Studied by 10 peopleTags & Description
“age of crisis”
17th Century- After the economic growth of the 16th cent. Europe faltered into stagnation and retrenchment
climate change
bitter religious divides
increased governmental pressures
War
monarch’s role in society at this time:
semidivine; chosen by God to embody the state
Top Level
Clergy’s role (in Catholic countries)
sacred role in interceding with God and the saints
2nd Level
Nobility roles in society
privileged status comes from their blood lines → centuries of sacrifice on the battle fields
→ many prosperous mercantile families had bought their way into nobility
Peasants and Artisans in society
lower on the scale
vast majority of the population
were expected to defer to their better betters with humble obedience
what was this hierarchy called?
“the Great Chain of Being” —> it linked God to his creation in a series of ranked social groups
European societies were also patriarchal in nature. What does this mean?
Men assumed authority over women as a God-given prerogative
Families represented a microcosm of social order
The father ruled like a king over his domains
In the 17th century where did most Europeans live?
in the countryside
→ small rural villages centered on a church and manor
who were leaders of peasant villages?
independent farmers
what was the primary element of the diet
bread
The 17th century had a wetter climate and came with scarcity and famine. What, aside from “the age crisis”, was this colder era called?
the “Little Ice Age”
why did the population of Europe decline?
bad harvests
smallpox
typhoid
malnutrition & exhaustion made people more susceptible
outbreaks of Bubonic Plague until the 1720s
How did the Bubonic Plague affect Europe?
industry suffered
output of wooden textiles suffered
food prices rose
wages stagnated
unemployment soared
what was the nature of the economic crises
They were not universal and they struck at different places at different times.
Which groups of society were hit hardest by the economic struggles caused by the bubonic plague
the urban poor and the peasants
Price of bread rose → they rioted and they wanted things to be sold at a ”just price”
What is the term that historians have coined for the vision of a world in which community needs are predominate over competition and profit?
“moral economy”
What was the holy roman empire made of?
confederation of principalities
independents cities
duchies
other policies loosely united under and elected emporer
The uneasy truce between Catholic and Protestants created by the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 deteriorated as the faith of various areas shifted.
What did Lutheran Princes feel compelled to form?
how did the Catholic retaliate?
the Lutheran Princes formed the Protestant Union (1608)
The Catholics retaliated with the Catholic League
Each alliance was determined that the other should make no religious or territorial advance
What dynastic interests were also involved in the 30 yrs war?
The Spanish Habsburgs strongly supported the goals of their Austrian relatives: the unity of the empire and the preservation of Catholicism with in
what were the 4 phases of the 30-years war?
Bohemian Phase
Danish phase
Swedish phase
French phase
What occurred during the bohemian phase?
characterized by civil war in Bohemia between the Catholic league and the Protestant Union
in 1620 the Catholics forces defeated the protestants at the Batter of the White Mountain
occurred during the danish phase
called Danish b/c of the leadership of the Protestant king Christian IV of Denmark
this time witnessed additional Catholic victories
What did the Edict of Restitution that the Emperor issued do?
It had it that all Catholic properties were restored, and Catholics and Lutherans were allowed to practice their faiths
What occurred during the third (Swedish) Phase?
began with the arrival in Germany of the Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus and his army
GA won two important battles but was fatally wounded in combat
Gustavus Adolphus
able administer
devout Lutheran
intervened to support the empire’s Protestants during the 3rd phase
Cardinal Richelieu
french chief minister
subsidized the Swedes, hoping to weaken Habsburgs power in Europe
French phase
prompted by Richeleu’s concern that the Habsburgs would rebound after the death of GA
Richeleu declared war on Spain and sent military as well as financial assistance
peace was achieved in oct 1648
post 30-years war: what was the Peace of Westphalia
ended the 30-years war and marked a turning point in European history
for the most part conflicts fought over religion receded
The treaties recognized the independent authority pf more than 300 German Princes → reconfirming the emporer’s severely limited authority
What did the Peace of Westphalia do to the Augsburg agreement
The Augsburg agreement became permanent, adding Calvinism to Catholicism and Lutheranism as legally permissible creeds
how were the north german states different from the south german states
The North German states remained Protestant, the South German states Catholic
Population outlook after the 30-years war
30 yrs War most destructive event for the central European economy and society prior to the world wars of the 20th century
around 1/3 of urban residents died
2/5 of rural population died
entire areas depopulated
Trade in southern German cities (such as Augsburg) → virtually destroyed
agriculture suffered greatly
which countries had constitutional rather than absolutist monarchies during this time
England the the Dutch Republic
How did rulers struggle over maintaining their power over their colonies in the New World?
