Absolutism & Constitutionalism (Cultural/Intellectual)

England and Holland governments turned towards constitutionalism. Constitutionalism means that there should be a balance between power and authority of the government-- and be a written document that specifies the rights of its subjects. While England aimed for a constitutional monarchy in 1688 instead of absolute rule, the Dutch did not want monarchical rule. As a result, the Dutch formed a republican government.

Literature like the Anglican Book of Common Prayer by Archbishop Canterbury William Laud and Leviathan was written in order to change the ways of political thinking. Laud tried to form a prayer book for a church organization in Scotland, imposing views on them and failed, since the Presbyterian Scots revolted. Thomas Hobbes' views were not popular either within England-- instead, there was a republican government.


Peter Paul Rubens
1577 - 1640(63 years)

Peter Paul Rubens

A devout Catholic, Peter Paul Rubens was an artist who helped the Baroque movement reach its maturity. He had a distinctive colorful style, with sharp contrasts commonly seen in this paintings. He glorified many monarchs like Queen Mother Marie de’ Medici in France.

1637

"The Book of Common Prayer" by Laud

Archbishop William Laud of Canterbury published a series of Anglican prayer books in order to reform Scottish church organization titled “The Book of Common Prayer.” Following the break with Rome, Laud wrote the original book that started the series as a product of the English Reformation. As a result, the Presbyterian Scottish people were dissatisfied with these books and revolted.


"Leviathan" by Thomas Hobbes 
1651

"Leviathan" by Hobbes

Philosopher Thomas Hobbes wrote this treatise in order to create a social contract for the members of society. According to “Leviathan”, they needed to follow the rule of an absolute monarch without disagreements and revolts. Hobbes held a pessimistic view of humans, as he believed they would jump at any chance for competition and violence.

1685 - 1750(65 years)

Johann Sebastian Bach

A famous Baroque musician only appreciated after his death, Bach was a brilliant composer who wrote concertos, cantatas, and waltzes. He wrote for the organ and harpsichord, and was the choirmaster of several Lutheran churches in Germany.

The Glorious Revolution chart by William of Orange
1688 - 1689(1 year)

Glorious Revolution

One king dethroned the other without much bloodshed to spawn this revolution, along with the fact that the idea of “divine monarchy” was forever destroyed. As William and Mary took over and accepted the throne from Parliament, the revolution established that the power would be divided between the Parliament and the king— the king would rule with consent of the governed.

1689

Bill of Rights

In the Bill of Rights, Parliament needed to be called every three years— laws created by the Parliament also could not be denied or suspended by the king. The Bill greatly detracted from the rights of Catholics, as they were not allowed to possess arms, inherit the throne, or have freedom of worship.

1690
"Second Treatise of Civil Government" by Locke
John Locke maintains in the “Second Treatise of Civil Government” that a government who goes beyond protecting natural rights like life, liberty, and property becomes tyrannical. He emphasized that all men have inherent rights— “natural rights” since everyone has the ability to reason.

1700

Puritan dissatisfaction

In the early 1700s, many Puritans felt discontent with the Church of England which had been reformed by Elizabeth— they felt as though the Reformation could have been taken several steps further. They sought to change nuptial ceremonies and purify the Anglican Church, ridding it of Catholic elements.

Absolutism & Constitutionalism (Social/Economic)

In 1500-1650, serfdom was at large in Eastern Europe. Commercial agriculture and production grew because nobles forced their peasants to work even harder.

Economic factors drove Louis XIV to want to expand French borders. His ideology was influenced by Jean-Baptiste Colbert, his controller general. Colbert suggested that the French produce everything that they needed domestically. For a while, France focused on producing textiles to increase the amount of exports and heightening foreign tariffs. Colbert desired Canadian lands because they were agriculturally superior and as a result, four thousand colonists were sent there. After Colbert's death, Louis XIV waged wars against the Spanish for commercial reasons, but was highly unsuccessful in the end when resources started to run out an the death toll became too high to bear.

