EUROPEAN ABSOLUTISM AND

POWER POLITICS(1650-1715)
SUMAIRA MALIK B.S ENGLISH
ROLL NO# 153 8TH SEMESTER
 PHILOSOHY OF ABSOLUTISM
Jean Bodin
Thesis: Only he is absolute sovereign who, after God
,acknowledges no one greater than himself
Thomas Hobbes
Book leviathan
Thesis: A bad ruler is better than anarchy. Sovereign lawfully
demands obedience of his subjects, who have no right of
revolution.
Bishop Jacques Bossuet
Thesis: ruler acted as the agent of God.
 Louis XIV
I. Ruled France for 72 years.
II. Longest in European history
Achievements
I. Centralized power
II. Expanded French territory
III. Made France the greatest economic, political and
cultural power in Europe
IV.Built the palace of Versailles
V. He was an absolute monarch
Intendants replaced nobility

For centuries, nobles had unchecked power

Ran the military
Refused to obey laws
Constant insurrection
Fronde(1648) nobles want to keep feudal power and
not pay taxes
Replaced nobles with intendants-officials royal to the
nobility
Religion

Eliminating freedom of religion

Cancelled the Edict of
Nantes(grandfather,1598)allowed freedom of
religion for hugenots (French Calvinists)
Limits power of Catholic Church
Declaration of clergy of France
Limited the popes power in France. Louis had
authority.
Military,law and economy

Louis built a strong centralized military loyal only to him

Nobles out
Administration in
Introduced the Code Louis xiv- centrailized code of law
for all France
Appointed Jean baptiste Colbert
Practiced Mercantilism
Made France rich
 Wars in Europe
Louis xiv expanded French territory through several ways
France-Dutch War
Gained lands in the Netherlands (from Spain)
France remained as the great power
War of the Grand alliance
Everyone vs. France
Gained Alsace region-half of the Alsace-Lorraine region
War of Spanish Succession
Ultimately unsuccessful attempt to take over Spanish
territories
England
Parliament versus Crown-a ten years struggle(1642-1689)
House of Stuart(1603-1714) first kings of United Kingdoms-
English monarchs
Charles 1
First civil war-,lost throne and his head
Charles 2
Son of Charles 1
James 2
Lost his throne and establishment of supremacy of
parliament
 The Puritan revolution(1642-49):The civil
war
Royalists(nobility),roman Catholics, Anglican royal to
Charles 1
Parliamentarians(roundheads),business classes and
farmers and against Charles 1
Oliver Cromwell was a leading figure established New
Model Army
Independents(no compromise with Charles 1)
Battle of Naseby(1645)-Charles 1 surrendered
Execution of king Charles 1

Plenty of members of parliament were unhappy to see king on trial(96)

These members are stopped to go into parliament by colonel Pride
Independents who want to see trial of king are allowed to go-known as
Rump Parliament(60)
Charles 1 was beheaded
England officially becomes republic but Cromwell ruled it as a dictator.
Stuart rule was restored with Charles 2 (1660-85)
Glorious Revolution(1688-89)

Restoration of crown followed by glorious

revolution
William and Mary of Orange ascended the
throne as joint monarchs and defenders of
Protestantism
Supremacy of Parliament
The Baroque style
The Catholic Church wanted art that would inspire
and move the worshiper
It also wanted art that would sell the Catholic
religion.
Baroque art tends to focus on Saints, the Virgin
Mary, and other well known bible stories
Baroque art is characterized by great drama, rich
deep color, and intense light and dark shadows
literature

John Dryden
Famous for social and political satire
Samuel Pepys
Work The Spectator Papers
Clear picture of the social life of London with
extensive social criticism.
Scientific revolution
John Locke
Empiricism-we gain knowledge through senses
Subjects have right to revolt
Isaac Newton
Three laws of motion
Law of inertia
Theory of gravitation
Paintings

Rembrandt:
Christ in the Storm on Lake of Galilee (1632)
Dutch Artist