rulers suffered from
a lack of information abt their realms → made it impossible for them to police and tax the population effectively
local power structures presented a another serious power structure
language barriers
17th cent: absolutist and constitutionalist governments made gains in their control over their subjects. In what ways?
greater taxation
growth in armed forces
larger and more efficient bureaucracies
the increased ability to compel obedience from subjects
who was Count-Duke Olivares
played the role of chief adviser to his king in Spain
ended his career in disgrace
what was the driving force of 17th century state building
warfare
to meet demands of running their expanding gov’s, who did leaders turn to?
their trusted ministers: ex: Cardinal Richelieu (france), Count-Duck Olivares (spain)—> was assassinated
when might a state be termed sovereign?
when it posses a a monopoly over the instruments of justice and use the force within clearly defined boundaries
armies: what came along with professionalism?
growth in army size
what did new techniques for training and deploying soldiers mean?
rise in professional standards in the army
other european powers were quick to follow France’s new model of an army. The rise of absolutism in central and eastern europe led to a vast expansion of what?
an expansion in the size of the armies
what did the british focus on instead of a landed army?
naval army —> built largest navy in the world
As govs continuously raised taxes to meet the costs of war, neighborhood riots over the cost of ____ turned into armed uprisings
bread
Popular revolts were extremely common in ______, ______, ________, ______, and _______ during the 30 yrs War. (around 1640s-ish)
England, france, spain, portugal, and italy
(→ caused by bad harvests, unrealistic prices of bread, heavy taxes. Ppl dreamed of a republic)
Louis _____ is often seen as the epitome of an “absolute” monarch”
XIV
how do Spain’s power change in the 17th century?
Spain’s power faded as French power rose, it’s fabulous revenue of American silver declined, and it came under weak leadership
who founded the Bourbon Dynasty?
Louis’s father; Henry IV → he inherited a devastated country due to religious civil wars, bad harvests, and starvation
Called “Henri le Gran” → promised a chicken in every pot → inaugurated a remarkable recovery→ face at peace most of his reign
what did Henry IV (Henry the Great) issue during his reign despite being catholic?
The Edict of Nates → allowing Protestants the right to worship in 150 traditionally Protestant towns in France
What did Henry do about taxes?
He lowered taxes and instead charged an annual fee on royal officials to guarantee the right to pass their position down to their heirs
What else did Henry do to repair the damages of the Civil war?
He improved the infrastructure of the city building new roads and canals and repairing the damage caused by the years of civil war
How did Henry die?
was murdered in 1610 by a Catholic zealot → set off a national crisis
After Henry’s death, who ruled
his wife: the queen-regent Marie de’ Medici
Cardinal Richelieu became the 1st minister of the French Crown under Louis XIII
→ Richelieu’s maneuvers allowed the monarchy to maintain power within Europe and within its own borders despite the turmoil of the ______________________
Thirty Years War
Cardinal Richelieu’s political genius is best reflected in the_____________ _____________he established to strengthen royal control
administrative system
what did cardinal Richelieu extend the use of?
Intendants
what were intendants
commissioners for each of France’s 32 districts
→ they were appointed directly by the monarch whom they were solely responsible
→ recruited men for the army, supersized the collection of taxes, checked up on the local nobility, and regulated economic activities in their districts
Under the Richelieu, the power of intendants (increased/declined/stayed the same), and the power of the centralized French state (increased/declined/stayed the same).
Rose
Rose
under Richelieu, French monarchy acted to repress _________
Protestantism
What did Louis XIII personally supervise the siege of?
La Rochelle
What was La Rochelle
an important port city and a major commercial center with strong ties to PROTESTANT Holland and England.
