System of government •King or Queen has complete control over government & its people

AutocracyCentralized GovernmentNation states

•Monarchs based their claim on Divine Right

Authority comes from God Similar to “Mandate of Heaven”

•Monarchs are “Above the Law”

•Common features- Strong armies, limited representative bodies, high taxes, people-few rights

Breakdown of Feudalism/Rise of Nation states

Continuous Warfare

Need for money

Exploration

Declining influence of the church

Regulation of religion & society

Loss of power by nobility & legislatures

New government Bureaucracies

Huge building projects

Costly wars; taxes

The Hapsburg Monarchy1556 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V divides empire

Son Phillip II rules Spain, Netherlands & Italy

Promoted “Golden age of Spain”

•Wealth from colonies helped buildup military; improved navy

•Incredible wealth– gold/silver

•Defender of Catholicism

Europe’s most Catholic king1588-Spanish Armada defeated by England (Elizabeth I)

1600’s Spain power declines Financial problems – high inflation

Phillip II•“Golden Age” –

Velasquez, El Greco• Centralized

government• Married “Bloody Mary”• Persecution &

expulsion of Jews/Muslims hurt economy

• Built “El Escorial” palace

The Bourbon Monarchy•Henry IV increases power of govt. & decreases power of nobility

•Edict of Nantes – religious freedom

•Louis the XIII strengthens & builds up military

Cardinal Richelieu subdues nobles & Huguenots (French Protestants), strengthens economy

Known as “The Sun King”Ruled for 72 years•Mercantilist policies•Built the strongest army in Europe•Expanded bureaucracy•Never called the Estates General•Persecuted the Huguenots

French ProtestantsRevoked Edict of Nantes

•Built Lavish palace atVersailles“Gilded Cage” for nobility

His successors inherited enormous debts (costly wars & extravagance)

Louis XIV cont.

• Lost much land due to French & Indian War (7 Years War) GB defeats Fr. & Indians in American colonies

• Poor crops hurt the people• Became king at age 4; Mazarin helped him rule;

expanded France• Heavy debt from spending, extravagant lifestyle• Colbert – Finance Minister supported sale of French

products• Supported arts and education

•Early Czars Ivan III & Ivan IV (Terrible) used harsh methods to unify Russia & strengthen monarchy1480 Ivan III (Great) drives Mongols from Russia

Moscow key city Autocratic govt. Trivia – married at 12!

Ivan the TerribleFirst to use term czar

(tsar)Good period – Russia

expanded, code of law, ruled justly

Bad period – executed many boyars – landowning nobles); used secret police

Killed son in an argumentTurmoil after death1613 Michael Romanov

begins Romanov Dynasty

•Grand Embassy tour

Toured Europe learning new technologies

•Westernization/Modernization

•Introduced western ideas

•Laws, technology, culture

•Men shaved beards; dressed western

•Built largest army in Europe

Won territory along the Baltic Sea

St. Petersburg becomes “Window to the West”

Major trading port & new capital

Centralized power

Reduced power of the nobility

Brought Orthodox Church under his control

First newspaper

Introduced potato

Peter the Great

•Education, arts, music, science

•Improved status of women

•Appointed officials based on merit & service

Peter the Great

•Excessive spending•Peasants/Serfs required to work on roads/canals or serve in military; thousands died

•Heavy taxation•Put Orthodox Church under state control

Peter the Great

• Could be cruel and tyrannical; executed thousands to challenged his power

• Died saving a man from drowning

Catherine the Great

Most educated monarch

Abolished torture and capital punishment

Supported arts; first currency

Education, trade, religious toleration

Catherine the Great

NegativesDidn’t enforce reforms (esp. torture/capital punishment

Little to alleviate suffering

Controlled Orthodox Church

Negatives• Intolerant of

Muslims & Jews• Crushed peasant

rebellions harshly

Catherine the Great

• Longest ruling female leader of Russia (34 years)

• Leader of Russia during American Rev.

1215 King John forced to sign Magna Carta

Limited King’s powers1295 Edward I establishes Model Parliament

Lawmaking bodyHouse of Lords & House of Commons

Parliament successfully blocked attempted shifts to absolute ruleThe Tudor Monarchs(1485-1603) generally worked well w/ ParliamentEx. Henry VIII & Elizabeth I

                      

                   

Had absolutist tendencies (Strong belief in Divine Right); unpopularImprisoned w/out trialJames I & son Charles I consistently clashed with Parliament over finance & foreign policyAngered Puritans

Known as the Puritan Revolution (1643)Charles’s Cavaliers vs. Roundheads led by Oliver Cromwell (Puritan)Charles I is overthrown by forces loyal to Parliament

Beheaded in 1649Shocks country

England became a Republic called the CommonwealthAt first C;romwell & Parliament share power

•1653 Cromwell assumes Title of Lord Protector & rules as a dictator, Puritan intolerance of Anglicanism; severe moral code; harshCromwell brutally put down revolts in Ireland & Scotland

•Upon Cromwell’s death, Parliament restores Stuart Monarchy to throne

•“Restoration”

•Charles makes some reforms; observes Magna Carta; Habeas Corpus Act

•James II became unpopular due to absolutist policies•Parliament overthrows James II & asks William & Mary to assume throne (Glorious Revolution)

Bloodless Revolution

1688-William & Mary forced to sign English Bill of Rights is signed

Guarantees Parliament’s superiority over the Monarchy

England becomes a Limited Monarchy (Remains today)