CH 16: Absolutism and
Constitutionalism in Western
Europe (1589-1715)
AP EURO
THE CULTURE OF ABSOLUTISM AND
CONSTITUTIONALISM
Questions to Consider
 How did the influence of absolute monarchs affect
culture?

Or did the cultural influences of the time create the notion of
an absolute monarch?
 How did the monarchs of England lose their power?
The Culture of Absolutism
CHAPTER 16: ABSOLUTISM AND
CONSTITUTIONALISM IN WESTERN EUROPE
(1589-1715)
Baroque Art and Music
 Rome and the Catholic Church played a key role in
development of baroque style
 Most fully developed in Catholic countries
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Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) represents baroque painting
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) represents baroque music
Court Culture
 Versailles sets trend in court culture
 Becomes center of French state
 Symbol of Louis XIV’s power
 Nobles were required to spend part of the year in
attendance
 Access to the king translates into political and
economic power
 Women take on a more prominent role in patronage
system
French Classicism
 Refers to imitation of Roman and Greek artistic
models with the values of discipline, restraint, and
balance in art
 After 1660s, artists focused on glorifying Louis and
the state
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Nicholas Poussin exemplifies French classicism in painting
Jean-Baptiste Lully music
Moliere and Racine in theater
Constitutionalism
CHAPTER 16: ABSOLUTISM AND
CONSTITUTIONALISM IN WESTERN EUROPE
(1589-1715)
Absolutist Claims in England (1603-1649)
 After much bloodshed and instability, England
emerged as a constitutional monarchy
 James I (1603-1625) succeeds Elizabeth I, asserts his
divine right to rule and antagonizes Parliament
 House of Commons objects

Members comprised of new wealthy, capitalist class
Religious Divides
 James I and his successor, Charles I (r. 1625-1649)
sympathized with Catholics

Puritans in House of Commons were suspicious
 In 1640 Charles I summons Parliament to request
funding to suppress a rebellion in Scotland

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Parliament passes laws which limit Charles’ power
Irish uprising leads to civil war
 Charles I is executed by Parliament in 1649
 Parliament is unable to address issue of sovereignty
 England becomes military dictatorship run by Oliver
Cromwell 1649-1660
Puritanical Absolutism in England
 Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate
 Cromwell attempts to create a community of Puritan
saints
 After Cromwell’s death in 1658, England had enough
of military rule

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Longed for restoration of civilian rule, restoration of common
law
By 1660, ready to restore monarchy
The Restoration
 Charles II (r. 1660-1685) is invited back from exile in
France
 Limits Parliament by creating 5 man panel
 Charles II is caught in secret negotiations, panic
ensues

Was negotiating with Louis XIV for gradual return to
Catholicism in England and an alliance against Netherlands
The Restoration
 James II succeeds (r. 1685-1688) but is an open
Catholic
 Places many Catholics in high positions
 Declares universal religious tolerance

Anglican bishops refuse to read his proclamation
 James II’s wife produces a male heir
 Fear of Catholic dynasty
 Parliament offers throne to his daughter, Mary
(Protestant)
The Restoration
 James II flees in 1688 to France
 Mary and her Dutch husband, Prince William of
Orange are crowned king and queen of England
The Triumph of England’s Parliament
 Constitutional Monarchy and Cabinet Government
 The “Glorious” Revolution – Parliament’s expulsion
of James II
 Bill of Rights passed by Parliament

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Guarantees independence of judiciary
Parliament has power to make laws and freedom of debate
Protestants granted religious toleration
The Triumph of England’s Parliament
 John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government
(1690) defends Glorious Revolution

Government was a contract between ruled and ruler for
protection of life, liberty, and property
 Glorious Revolution was not a democratic revolution
 Few English subjects could vote in election of Parliament
 Cabinet system is born in 18th century
 A cabinet of ministers, responsible to Parliament,
governed
 Further diminishes power of monarch
The Dutch Republic of 17th Century
 Basis of power rested on assemblies of wealthy
merchants in each of 7 provinces called “Estates”
 A federal assembly, “States General”, ran foreign
policy – but served the Estates
 States General appointed a stadtholder in each
province/Estate

Sometimes men held the post of stadtholder in all 7 provinces
 Power relied on commercial prosperity
The Dutch Republic of 17th Century
 The Netherlands was the only realm in Europe that
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allowed nearly complete religious toleration
In 1650, Dutch owned half of the ships in Europe
Dutch, as a result, controlled much of European
trade
Had arguably the highest standard of living in the
world
Began to decline around the time of the War of
Spanish Succession