Dutch shipbuilding excellence
The Spanish economy dwindled due to its lack of profits. Its social elite discouraged the middle classes from earning profits by deeming moneymaking "vulgar and undignified." The pool of skilled laborers declined as former Muslims, or Moriscoes, were expelled out of the state by the Crown.

On the other hand, the Dutch was doing excellent. At first, they accepted Jews into business positions, which attracted investments and foreign capital. The Dutch pushed their profits into shipbuilding, and this specialization paid off. They soon had the lowest shipping rates in Europe which permitted them to sell goods at a lower price than that of competitors.


Millets
1453

Millet system

The Christian millet system was first created by the Ottoman Empire after they gained Constantinople. In exchange for strong support for the sultan, a class of religious leaders would exercise authority over their own communities. Millets collected local taxes and maintained services of their local lands.

1480

Ivan III creates autonomy

The Mongols established an empire and made Slavic Princes pay tribute and provide slaves. Ivan III, a prince of Moscow who served the Mongols, decided that he had enough and ceased his payments. He helped establish a new autonomy modeled after the Mongols, and had weaker Slavs pay in the way they had paid the Mongols. This “Muscovite state” tax system (what Ivan III created) was modeled after the Mongols.

1500 - 1650(150 years)

Serfdom consolidates

In eastern Europe, serfdom grew the most popular due to the expansion of commercial agriculture— particularly in Germany and Poland.

1598 - 1613(15 years)

Time of Troubles

In this disastrous period, Russia suffered from bad harvests and crop failures. The population fell, as well as the conditions of the economy.

Spanish silver mines
1610 - 1650(40 years)

Decline of Spanish trade

Spanish trade with colonies of the New World declined due to competing English and Dutch traders. Slaves who worked in the silver mines in South America suffered detrimental health effects. The production of metal started its steady decrease in 1620.

1630 - 1700(70 years)

Period of violence as a product of new taxes

A period of violence spawned as commoners inflicted violence upon tax collectors. In 1673, when Louis XIV established taxes upon pewter, tobacco, and legal transactions, there was a series of uprisings in Bordeaux.

1647

Food protests of Sicily

Due to bad harvests which caused food shortages, the city of Palermo in Sicily, overflowed with public protests. The government subsidized bread in fear of rebellion; as a result, peasants filled the cities.

the Fronde
1648 - 1653(5 years)

Period of the Fronde

The “Fronde” is a term coined for the series of uprising which took place because of Cardinal Jules Mazarin’s failure to meet the costs of war. Centralizing the state just as his predecessor Cardinal Richeliu did, Mazarin tried but failed to increase royal profits. Although “fronde” is a word often used to describe a street urchin, in this context it applied to everyone who opposed government policies.

1651

Navigation Acts

Oliver Cromwell, after the execution of Charles, established a military dictatorship in England— at the same time, he adapted mercantilist policies and implemented Navigation Acts. In the Acts, English goods were to be transported only on English ships, giving England a virtual trade monopoly.

1653

Instrument of Government

The Instrument of Government provided Parliament the sole authority to levy taxes. However, after Cromwell’s dismissal of the Parliament in 1655, the Instrument was never carried out.

Frederick William
1660

Junkers taxed to fund royal army

The landowning classes of Brandenburg and Prussia were called the “Junkers”. Frederick William, who came into power in 1640, desired to bring together Brandenburg, Prussia, and many locations in the Rhine. To establish a permanent standing army, he tried convincing the Junkers to be heavily taxed to finance the army. After they agreed, William eliminated his opposition and proceeded to heavily tax Prussian cities. During his reign, the state revenue increased 300%, and the military was highly successful.

1664

Company of East Indies founded

Because Colbert wanted the French industry to take over the Dutch in Asian trade, he established the Company of the East Indies.


