Age of Absolutism

Intro to Absolutism

Hall of Mirrors (Palace of Versailles, France)

What was Absolutism?

• Period of time when Europe’s Monarchs got stronger

• Caused by the Reformation & Age of Exploration– Reformation weakens churches– Age of Exploration brings in lots of $ (Mercantilism:

political and economic policy seeking to secure a nation’s political and economic supremacy)

• Monarchs ruled with Absolute power

Examples of Absolute Monarchs

• Mary I (England)• Elizabeth I (England)• Charles I (England)• Charles V (Spain)• Phillip II (Spain)• Louis XIV (France)• Louis XVI (France)• Peter the Great (Russia)

• Buckingham Palace (England)

What is Divine Right?• The Divine Right Theory was the idea that God had

chosen the monarch to rule.

• Monarchs (and the people) believed it during the time.

• The king is infallible! If you question the king, you are questioning God!

• Monarchs become the nation.– Louis XIV: “L’ Etate, c’este moi!” (“The State?

That’s me!”)

• (Escorial Palace in Spain)