Chapter 17 – Absolutism in Eastern Europe to 1740

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Chapter 17 Absolutism in Eastern Europe to 1740

• Medieval background (1050 - 1300)
• Personal and economic freedom for peasants
  increased, serfdom nearly disappeared
• Hereditary serfdom took place in Poland, Prussia
  and Russia (1500-1650)
• Hereditary subjugation peasants were bound to
  their lords from one generation to the next as
  well as to the land

The Growth of Austria and Brandenburg Prussia
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• Overall the peasants had less power in Eastern
  Europe than in Western Europe
• Serfdom increased because of political not
  economic reasons
• Typical king was only first among equals
• Westerner began to regard eastern Europe as
  culturally and morally inferior
• Real losers were the peasants and middle class
• Landlords controlled the courts (justice system)

Collecting Taxes in Russia
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Austria

• Austrian Habsburg turned inward and eastward
  after 30 years war
• Serfdom increased, Protestantism was wiped out,
  and absolutism was achieved
• In Bohemia the Habsburgs crushed the Protestant
  nobility, bringing Catholic newcomers, their land
  given to the soldiers and binding local peasants
  to them (Battle of White Mountain)
• Bohemian Estates reduce in power and influence

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• Ferdinand III of Austria, created a standing
  army, centralized and turned toward Hungary for
  land
• Under Suleiman the Magnificent the Ottoman-Turks
  built the most powerful empire in the world,
  which included part of central Europe
• The Turkish sultan (king) was the absolute head
  of the state
• Siege of Vienna (1683) Habsburg defeated the
  Ottoman Turks and began increasing their
  territory
• Defeat of the Ottomans has support from
  protestants nobles in Hungary and Louis XIV of
  France

Suleiman - The Magnificent
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• Habsburg possessions consisted of Austria,
  Bohemia, and Hungary
• Pragmatic Sanction stated that the possessions
  should never be divided
• Hungary nobility thwarted the development of
  Habsburg absolutism and Charles VI had to restore
  many of their traditional privileges after the
  rebellion led by Rakoczy in 1703

Ottoman Empire at its Height, 1566
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Prussia

• The Hohenzollern family ruled the electorate of
  Brandenburg (sand box of the Holy Roman Empire)
  and Prussia
• Thirty years war weakened the realm and allowed
  the Hohenzollerns to consolidate their absolutist
  rule
• Frederick William (the Great Elector) built a
  strong Prussian army and infused military values
  into Prussian society
• Junkers were the noble landowners of Prussia

A Prussian Giant Grenadier
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• Frederick William I (the Soldiers King)
• Created best army in Europe
• Most talented reformer, established Prussian
  absolutism
• Infused strict military values into the whole
  society
• Love tall, strong soldiers
• Cult of the military, created a centralized
  bureaucracy, almost always at peace
• Became known as the Sparta of the North
• Junker class became military elite and Prussia a
  militarist state

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Russia
Ivan the Terrible first to take the title Tsar
of Russia, executed many Muscovite boyars and
their peasants. His ownership of all land, trade
and industry restricted economic development.
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• Mongol controlled Russia- used Russian
  aristocrats as servants and tax collectors. (13th
  16th Century)
• Ivan I served Mongols and strengthen Moscow
  Mongols conquered the Kievan state in 13th
  century (Golden Horde)
• Ivan III stopped acknowledging the Mongol khan
  (1480)
• Prince of Moscow the tsar
• Eastern Orthodoxy rejects the authority of the
  pope

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• Muscovites gained their initial power through
  services rendered the the Mongols
• Rise of Russian monarchy was largely a response
  to the external threat of the Asiatic Mongols
• The tsars and boyars struggled over who would
  rule the state, the tsar won and created a
  service nobility who held the tsars land on
  the condition that they serve in his army (tsar
  means Caesar-absolute ruler)
• Ivan IV Ivan the Terrible fought wars against
  Mongols, launched a reign of terror against boyar
  nobility, he murdered leading boyars and
  confiscated their estates (no private property.)
• He monopolized mining and business activity, he
  assumed he owned all trade as he owned all
  landResult No Middle Class
• Many peasants fled his rule to the newly
  conquered territories forming outlaw armies
  called Cossacks

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• Time of Troubles Increased pressured on the
  peasants to pay for his wars led to a breakdown
  of the Muscovite state after Ivan IV death.
• There was no heir, relatives of the tsar fought
  against each other
• Swedish and Polish armies invaded
• Cossack bands slaughter many nobles and officials
• Ivan kill his son, and the Time of Troubles was
  caused by a dispute in the line of succession
• Michael Romanov was elected tsar by the nobility
  in 1613

Saint Basils Cathedral, Moscow onion shaped
domes a striking example of powerful Byzantine
influences on Russian culture
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• Romanovs brought abut the total enserfment of the
  people, while the military obligations on the
  nobility were relaxed
• The Church became dependent on the state for its
  authority
• Peter the Great reformed the army and forced
  the nobility to serve in his bureaucracy or army
  for life
• He created a western styled army, won the Great
  Northern War against Sweden, made compulsory
  education away from home for higher classes
  mandatory (5years)

Peter the Great painting celebrates the power
and determination of Russia's famous ruler
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• Peter borrowed Western technology and hired
  Western advisors
• Visited Europe in disguise
• He modernized the army and made Russia a great
  power in Europe
• Russian peasant life became more harsh
• People replaced land as the primary unit of
  taxation
• Serfs were arbitrarily assigned to work in
  factories and mines

Peter the Great
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• Great Northern War 1700-1721
• Alliance with Denmark
• Invades Sweden, wants warm water ports
• Denmark and Russia defeated
• Peter reforms nobles must serve for life
  military schools 5 years serve away from home
  bureaucracy higher taxes
• Battle of Poltava
• End Russia gains Estonia and Latvia, becomes
  Baltic power

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St. Peterburg excellent example of the tie
among architecture, politics, and urban
development

• Baroque culture and art grew out of an effort by
  the Catholic church to attract followers
• Architecture played an important role in politics
  because it was used by kings to enhance their
  image and awe their subjects (Royal Place,
  favorite expression of absolutist power)

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St. Petersburg- Peter wanted to create a modern,
baroque city form which to rule Russia

• The dominant artistic style of the age of
  absolutism was baroque dramatic and emotional
  style
• St. Petersburg became one of the worlds largest
  and most influential city's
• It had broad, straight avenues, housed built in a
  uniform line, parks,, canals and streetlights
• Each social group was to live in a specific
  section,

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The Ottoman Empire at Its Height, 1566
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The Growth of Austria and Brandenburg-Prussia to
1748
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Map 17.3 The Expansion of Russia to 1725