Jean-Baptiste Colbert
1665 - 1683(18 years)

Colbert applied mercantilism to France

Jean-Baptiste Colbert was the controller general under Louis XIV, and a certified economic genius. His main philosophy was that economies should serve the state— this was titled “mercantilism.”

1714

France almost goes bankrupt

As a result of the War of the Spanish Succession, the Peace of Utrecht was established. Although it ended the war, the treaty ended French expansion and its control over commercial centers in the North and the city of Alsace.

French troops
1760

French government equips its troops

It wasn’t until 1760 that the French government paid the costs of equipping their own troops.

Absolutism & Constitutionalism (Political/Diplomatic)

Countries in Eastern Europe sought to have a foundation of absolutism. The great number of wars allowed monarchs to consolidate their power through their armies. Austria and Prussia were the countries most impacted by absolutism between 1620-1740. Frederick William I helped bring Prussia into a military state, as he convinced the landowning classes to fund a permanent army. He consolidated Prussian absolutism and disciplined its people.

Initially following imperialistic goals, the Habsburgs abandoned their quest for dominance after they were defeated in central Europe in the Thirty Years' War. However, the Habsburgs were able to weaken the Protestant Bohemian states in one victory. The Habsburgs proceeded to expel the Ottoman Turks from places such as Transylvania and Hungary.

Louis XIV in France waged many wars as a result of his desire to be titled a "conqueror." For commercial reasons, the French military engaged in conflicts against Spanish lands. 1681 was the peak of French expansion.

In Spain, absolutism made a steady decline as a result of its commerce. Slaves who worked at the silver mines, something that previously earned the Spanish much of its profits, contracted diseases. The production of metal went down. Spanish rulers did not help matters, as they did not know what to do with the declining treasury-- and instead spent money on themselves. With internal conflicts like the Catalonian revolts in 1640, the Spanish situation became even worse.


Ivan the Terrible
"I will not see the destruction of the Christian converts who are loyal to me, and to my last breath I will fight for the Orthodox faith." -- Ivan III 




1453

Constantinople falls to Ottoman Turks
Ivan IV - "Ivan the Terrible"
1533 - 1584(51 years)

Reign of Ivan IV

Known as “Ivan the Terrible”, the ruler of Russia was successful in dominating the remains of Mongol control, and adding onto the strengthening Russian empire. All commoners were under his power, and they formed warrior bands called “Cossacks” to go against him.

1552

Edict of Restitution

All the Catholic lands lost to Protestants since 1552 became restored with this restitution— here, Lutherans and Catholics were the only ones allowed to exercise their religion.

1585 - 1642(57 years)

Cardinal Richeliu

He was the first minister of the French crown, and best known for his political system he used to strengthen royal control. He established a system of intendants, appointed directly from the monarch, who ruled over the 32 districts of France. As the power of intendants strengthened, so did France as a whole.

1589 - 1610(21 years)

Reign of Henry VI

Grandfather of Louis XIV, Henry VI founded the Bourbon dynasty.

James Stuart
1603 - 1625(22 years)

Reign of James Stuart

Stuart as a ruler believed that he only answered to God and otherwise had a divine right to authority. He attempted to rule without the presence of a Parliament and placed emergency taxes on his people. As a result, his state was brought to a state of crisis.

1618 - 1625(7 years)

Bohemian Phase

A civil war fought between the Catholic League and Protestant Union in Bohemia.

1618 - 1648(30 years)

Thirty Years' War


 1619 - 1637(18 years)

Reign of Ferdinand II

He weakened the Bohemian Estates, which was a Protestant assembly. Ferdinand II also took land holdings of Protestant nobles and presented them to Catholic aristocrats.

1620

Battle of the White Mountain

The Protestants were defeated by Catholic forces.

1625 - 1629(4 years)

Danish phase

The Protestant king of Denmark, Christian IV, witnessed Catholic triumphs against the Protestants. Albert of Wallenstein led a Catholic imperial army to victory as it tore through the lands of Silesia and Pomerania.

