THE EUROPEAN STATES; RUSSIA, WAR, AND

DIPLOMACY

By Rachel Neel, Connor Davis, Jeremy Shore,

Audrey Birdwell

THE EUROPEAN STATES

Philosophes reinforced arguments regarding an

absolute monarchy such as that a monarch should

maintain laws, execute justice, use powers to

prevent corruption of manners, and defend the state

against enemies.

People are born with a set of natural rights that

can not be infringed upon such as equality before

the law, religious freedom, ability to hold property,

etc. A ruler’s job was to protect these rights.

Characteristics of the philosophes’ ideal for enlightened absolutism (despotism): introduced reforms for the improvement of society, allowing freedom of speech and the press, permitting religious toleration, expanding education, and ruling in accordance to the laws.

LOUIS XV (1715-74)

France under the rule of Louis XV had a large

debt, unhappy citizens, and large territories left from

Louis XIV. Louis XV was apathetic, and did little to

improve France’s situation himself.

Marie Antoinette was a spoiled Austrian princess

who mostly spent time in court intrigues. With

neither ruler making a real effort to run the country,

crises worsened until neither of them could handle

the uprisings and violence that erupted.

England: Patronage is the practice of awarding titles and

making appointments to government and other positions to gain political support.

Prime ministers came to represent the executive branch of government when King George I of England couldn’t speak English and his heir wasn’t familiar with the British government system, so chief ministers were able to handle parliament.

Robert Walpole was a prime minister of England (1721-42) who pursued peaceful foreign policy to avoid new land taxes.

William Pitt (the Elder) was the spokesperson of the exponets of the empire, and the prime minister (he was later dismissed by King George III for criticizing the king).

King George III tried to stay in power by appointing William Pitt (the younger) as prime minister.

The struggle between the oligarchies that dominated local and national affairs divided the Dutch republic until Prussia intervened and restored order.

Prussia: Fredrick William and Fredrick I both contributed to

forming a highly efficient bureaucracy, and organized and controlled Prussia well.

Fredrick William I believed that all but salvation must belong to the ruler. He was very strict and military based. He formed the fourth biggest army of the time.

Junkers were landed aristocrats that owned estate and serfs. They were imbued with a sense of service to the king or state.

The peasants and the middle class had no freedom or rights. They typically either farmed or joined the military.

Fredrick II enlarged the military, took territory for Prussia, and engaged in several wars.

Austria: The cultural diversity made it hard for the Austrians

to unite together and provide a centralized administration.

Maria Theresa forced clergy and nobles to pay property and income taxes to royal officials by curtailing the roles of diets in taxation and local administration . She also enlarged and modernized the Austria’s armed forces. This made the Austrian empire more centralized and more bureaucratic.

Joseph II was enlightened in that he tried to establish equality throughout the Austrian empire. He failed, however. (“Here lies Joseph II, Who was unfortunate in everything he undertook.”)

Russia: Catherine the Great’s power relied on the support

she could get from the palace guard and the nobility, and, by allowing nobles to choose government officials, the nobility gained more power under her rule.

Catherine tried to establish a new law code that questioned institutions such as serfdom, torture, and capital punishment. Her negotiation produced little real change.

The Charter of Nobility gave the gentry class the right to trial by peers, and exemption from personal taxation and corporal punishment.

Pugachev won the support of many citizens in his fight for better conditions for Russian peasants. Pugachev was winning until government forces rallied and, betrayed by his subordinates, Pugachev was executed.

Over the course of her rein, Catherine gained land westward toward Poland and southward toward the Black sea from the Ottoman Turks and Poland.

Poland neighboring countries wanted to take over Poland in its weakened state. To avoid war, Austria, Russia, and Prussia agreed to split Poland into three partitions.

Portugal was declining in power as the catholic church and the nobility gained power.

Spain reestablished control over Naples and Sicily. The catholic church was being controlled.

In Italy, Austria had replaced Spain as the dominate power. Milan and Sardinia were under Habsburg control.

The Swedish nobility of Scandinavia controlled public life, after the death of Charles XII. Gustavus III established freedom of religion.

Enlightened Absolutism was limited since the hereditary aristocracy still held most of the power in society. Military, Political, and Social realities limited the power of Enlightened Absolutism as well.

The War of the Austrian Succession (1740-48) : Charles was unable to produce a male heir and feared the consequences of his daughter Maria Theresa taking the throne, so countries fought over the right to the Austrian Throne.

The Treaty of Aiz-la-Chapelle: promised to return all territories except Silesia back to their original owners.

The Seven Years’ War (1756-63): Maria Theresa refused to accept the loss of Silesia, and worked diplomatically to separate Prussia form its ally, France. Britain and France fought over colonial empires. Austria and Prussia fought over Silesia. England allied with Prussia. Russia allied with Austria and France.

The Treaty of Paris (1763): France ha to withdraw and leave India to England.

European armies increased in number as did the navies, which the British and Dutch viewed as more important. War was not driven by ideology. Generals used clever and elaborate maneuvers, rather than direct confrontation.