What happened to La Rochelle after it fell in October 1628?
its municipal government was suppressed
Although Protestants ____(a)____, the _____(b)______ was restored
(a) retained the right of worship
(b) Catholic liturgy
Richelieu did not aim to ____________. His main aim was to ___________
wipe out the Protestants completely
destroys the Catholic Habsburgs
SO, he sided with Protestants as well in the rest of Europe -. signed treaty with Gustavus A.
who was Richelieu’s successor as chief minister? (for Louis XIV)
Cardinal Jules Mazarin
Mazarin’s struggle to meet cost of war lead to _________ known as the __________
uprisings
Fronderobes
robe nobles
sword nobles
encouraged the riots by the common people (robes they wore in court)
traditional warrior nobility
reign of louis
longest in european history
Louis was taught _______________
The divine Right of Kings
quote: “… I have no intention of sharing power with them”
Louis XVI also called
“sun king”
louis never called a meeting of the _____
Estates General
Louis hated division in the realm and he wanted ____
religious unity
What did Louis revoke in 1685? what did this lead to?
The Edict of Nantes
(New law ordered the Catholic Baptism of Huguenots, the destruction of Huguenot churches, the closing of schools and the exile of Huguenot pastors who refused to renounce their faith.
the departure of some of the king’s most loyal and industrially skilled subjects
Louis XIV relied on the __________________. This led him to revolutionize court life at his Palace at Versailles
collaboration of nobles
Louis was a(n) ______________ patron of the arts
enthusiastic
What do scholars characterize the art and literature of the age of Louis XIV as?
French Classicism
French culture grew in international prestige. What happened to the French Language?
became an international language
became language of polite society and international diplomacy
replaced Latin as language of scholarship and learning
royal courts everywhere were sometimes more fluent in french than in their mother tongue
France’s ability to build armies and fight in wars depended on _________
a strong economy
Who was louis’s controller general?
Jean-baptiste Colbert
what was Colbert’s central principal
wealth and the economy of France should serve the state—> he rigorously applied MERCANTILIST policies to france
what is mercantilism
a collection of governmental policies for the regulation of economic activities by and for the state
note
mercantilist idea: it’s important for a country to sell more goods abroad than bought
colbert encouraged the french people to produce more things in the country
he hoped to make Canada part of the french empire
during Colberts time as controller general, Louis was able to achieve his goals without massive tax increases and new offices
the trials after colberts death undid many of his economic achievements
what was Louisiana named after
louis XIV
who was Louvois
louis’s secretary of state for war -→ equaled colbert’s achievements in the economic realm → created a professional army
Spanish king Charles II died childless → struggle for control of Spain and it’s colonies
What did this incite?
The War of the Spanish Succession
What ended the War of the Spanish Succession?
The Peace of Utrecht —> represented balance of power principle in operation
what ended the French-Spanish conflict?
The Treaty of the Pyrenees —> Spain compelled to surrender excessive territories to France
what were eastern absolutist states built on?
surfdom
The habsburgs (failed/succeeded) to destroy the protestants during the thirty years war
failed
Ferdinand III continued to build state power. what were two things he did
centralized gov
permanent standing army
note
habsburgs in hungary on pg 479
what did Prince Francis Rakoczy do?
He led one last patriotic hungarian rebellion against the Habsburgs as they (the habsburgs) were occupied during the War of the Spanish Succession
-→ defeated but granted the traditional privileges on stuff
what were the Junkers?
The nobility (and landowning classes) of Brandenburg and Prussia. They were reluctant allies to Fredrick William in his consolidation of the Prussian state
note
Fredrick william = “the great elector
an elector (meaning one of the 7 princes or archbishops entitled to elect the emperor of the Holy Roman empire
How did Frederick William profit from ongoing European war and the threat of invasion from Russia?
he persuaded Junkers in the Estates the need for a PERMANENT STANDING ARMY
made the Junkers accept taxation w/o consent to fund the army —> in exchange for reconfirmation of their own privileges
fredrick william’s son, Fredrick 1 became the king of prussia (reqard for aiding holy roman emperor in War of Spanish Succession
Fredrick William I was also called:
“the Soldier King”
FW I completed his grandfather’s work by:
eliminating parliamentary estates
eliminating local self-gov
Basics: What was Fred. Will. I known for?
established Prussian Absolutism
made Prussia → military state
miliary-minded
hardworking
skill & discipline
society became rigid
what was a question that people like to discuss?
Was Russia European or Asian? - still unsure abt Russia. Ppl were sure the Ottomans were diff. people
who did fred. Wil. I combine with to lay foundations for a highly mil,iaristic counrty
harsh peasant bondage and junker tyranny
Note
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