Absolute Rulers in Europe · 2018-08-28 · The Enlightened Despots . Maria Theresa of Austria ....
Transcript of Absolute Rulers in Europe · 2018-08-28 · The Enlightened Despots . Maria Theresa of Austria ....
Absolute Rulers in Europe
Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Devout Catholic
Drove Muslim Moors & Jews out of Spain
Tortured, killed or exiled thousands of Protestants
Attempted to aid a Catholic in regaining the throne of France
Philip II of Spain
Devout Catholic
The Spanish Armada
In attempt to re-Catholicize England, he attacked England with 130 ships & 19,000 soldiers.
Spain loses in shocking defeat
Wars and Inquisition cost Spain tons of money
Philip II of Spain
Escorial
Philip’s palace
Unlike Louis XIV, his palace was bland & simple
Each room only had a few pieces of furniture
Philip II of Spain
Decisions…Decisions Philip was indecisive
Always ask advisors for help, but… Frequently didn’t listen to
them
Often took a great deal of time to make decisions and on many occasions waited too long
Legacy Left Spain bankrupt
Went from richest country in the world to one in bankruptcy
Peter the Great
A Renaissance Man Shipbuilding
Served in military & navy
Loved to wrestle
Fascinated by architecture
Builds St. Petersburg
Dabbled in carpentry
Peter the Great
Westernize and Modernize
Peter believed Russia was years behind the rest of Europe
Invited European engineers, architects, artists, merchants, shipbuilders, and craftsmen to Russia in order to catch the country up to the rest of Europe
Peter the Great
Reforms Changed Russian calendar
to coincide with rest of Europe
All noble children (ages 10-15) had to be taught geometry and mathematics
Outlawed beards unless you paid a special tax
Created poll tax to build up manufacturing
Organized a Russian army and built a navy
The Enlightened Despots
Maria Theresa of Austria
Maria Theresa
Reduced the power of local leaders and increased the power of the crown, but did so to benefit the people of Austria
Reformed the tax system Reduced taxes on peasants, while raising them on nobility
Opened public schools
Removed capital punishment from penal code
Outlawed torture
Decency police Cut down on quality of life crimes
Maria Theresa
Limited the amount of labor nobles could force peasants to do
Sent people to unlived rural areas to increase farm production
When poor weather left many hungry and starving, Maria Theresa ordered the wild animals of her private forest killed since they were eating the peasants food source
Joseph II
Son of Maria Theresa
Expanded many of his mother’s reforms
Chose officials based on their talents and merits rather than status (meritocracy)
Abolished feudalism
Practiced religious tolerance
Frederick the Great
King of Prussia
Granted religious freedom
Improved education
Relaxed censorship laws
“first servant of the state.”
Catherine the Great
Empress of Russia
Wrote letters to Enlightenment thinkers
Built schools and hospitals
Promoted education of women
Tried to end torture
After peasant revolts Catherine overturned many of her reforms