User:Atcovi/AP European History/Absolutism

Absolutism rises, starting with Louis XIV [The Sun King; 1638-1715]: One King, One Law, One Faith with "One King, One Law, One Faith". Louis XIV was a very strict and controlling ruler who desired to capture the Netherlands for himself and further advance Catholicism. He was able to successfully implement absolutism for his government, centralizing bureaucracy and controlling his nobles. He's also well known for his "the state is me" slogan. In 1685, Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes, removing protection for French Calvinists/Huguenots through the Edict of Fountainbleu.

Spain suffered problems with who was going to rule them. They had Charles II, who was mentally deficient (son of Philip IV Hapsburg of Spain and Marianna Hapsburg of Austria), had to decide who was going to rule Spain. France argued they were perfect for the role as they were Catholic. As a result, he chose Louis XIV of Bourbon's grandson, Philip IV of Bourbon [France]. The War of Spanish Succession (1702-15) took place between Philip IV and William II of the Netherlands. The Dutch were fighting France for Spain in order to maintain "European balance of power".

The Treaty of Utrecht was issued, where France won Spain over. Spain and France were separate. Spain lost territory due to this treaty. This war was important as this changed the motive of war. Instead of wars being religious-based, now they were power-based to prevent one country from becoming powerful. This marks the 30 years war as the last religious-based war.

Mercantilism
The concept of mercantilism, an economic policy, popular in the 17th and 18th centuries in Europe, which stated that a country's wealth and power was best served through the accumulation of gold and silver and raw materials. This led to colonialism as countries sucked all the raw material out of the nations they controlled in order to make profit [in]directly.

Prussian Absolutism
Notes from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LW5NYnZ9X8w
 * Absolute Prussia, pre-cursor to modern day Germany (17th and 18th Century)
 * Prussia started as Brandenburg, part of HRE (more of a glorified alliance) - "Sandbox of HRE", due to sandy features.
 * Brandenburg Prussia were ruled by Hohenzollern Dynasty or "The Fredericks".
 * Frederick Williams - The "Great Elector", father of Prussian Absolutism.
 * Frederick William I - Soldatenkönig
 * Frederick II The Great - Enlightened Absolutist
 * Militarism - Makes Prussia different from other states, Prussians did this the best. 12th largest country in Europe during the 1700s, had 4th largest army.
 * Sparta of the North
 * Fredericks didn't like "soft" things, opposed ballet and luxury.
 * Potsdam Giants - Tall soldiers


 * Creating an Absolutist State
 * Religious tolerance, at least Lutheranism/Protestant tolerance: Weakens state religion, revolves around Prussian State.
 * Cooperated with nobilities, or "junkers". Allowed free-reign with peasants for their services.
 * Reduced represented bodies power, tax by decree.
 * Compulsory Public Education

The Hohenzollerns and the Brandenburg/Prussia
- 1688-1701 as "of Brandenburg", then "of Prussia" from 1701-1713.
 * Hohenzollern Family
 * Frederick William the Great Elector, 1640-1688
 * He started to rule Brandenburg-Prussia during the Thrity Years' War (1618-48).
 * He reduced the power of the landed aristocracy. (Junkers)
 * Could tax by decree.
 * He established the civil service and the army as the focus of the states' power.
 * Prussia's top jobs went to the Junkers. In return he did not interfere with Junker control of the serfs.
 * King Frederick I of Prussia
 * Frederick William I, 1713-1740
 * Strong bureaucracy
 * Sparta of the North
 * Soldier's King
 * Eternal salvation belongs to God, predestination, Calvinist
 * Education
 * Frederick the Great, 1740-1786
 * War of Austrian Succession
 * Seven Years War
 * "Enlightened Absolute"

History

 * 1) James I (1603-1625) - Ruler of England Scotland [two diff. countries] who ruled with absolutism, believing in divine rights and ignoring Parliament and the people's wishes.
 * 2) Charles I (1625-1649) - Was like James I and even tried to shift the country to Catholicism again. Petition of Right of 1628 made it illegal to levy taxes without Parliament's permission. Charles I did it anyway by levying ship money tax and forcing the general population to pay taxes to the navy. This led into the English Civil War.