Unit 12 Monarchies and Enlightenment

A.D. 1500 – A.D. 1800

The Age of Kings

The Age of Kings1600-1770

• The DECLINE of feudalism + the Renaissance+ the Protestant Reformation + the Commercial Revolution = ALL SERVED to ENRICH European society and to GREATLY INCREASE the power of European monarchs (hereditary rulers).

The Growth of Royal Power

• In the Middle Ages, the power of kings had been limited by nobles, parliaments, and the Catholic Church.

• In the 16th and 17th centuries, this began to change. Kings were now able to increase their POWER for a variety of reasons:1. Controlled religion 2. controlled the nobles3. seizing absolute power and justifying power through

divine right

Wars of Religion

• During the Reformation, most kings took control of religion with in their own borders.– Example Henry VIII made himself the head of the national

church as early as 1543.• The religious wars that followed the Reformation

provided kings with an opportunity 1. to build large STANDING ARMIES, 2. to introduce NEW GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS (bureaucrats), 3. and to INCREASE TAXES. THE ARMY WAS USED TO PUT DOWN ANY RESISTANCE TO

HIGHER TAXES.

Why was Versailles built?

Changing Roles of the Nobility

• Remember in the Middle Ages, nobles had been an independent source of power.– Had their own castles and armies

• In the 1600s, rulers like Louis XIV “tamed” the nobility.

Louis built a magnificent palace at Versailles where nobility were forced to live by his side under his watchful eye.

Changing Roles of the Nobility

• At Versailles-• Nobles kept their wealth and privileges but

were expected to obey the king’s commands.• Also• The growing middle classes in town frequently

allied themselves with kings against any resistance by the nobility.

Thomas Hobbes

New Justifications for Royal Power

• New theories arose to justify royal authority.– “REASON OF STATE”- Thomas Hobbes wrote that

man was not naturally good. Without a strong central authority to keep order, LIFE would be “nasty, brutish and short.” Society would break down into a “war of everyman against every man.”

• Hobbes Said Kings Were Justified In Seizing Absolute Power Because Only They Could Act Impartially To Maintain Order In Society.

New Justifications for Royal Power

• Another theory:• Other monarchs, like James I in England and

Louis XIV in France, justified their power on the basis of DIVINE RIGHT.

• According to this theory, A King Was God’s Deputy On Earth, And Royal Commands Expressed God’s Wishes.

Louis XIV of France and

James I of England

Definitions

• Absolute Monarchy- a government in which a hereditary king or queen has absolute power; claimed their right to rule came from God( Divine Right); any attempt to remove them was said to be against God’s will.

• Limited Monarchy- government in which hereditary king or queen as head of but acts within the limits set by a written constitution

• Republic- a government in which people is held by the people and elected representatives.

Limited Monarchy in England

• In England, monarchs were never able to establish absolute rule as their fellow monarchs did in FRANCE and RUSSIA. Already in the Middle Ages, strong checks had been established on the English king’s power:

1. Magna Carta2. Rise of Parliament

Magna Carta

• In 1215, English nobles FORCED King John to sign the Magna Carta, which GUARANTEED that Englishman could not be fined or imprisoned except according to the laws of the land.

• John also agreed not to rise new taxes without the consent of his barons.

• The Magna Carta Demonstrated That The King’s Power Could Be Limited.

Parliament

• Parliament was established as a legislative body made up of nobles in the House of Lords and elected representatives in the House of Commons. New taxes needed approval of Parliament.

England’s Road to Limited Monarchy

• Later events turned England into a limited monarchy, in which subjects enjoyed basic rights and power was shared between the king and Parliament. These Later events were as follows:

• Tudor Monarchs +• Early Stuart Monarchs+• English Civil War +• Glorious Revolution +• =Limited Monarchy

Tudor Monarchs

• In the 16th century, Henry VIII and Elizabeth I created a strong, centralized monarchy based on a sense of 1. natural unity, 2. the church of England 3. and a sharing power between monarch and

Parliament.• Henry relied on Parliament to approve his

break with the Catholic Church in Rome.

Early Stuart Monarchsgo to History on the net for more information

• The first Stuart monarch, James I, king of England 1603. He united the countries of England and Scotland under one monarch for the first time.– His belief of Divine Right often conflicted with Parliament. – His son Charles I tried to establish absolutism and to collect new taxes

without Parliament’s consent. He imprisoned those who refused to obey. – When the House of Commons (part of Parliament) questioned these

practices, Charles dissolved Parliament and ruled without it for 11 years.• A rebellion broke out in Scotland forced Charles to recall

Parliament. – He needed their help in 1640 to pursue his policies in Scotland, but they

continued to disagree. This led to a Civil war.

English Civil War1642-1649

• A civil war between the king and Parliament.• Army reforms were introduced by Parliament that

helped it to win the Civil War. In 1649, Charles I was executed.

• Nothing like this has ever happened in England before.

• Afterwards, Parliament passed more laws granting rights to citizens and limiting the power of kings.

