Enlightened Absolutism and Wars/Diplomacy of

18th CAP European History

The Enlightenment and Absolutism

Most philosophes believed that benevolent absolutism was the best option for improving society

Critical thinking turned the art of good government into an exact science

Many absolutist rulers attracted to Enlightenment ideas – tried to govern in an “enlightened” manner

Necessities of state and maintenance too precedence over reform

MCQ Drill1. Enlightened absolutism in the eighteenth century

a) Never completely overcame the political and social realities of the day

b) Was most successful in strengthening administrative systems in the nation-states

c) Was limited to policies that did not undermine the interests of the nobility

d) All of the abovee) None of the above

Frederick the Great of Prussia (r. 1740-1786)

Son of Frederick William I (Soldiers’ King)

Invaded German province of Silesia

Gradual demonstration of Enlightenment thought

Reformed bureaucracy and legal system

No change to social structure

MCQ Drill1. Prussia’s Frederick the Great succeeded in

a) Imposing his strict Protestantism on a Catholic populace

b) Crushing the power of the Prussian nobilityc) Carrying out reforms that pleased the philosophesd) Making Prussia’s scattered lands more unified and

securee) Marrying his sons to the strongest Catholic royal

families

The Austrian Habsburgs

Maria Theresa (r. 1740-1780)

Strengthened bureaucracy & military

Joseph II (r. 1780-1790) Changes to feudal

system violently rejected

Leopold II (r. 1790-1792) reversed many of Joseph’s reforms

MCQ Drill1. The Austrian emperor Joseph II

a) Reversed the enlightened reforms of his mother Maria Theresa

b) Rescinded most of the privileges the Hungarians had enjoyed

c) Stripped the nobility of all its former powersd) Was discouraged by the discontent that greeted his

reformse) Abdicated his throne during a peasant uprising

Catherine the Great of Russia (r. 1762-1796)

German princess Married to Peter III

Determined to rule in Enlightened manner

Continued to bring culture of Western Europe to Russia

Domestic Reform Pugachev’s Rebellion Partition of Poland

MCQ Drill1. The partition of Poland in the late eighteenth

centurya) Occurred after decades of warfare with and between its

neighborsb) Was prevented by the military intervention of

Thaddeus Kosciuszkoc) Showed that a nation in those days needed a strong

king to survived) None of the abovee) All of the above

The War of Austrian Succession (1740 – 1748)

Pragmatic Sanction Challenges from

Prussia and France Worldwide conflict Peace Treaty of Aix-

la-Chapelle

The Seven Years War (1756 – 1763)

New rivalries, three major areas of conflict

Conflict in Europe War in India The French and

Indian War

Quick Write Describe the causes and results of the Seven

Years’ War. Explain why and how it was decisive for the colonial ambitions of Britain and France.