy Roman Empress, Queen of Hungary and
Bohemia
– Only woman leader of Hapsburg in 650 years
– Had 16 kids (first son was Joseph II)
– Ultra-Catholic
– Shared power with Joseph for years
• Frederick invaded Austria 2mo. after new leader
took over
War of Austrian Succession
• Frederick pushed deep into Silesia, Austrian
territory
• Maria Theresa rallied Hungarian nobles
• Austria had to surrender Silesia
• Frederick considered victorious
• But Austria halted advancing Prussian army
• France joined war to pound on their old enemy:
Austria
• England joined to prevent French gaining
Netherlands (Spain lost under Peace of Utrecht)
• France took war to America to divert: stretched
too thin & lost to the English
• Prussia vs. Austria
• France vs. England
War of Austrian Succession
Diplomatic Revolution
• 1756
• Prussia joined England – peacetime defensive
alliance
• England saw Prussia as a better ally to protect
Hannover from France (King George I (1714)
was from Hannover)
• Austria was determined to retake Silesia
• Austria turned to France for alliance
• Russia joined alliance with France and Austria
Diplomatic Revolution
Seven Years War
Seven Years War
• (1756-1763)
• (actually started 1754 in America, so it was actually a
nine year war)
• Almost destroyed Prussia
• Britain attacked France in America: French and Indian
War
• Frederick feared encirclement – struck and took Saxony
• Sweden attacked, and Prussia was surrounded and
nearly destroyed
• Peter III ascended to throne, Russia switched sides,
then pulled out of war
• France was stretched too thin, and dropped out.
• Sweden, Russia and Austria vs. Prussia
More than a million people died
• France vs. England
Wars of the Era
• War of Austrian Succession (1740-1748)
• Seven Years War (1756-1763)
• French Revolution (1789-1799)
• England won two major world conflicts in
multiple theaters
• England had become the European leader
1714-1800
Partition of Poland
• Prussia needed to avoid war in late 1700s
• Used Poland as tool for diplomacy
• Austrian, Russia
and Prussia each
bit away a piece of
Poland, three
times 1772-1795
• By 1795, Poland
was removed from
the map