• For a short time, England was a republic.

Glorious Revolution1688-1689

• A second English revolution occurred when James II converted to Catholicism and failed to respect many of his subjects’ rights. Angered by his actions, Parliament deposed James II and invited James’ daughter and her Husband to take his place.

• In 1689, William and Mary, the new rulers, agreed to the BILL OF RIGHTS, establishing Parliament’s supremacy over the king and other rights.

The English Bill of Rights

• These rights established the supremacy of parliament over the king and the rights of their subjects.

• It stated…1. the king cannot suspend Parliament’s laws, 2. tax without permission from Parliament, 3. interfere with free speech, 4. or penalize citizens who petition the king about

grievances.

The Enlightenment

• The enlightenment refers to an important movement in 18th century European thought.

• The SPARK for the ENLIGHTENMENT came from the progress made by the Scientific Revolution.

• Enlightenment thinkers BELIEVED that by applying reason and scientific laws, people would be better able to understand both nature and one another

• They applied the scientific method to society and its problems.

The Enlightenment

• At the CORE of the Enlightenment was a questioning of traditional institutions, customs, and morals.– In particular, they questioned 1. the divine right of kings,2. The hereditary privileges of the nobility, 3. and the power of the Catholic Church.

The Enlightenment“natural laws”

• What are “natural laws?”• Enlightenment philosophers believed that

NATURE AND SOCIETY OPERATED ACCORDING TO CERTAIN BASIC UNIVERSAL PRINCIPLES, which they referred to as “natural laws.”

• They further believed that people could use their reason to discover these laws and then apply this knowledge to improve the quality of life.

The Enlightenmentand

The Roots of Democratic-Republican Government

• Enlightenment thinkers were:1. Mostly French thinkers2. Influenced by the followers of John Calvin and their

argument was that citizens could challenge the actions of an “ungodly” king.

3. Impressed by the ideas of John Locke - he had written that each of us is born as a “blank slate.”

4. Experiences shape our personalities which means that a peasant could be just as good as a nobleman if he had the same experiences.

The Enlightenmentand

The Roots of Democratic-Republican Government

• Enlightenment thinkers were also influenced by the earlier Wars of religion. Why?– To avoid senseless killing, they favored religious

toleration. • Enlightenment thinkers opposed torture in

judicial proceedings• Most practices in France – its privileged

nobility, powerful Church, and absolutist -seemed IRRATIONAL to these thinkers.

The Enlightenmentand

The Roots of Democratic-Republican Government

• Enlightenment ideas were applied by THOMAS JEFFERSON in the American DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.– The Declaration recognized• The existence of natural rights – right to life ,liberty,

and the pursuit of happiness.• It stated that the purpose of government was to

protect these natural rights. (This demonstrated the strong influence of LOCKE on colonial thinking.)

Key thinkers of the Enlightenment

• Voltaire (1694-1778)• Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778)• Baron de Montesquieu (1689-1755)• Adam Smith (1723-1790)

Other thinkers of the Enlightenment

• John Locke• Thomas Hobbes• William Blackstone• Denis Diderot• Cesare Beccaria

Review Video

• Scientific Revolution and Enlightenment Review (make a t chart)

Review

Commercial Revolution• Mercantilism.

– Rulers increased their power by amassing gold and silver through conquests, taxes, trade, and obtaining colonies.

• Colonies. – Spain Holland, Portugal, France, and England developed overseas

empires.• Free Enterprise (Capitalism).

– Merchants developed new methods to finance large business ventures.

– Used borrowing and joint-stock companies to raise the large amounts of capital needed for these ventures.

Review

Absolute MonarchyFactors leading to growth of royal power:

• Kings increased sizes of their army.• Kings raised more taxes among their subjects.• Kings subdued nobility.• Royal authority based on “reason of state”

need for order, or divine right

Review

Limited Monarchy in England• Traditional checks on English king’s power:

• Magna Carta (1215) limited king’s power.• English Parliament (legislature).

• Henry VII and Elizabeth I – ruled with Parliament.

• James I – favored divine right. – His son, Charles I, tried to rule without parliament.

• English Civil War.– Parliament defeated and executed Charles I

Review• Limited Monarchy in England

• Glorious Revolution– James II was overthrown

• William and Mary – the new rulers, agreed to the BILL OF RIGHTS

• English Bill of Rights– Stated supremacy of Parliament and the right of subjects

• John Locke– Justified Glorious revolution– Locke stated that subjects have a right to rebel against on oppressive

government.• William Blackstone

– Summarized English law

Review

Scientific Revolution• Changed ways of thinking:– New ways of scientific investigation– Rejected traditional teachings of Church

• Robert Boyle– Investigated gases

• Isaac Newton– Laws of Gravity

Review

Enlightenment• Applied human reason to society.– Questioned role of Catholic Church– Rejected traditional teachings of Church– Opposed hereditary privileges– Sought to reform society

• Leading Enlightenment thinkers:– Voltaire– Baron de Montesquieu– Jean-Jacques Rousseau