1629

Peak of Habsburg power
Gustavus Adolphus
1630 - 1635(5 years)

Swedish phase

Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus supported the Protestants and Cardinal Richelieu, a French minister, funded the Swedish army to weaken Habsburg influence in Europe. Adolphus ended up winning two battles, despite being fatally wounded.

1631

Richelieu-Adolphus Treaty

Cardinal Richelieu signed a treaty with Gustavus Adolphus, promising French support to the Lutherans in the Thirty Years’ War.

1635 - 1648(13 years)

French phase

It was the final phase of the Thirty Years’ War. Richeliu was initially worried that the French would come back strong after the death of Adolphus. Richeliu sent aid to Adolphus’ army and in 1648, peace was finally reached.

1637 - 1657(20 years)

Reign of Ferdinand III

He formed the Habsburg land holdings, and consolidated power in German speaking provinces. He built a strong army that was ready for any opposition.

1640

Frederick William comes into power

Frederick William, a ruler who freshly came into power, sought to unify Brandenburg, Prussia, and a lot of lands among the Rhine.

1643 - 1715(72 years)

Reign of Louis XIV

Louis XIV, the “Sun King”, was a monarch who led France in the absolutism movement. Louis believed that kings had a divine right, but at the same time had to obey the laws of God and be benevolent rulers.

Peace of Westphalia
1648

Peace of Westphalia

This treaty ended the Thirty Years’ War. Three hundred German princes’ liberties were recognized through this. Also, the Augsburg truce between the Catholics and Protestants was deemed permanent. While Northern Germany was Protestant, Southern Germany became Catholic.

1660 - 1685(25 years)

Reign of Charles II


 1668 - 1713(45 years)

Land acquisition of Louis XIV

Louis XIV aimed to expand the borders of France. His military seized important commercial centers like Flanders and the Spanish Netherlands, which brought him to much economic power. Through 1680-1690, his wars became more futile as the French started to run out of resources without gaining anything politically.

Peter the Great of Russia
1682 - 1725(43 years)

Reign of Peter the Great

Peter the Great was determined to continue territorial expansion. As a result, he encouraged advances in weapon technology to build an improved army. He built a clandestine alliance with the English and the Dutch to go against Sweden— he desired to secure the Baltic Sea and expand westwards. He was shown up by 18 year old Charles XII in the Great Northern War.

1682

Court of Louis XIV moved to Versailles

Louis renovated his palace and relocated it to Versailles. Nobles were required to live there so Louis could supervise them. Versailles became the political hub of France and the royal bureaucratic office.

1683 - 1699(16 years)

Habsburg drive out the Ottomans

The Ottomans were driven out of Hungary and Transylvania by the Habsburgs. The Habsburgs grew strong as a result of Ferninand III’s reign, as he established a permanent standing army.

Great Northern War
1700 - 1721(21 years)

Great Northern War

It was a war waged between Peter the Great and Charles XII of Sweden. Charles XII threw Peter off guard as he defeated Denmark then fought Russia. Peter stepped it up by requiring all nobles to serve for life and building military schools for young nobles. In 1709, Peter was able to crush Sweden in Ukraine.

1701 - 1713(12 years)

War of the Spanish Succession

The War of the Spanish Succession was triggered when Louis XIV violated the treaty that Spanish possessions would be split between the Holy Roman Emperor and the king of France.

1701

Great Alliance

Louis XIV experienced many countries ganging up against him such as the English, Dutch, Prussians, and Austrians in a “Great Alliance”.

First edition of the Peace of Utrecht
1713

Peace of Utrecht

Ended the Great Alliance and the war, and also allowed Louis’ grandson to remain king on the grounds that the Spanish and French crowns would never be unified.

1713 - 1740(27 years)

Reign of Frederick William I

Known as the “Soldiers’ King”, William I got rid of parliamentary estates and local lands which self governed. He contributed to most of Prussia’s absolutism and militarism. Prussia had the 4th biggest army as a result of William’s rule by 1740.
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