Europe

in

1740

Europe

in

1740

FRANCE Dynasty Bourbons

Economy Mercantilism

Two Weak Monarchs… Louis XV (r. 1715-74) Louis XVI (r. 1774-92)

Common people suffer from heavy taxes/hunger

Aristocracy grows stronger People distrust French monarchy

Lost colonial empire to British with defeats in War of Spanish Succession & Seven Years’ War

GREAT BRITAIN 1707 Unification of Scotland & England = Great Britain

Economy Mercantilism

British Political System King & Parliament share power

New Dynasty Hanoverians (“Georges” from Germany) Hanover Kings rely on prime minister to handle

Parliament Robert Walpole (1721-42) William Pitt the Elder (1757-61) & the Younger (1783-1801)

Built huge colonial empire in series of wars & alliances vs. France Peace of Utrecht(1713) Newfoundland, Nova Scotia,

Hudson Bay & the asiento Treaty of Paris (1763) India, Quebec & lands E. of

Mississippi R., including Florida

PRUSSIA Dynasty Hohenzollern

Economy Agricultural with Serfdom

Major Problem lack of territorial integrity

Frederick William I (r.1713-1740) increases Prussia’s power Expands army & bureaucracy (General Directory) Junker nobility dominates serfs Committed to greatness of Prussian militarism (“Sparta

of the North”)

Frederick William’s Successor FREDERICK THE GREAT

Was Frederick the Great an “enlightened monarch”?

Frederick the Great (r.1740-86) Impassioned by the arts as a

young man

Started War of Austrian Succession by breaking Pragmatic Sanction (1740)

Implemented reforms after near defeat in 7 Years’ War Religious toleration (except Jews) Intellectual freedom Improved Prussia’s schools Simplified Prussian law code Abolished torture Demanded impartial legal

judgments

Maintained noble privilege & dominion over serfs

“I am the first servant of the state.”

Frederick’s Palace @ Sans Souci:

Austrian Empire Dynasty Hapsburgs

Economy Agricultural with Serfdom

Major Problem nationalities problem

Won Spanish Netherlands, Milan & Naples in War of Spanish Succession

Maria Theresa centralizes power Limited the role of the papacy Strengthened central bureaucracy Improved tax system (even

nobles!) Reduced power of lords over serfs

Maria Theresa Successor JOSEPH II

Maria Theresa (r. 1740-80)

Joseph II (r.1780-90)

Initiated far reaching reform program… Complete religious toleration;

even for Protestants & Jews (Toleration Patent of 1781)

Abolished serfdom Freed serfs given legal rights

over their landholdings Eliminated the death penalty Established the principle of

the equality of all before the law

Made German the official language of the bureaucracy

Radical edicts were canceled after his death

“I have made Philosophy the

lawmaker of my empire.”

RUSSIA Dynasty Romanovs

Economy Agricultural with Serfdom

Major Problem the pendulum of Russian history To westernize or not to westernize?

Six week tsars succeeded Peter the Great fell under control of the Palace Guard

Tsar Peter III executed during coup by Palace Guard CATHERINE THE GREAT becomes tsarina in 1762

Was Catherine the Great an “enlightened monarch”?

Catherine the Great (r.1762-96) Continued westernization of Russia

started by Peter the Great (imported artists & intellectuals)

impassioned by the Enlightenment (corresponded w/ philosophes like Voltaire & Diderot)

Attempted domestic reforms.. Unified law code & restriction of

torture Limited religious toleration Educational improvement Reform of local governments

Abandoned Reform after Pugachev’s Rebellion (1773)… Charter of Nobility (1785) Nobles given absolute authority over

serfs Serfdom extended to Ukraine

“I shall be an autocrat, that’s my trade; and the good Lord will forgive me, that’s his.”

DUTCH REPUBLIC Experienced a period of decline in late 17th c.

Wars w/ England & France put heavy burdens on Dutch finances & manpower

Dutch shipping monopoly challenged by the English Dutch domestic industries, including fishing, stagnated Lack of political unity after death of William III (1702)

weakened system of the States General Power struggle Regents vs. House of Orange

Dutch burghers (“Patriots”) begin to agitate for domestic reforms

Invaded by Prussian king to protect his sister (wife of Orangist stadtholder) crushed Patriots

Only thing keeping Dutch relevant financial system

SPAIN Experienced a Period of Decline during 17th c.

Philip III expels the Morsicos (1609) Revenues from colonies declined Loss of the quinto Spanish currency devalued Aristocracy maintained wealth & power lacked sizable

middle class

New Dynasty in 18th c. Bourbons

Bourbon Kings modeled Spanish state on French monarchy Philip V & Charles III

Aristocratic elite resisted foreign ideas at expense of Spain Mercantilist legislation to promote domestic industry Ideas of Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment

OTHER MEDITERRANEAN STATESPortugal

Been in steady decline since losing the Spice trade to Dutch (late 16th c.)

Briefly revived by marquis of Pombal curtailed power of nobility & Catholic Church

Nobility & Church regained power after removal of Pombal

Italian States Austria replaces Spain as dominant power

on peninsula after Peace of Utrecht (1713)

Independent Italian States impotent in continental affairs

SWEDEN Dominant power in Northern Europe (17th c.)

Loss at battle of Poltava (1709) marked Swedish decline

Swedish nobility regain power in 1718 monarchy reduced to puppet status

King Gustavus III (1771-1792) reasserts power of the monarchy the most enlightened of all European monarchs? Laissez-faire economic reforms Freedom of religion, speech & press New code of justice/abolition of torture

Group of nobles assassinate Gustavus (1792) proved unable to restore rule of aristocracy

Gustavus III (r.1771-92) Restored the principle of strong

monarchy in Sweden via bloodless military coup (Aug.19, 1772)

Known as the “Theatre King”. Strong patron of the arts, poetry, theatre, and opera.

Liberal domestic reforms.. Torture forbidden by law (1772) Death penalty abolished for # of

offenses (1778-79) Relig. Toleration for Catholics & Jews

(1781) Laissez-faire economic reforms

Rescinded freedom of the press Upset nobility w/ increased power

to king and restriction of privileges; assassinated via noble plot in 1792

“ I will never pretend esteem for a man whose principles I deteste.”

POLAND-LITHUANIA

A Brief History of Poland

War of Austrian Succession (1740-48)

AUSTRIAGreat Britain

WAR PRUSSIAFrance

Cause Frederick the Great ignores the Pragmatic Sanction & invades Silesia

War fought in Europe, Asia & North America Prussia seized Silesia; France occupied Austrian Netherlands

(Europe) France took Madras from Britain (Asia) British captured French fortress of Louisbourg (North Am.)

Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle (1748) all occupied territories must be returned to original owners except Silesia

This treaty basically guaranteed that another war would be fought!

SEVEN YEARS’ WAR (1756-63)

AustriaFranceRussia

WAR Prussia Great Britain

Causes Prussia refused to return Silesia to Austria; Count Wenzel von Kaunitz engineers Diplomatic Revolution of 1756

Fought on Three Continents – Europe, Asia & No. America

Treaty of Hubertusburg (1763) ends fighting in Europe; returns all occupied territories recognized Prussia’s permanent control over Silesia

Treaty of Paris (1763) Britain gets India, Quebec & lands E. of Mississippi from

France French ally Spain transfers Spanish Florida to Britain French gives Louisiana territory to Spain

Seven Years’ War: The 1st World War?

Seven Years’ War: The 1st World War?