Empire and Absolutism World History/Napp
“Philip II was the son of Charles V and from his father; he inherited Spain, the Spanish Netherlands, and the American colonies. Philip was shy, serious, and – like his father – deeply religious. He was also very hard working. Yet Philip would not allow anyone to help him. Deeply suspicious, he trusted no one for long. As his own court historian wrote, ‘His smile and his dagger were very close.’
Perhaps above all, Philip could be aggressive for the sake of his empire. In 1580, the king of Portugal died without an heir. Because Philip was the king’s nephew, he seized the Portuguese kingdom. Counting Portuguese strongholds in Africa, India, and the East Indies, he now had an empire that circled the globe. Philip’s empire provided him with incredible wealth. By 1600, American mines had supplied Spain with an estimated 339,000 pounds of gold. Between 1550 and 1650, roughly 16,000 tons of silver bullion were unloaded from Spanish galleons, or ships. The king of Spain claimed between a fourth and a fifth of every shipload of treasure as his royal share. With this wealth, Spain was able to support a large standing army of about 50,000 soldiers.
When Philip assumed the throne, Europe was experiencing religious wars caused by the Reformation. Philip believed it was his duty to defend Catholicism against the Protestants of Europe and the Muslims of the Ottoman Empire. In 1571, the pope called on all Catholic princes to take up arms against the mounting power of the Ottoman Empire. Philip responded like a true crusader. More than 200 Spanish and Venetian ships defeated a large Ottoman fleet in a fierce battle near Lepanto. In 1588, Philip launched the Spanish Armada in an attempt to punish Protestant England and its queen, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth had supported Protestant subjects who had rebelled against Philip. However, his fleet was defeated.” ~ World History
1- What did Philip II of Spain inherit from his father, Charles V?
2- Why did a court historian write that Philip’s smile and dagger were very close?
3- What did Philip II do when the king of Portugal died without an heir?
4- Prove that Philip II was incredibly wealthy.
5- What did Philip II believe was his duty?
6- What was the outcome of the battle near Lepanto?
7- Why did Philip II launch the Spanish Armada?
8- Was the Spanish Armada successful?
9- Why was Philip II able to become such a powerful king?
Absolutism
· Many European monarchs claimed authority to rule without limits on their power
· These rulers wanted to be absolute monarchs or kings or queens who held all of the power within their states’ boundaries
· Their goal was to control every aspect of society
Divine Right Theory
· Absolute monarchs believed in divine right, the idea that God created the monarchy and that the monarch acted as God’s representative on earth
· An absolute monarch answered only to God, not to his or her subjects
More on Absolute Rulers
· The growing middle class usually backed monarchs, because they promised a peaceful, supportive climate for business
· Absolute rulers regulated everything from religious worship to social gatherings
· They created new government bureaucracies to control their countries’ economic life
· Their goal was to free themselves from the limitations imposed by the nobility and by representative bodies
- Define absolutism.
- Define divine right theory.
- How does an absolute monarch ruling as a result of divine right theory differ from an American president?
P R I M A RY S O U R C E
The first characteristic of the sovereign prince is the power to make general and special laws, but – and this qualification is important – without the consent of superiors, equals, or inferiors. If the prince requires the consent of superiors, then he is a subject himself; if that of equals, he shares his authority with others; if that of his subjects, senate or people, he is not sovereign.
~ JEAN BODIN, Six Books on the State
- According to Jean Bodin, what demonstrates the sovereignty of the king?
P R I M A RY S O U R C E
He rushed with [his horse’s] utmost speed upon the first windmill he could come at, and, running his lance into the sail, the wind whirled about with such swiftness, that the rapidity of the motion presently broke the lance into shivers, and hurled away both knight and horse along with it, till down he fell, rolling a good way off in the field.
~ MIGUEL DE CERVANTES, Don Quixote de la Mancha
- Cervantes wrote Don Quixote de la Mancha in 1605 is often called the birth of the modern European novel.
What was a key characteristic of an absolute monarchy in the 16th and 17th centuries?1. centralized governmental authority
2. increased political rights for peasants and serfs
3. freedom of religion
4. a system of checks and balances
A DEO REX, A REGE LEX – “the king is from God, and law is from the king.”
~ James I
This quotation best reflects the concept of
1. constitutional monarchy
2. separation of powers
3. equal representation
4. divine right rule
Which heading best completes the partial outline below?
I.______
A. Divine right theory
B. Centralization of political power
C. Reign of Philip II
1. Beginning of Global Trade
2. Growth of Democracy in Europe
3. Rise of Absolutism
4. Age of Exploration
A common goal of Philip II of Spain was to
1. spread Calvinism
2. promote political revolutions
3. maintain absolute power
4. isolate their nations
From the 15th to the 18th centuries, absolute monarchs of Europe and Asia sought to
1. increase the power of the Catholic Church
2. centralize their political power
3. redistribute land to the peasants
4. strengthen feudalism / Base your answer to the question on the passage below and on your knowledge of social studies.
…The power of God can be felt in a moment from one end of the world to the other: the royal power acts simultaneously throughout the kingdom. It holds the whole kingdom in position just as God holds the whole world.
If God were to withdraw his hand, the entire world would return to nothing: if authority ceases in the kingdom, all lapses into confusion…
~ Bishop Jacques-Benigne Bossuet
Which historical era is most closely associated with this passage?
1. Industrial Revolution
2. Agricultural Revolution
3. Age of Imperialism
4. Age of Absolutism
The theory justifying a monarch’s rule by God’s authority is called
1. laissez faire
2. totalitarianism
3. predestination
4. divine right
Many European monarchs of the 1600s maintained that they should have absolute power to rule because they
1. needed to defend their nations against threats from the Western Hemisphere
2. thought that all people should have the right to a good ruler
3. had been given their power to govern from God
4. thought that communism was the superior political system