1. The Era of Absolutism
(1550 – 1800)
• Absolute Monarchs –rulers with complete
authority over the government and people. They
share power with nobody!
• Divine Right – Belief that this power is derived
from God.

2. King Charles V
From 1519 to 1556
•Ruling two empires involved Charles in constant
warfare. As a devout Catholic, he fought to
suppress Protestantism in Germany.
•He faced military threats from the French, from
German Protestant princes, and from the
Ottoman Empire under Suleiman.
•Charles V provided five ships to
Ferdinand Magellan, whose voyage
was the first sail around the world.
•New Spain were considerably
extended by conquistadores like
Hernán Cortés and Francisco
Pizarro.

3. The Empire of Charles V (Hapsburgs)
•In 1556, an exhausted Charles gave up his titles and divided his empire. His brother
Ferdinand became Holy Roman Emperor, and his son Philip ruled Spain, the
Netherlands, and the vast Spanish overseas empire.

4. King Philip II
From 1556-1598
•During his 42 years reign, Philip II expanded Spanish
influence, strengthened the Catholic Church and made
his own power absolute.
•Thanks to silver from the Americas, he made Spain the
foremost power in Europe.
•Philip wanted to control all
aspects of government, believing
that he ruled by divine right, that is
he believed that his authority to
rule came directly from God.
•He conducted the Inquisition to
eliminate Protestants, Jews and
Muslims.

5. Spain’s Golden Century
• The Hapsburgs were patrons of the arts in
Spain.
• Among the most famous painters of the
period was El Greco. His most famous work
was the Burial of the Count of Orgaz.
Spain’s golden century also produced outstanding
writers like Cervantes who wrote Don Quixote, the
first modern novel in Europe which makes fun of
medieval tales of Chivalry.

6. Economic Decline
In the 1600s, Spanish power slowly declined. Costly overseas wars drained
Spain of its wealth. Even though it ruled a huge colonial empire in the
Americas, its strength slipped away.
The British
defeated the
Spanish
Armada in
1588.
By the time the
last surviving
ships reached
Spain, half of
the original
Armada was
lost and some
15,000 men had
perished.

7. THE RISE OF
ABSOLUTISM
IN FRANCE
“L’etat, c’est moi
(I am the state)” –
Louis XIV

8. THE RISE OF ABSOLUTISM IN FRANCE
• Louis XIII died in 1643 Punished Nobles
•Richelieu’s spies uncovered
• Cardinal Richelieu died in 1642
series of planned revolts
• Louis XIV crowned in 1643 •Punishments were severe,
• reduced power of nobility including death for treason
•wanted to reduce power of
• restricted local authorities Huguenots, strengthen monarchy
Cardinal Richelieu Louis XIII

9. THE RISE OF ABSOLUTISM IN FRANCE
Can you compare these tactics to other Absolute rulers?

10. BUILDING ABSOLUTISM
Rise of the Sun King Confident in Ability to Rule
• Louis XIV becomes king at young • Young king supremely confident in
age, with mother as regent ability to rule
• Cardinal Mazarin, chief minister • When Mazarin died, 18-year-old
after Richelieu, provided advice Louis declared he would run
• Louis raised to be king, taught skills government himself – takes reigns
of government in 1661
needed from childhood
• “I am the state,” he declared
Young Louis XIV Cardinal Mazarin

11. RULE OF LOUIS XIV
Absolute Monarchy
• Louis XIV retained absolute power – Declared Divine Right Rule
• Began tradition of absolute monarchy to last more than century
• Demanded to be in charge of all military, political, economic initiatives

12. RULE OF LOUIS XIV
Central Government
• Drew power to himself, deprived nobles of influence
• Built palace outside Paris at Versailles; demanded nobles visit and live there
• Nobles gained prestige being servants at Versailles court, not by fighting
• Additionally, Louis urged nobles to develop expensive new habits of dressing,
dining, and gambling
• As nobles grew poorer, had to depend on king’s generosity just to survive
Versailles

13. PALACE OF VERSAILLES
Film Clip
Versailles was a grand spectacle of kingly power
• Louis XIV’s style, ceremony emphasized political strength
• Practically every moment of king’s day required rituals by
Versailles
bowing courtiers
– Eating, dressing, walking in garden, all required a ritual
– Louis always knew who had given what he considered proper attention

14. THE SUN KING
Louis XIV chose the sun as his personal symbol, implying
that the world revolved around him. He thus became
known as the Sun King.
He was God’s representative on Earth!

15. RULE OF LOUIS XIV
Religious unification
“One king, one law, one faith”
• Louis smashed power of Huguenots
• Edict of Nantes had protected Huguenots since reign of Henry IV
• Even Richelieu had not be able to eliminate that protection
• 1685, Louis revoked Edict of Nantes, outlawed Protestantism in France
• Over 200,000 Huguenots fled—prosperous merchants, artisans
• Loss of their skills, wealth helped cause financial crisis

16. RULE OF LOUIS XIV
Most Powerful Ruler
• Louis needed cash to build up
military, expand French territory
• Enlarged army to more than
200,000 disciplined soldiers
• Spent money on good equipment
• Was most powerful ruler in Europe,
taking France to war four times
Money and the Military
• Louis’ finances always a concern
• Grand lifestyle cost great deal of
money
• Limited imports, increased exports
• Mercantilist System

17. ABSOLUTISM IN FRANCE
 Dependant on many advisors &
bureaucrats
 Many old privileges & customs
continued to exist
 Estates General – Representative law
making body – had to be called to meet by
the King
•Pinnacle of power, wealth,
prestige
•Overseas exploration &
expansion – New World,
Africa, SE Asia
•Cultural & intellectual
leader – Art, Fashion,
Cuisine, Philosophy

18. THE SUN KING
Base your answer to the following
questions on the cartoon
1. What image did Louis XIV use as a
symbol of his power?
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__________________________
2. Why do you think he used this image
as a symbol of his power?
_________________________________
_________________________________
_________________________________
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3. What is the overall meaning of this
cartoon?
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