ABSOLUTE RULER REPORT CARD:
Give each ruler a grade for the report card categories listed. At the end of the chart, answer why you gave each ruler their grade.
RULER
Controlled the
Nobility
Controlled the
Peasantry
Controlled the
Military
Controlled
Religion
Controlled Taxes
and Spending
Philip II
-Had no real
input on issues,
just prestige, no
direct part in
administration
-High Taxes
-Standing
Army of over
50k with the
greatest fleet
of ships with
the Spanish
Armada
-Strongly
supported
Catholicism,
kicked out
Muslims,
Jews, and
fought against
Protestants
-High taxes on
peasantry and
Escorial palace,
does not tax
nobles enough.
Spends on a lot
on the military,
patronized the
arts
Louis XIV
-Held no
powerful places
instead create a
bureaucracy,
nobles lived in
palace to keep
close to him,
Estates General
-High taxes, no
meeting of the
Estates
General
-Military
reported
directly to him,
spent money
to have the
greatest
number and
technology,
constant war,
much more
organized
-Repels the
Edict of
Nantes, wants
a strong
catholic base
and persecute
Huguenots
Strong
Mercantilism
policy, heavy
taxes, and
elaborate
building like
Versailles.
Patronized the
arts
Catherine the
Great
Not much, gave
power to the
nobles to keeps
serfs below
Very brutally
put down
because of
effort in
revolutions
Used to
expand
borders and
put down
revolts
Took the
Orthodox
Church
wealth and
turned
priests into
state
employees
Spends greatly
to beautify
Russia and built
great
monuments and
cities like St.
Petersburg
Final TOTAL Explanation-How Absolute were
Grade
they?
Frederick the
Great (did
not believe in
divine right)
Although
maintained
complete
control nobles
still prospered,
claimed to rule
in best
interests
Did little to
improve
standing and
kept under
noble power
Required
people to
serve and led
soldiers into
battle, strong
military state
Tolerated all
but did not
have
Catholics in
high
positions
Some but
particularly New
Palace
Charles I
Did a very poor
Job, he often
tried to not call
Parliament,
only when he
needed
eventual revolt
Use of forces
and fees and
fines
Able to
maintain but
not for entire
rule
Very forceful
by upholding
and at times
forcing
Anglican
ideas on
others
Fees and Fines
are mostly
needed to help
pay for great
wars.
Peter the
Great
Forced nobles to
adopt western
way of life, women
attend social
functions, nobles’
sons fight for
military, position
by merit, nobles
had to serve the
state
Heavier taxes
on the
peasants
Controls and
drilled
soldiers with
European
officers,
tactics,
weapons.
200k men,
lifetime work
Takes over
the Russian
Orthodox
Church,
abolished
offices and is
ran by state
officials
High taxes to
pay for huge
army and build
great cities like
St. Petersburg,
make more
western,
schools
What ruler do you think was the most absolute and why?