Absolutism in Eastern Europe

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Absolutism in Eastern Europe
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Austria, Prussia, and Russia

• Monarchs were in control up to 1918
• These monarchs will have a powerful impact on
  culture
• Architecture
• Arts

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Unlike the West

• Powerful Nobility
• Unlike the West- Nobles were able to suppress the
  serfs
• Weak Middle Class
• Oppressed Peasants-serfs

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Lords and Peasants in Eastern Europe
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Serfdom increases in the East

• Lords created laws that restricted the free
  movement of peasants run-a-ways in Prussia had
  their ears nailed to a post and given a knife to
  cut themselves free
• Landlords took more and more of their land and
  increased labor obligations
• Local lords were judge and jury

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Consolidation of Serfdom

• Poland Lords could inflict death
• Prussia (1653 ) Hereditary subjugation
• Russia (1649) 9 year time limit on runaways was
  lifted

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Increase in Agriculture

• As European economy expanded, the price of food
  increased
• More peasants meant a surplus of local products
  were sold to foreign markets
• Was it simply to develop of export markets?

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No effective Central Government

• Political rather than economic factors were the
  difference in the status of serfs.
• Identical developments caused opposite results in
  the west.
• Local nobles held more power over weaker kings
  and increased their political demands
• A king in the east was the first among equals
• Nobles undermined cities power. Products were
  sold directly to foreign capitalists
• Importance of urban middle class declined no
  more did town air make one free.

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East as least and West as Best

• Because of social inequalities and harsher
  economic conditions, the west perceived the east
  as barbaric and uncivilized.
• Therefore the east was considered morally
  inferior which was eventually tied to ethnicity
• The Ottomans

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The Rise of Austria and Prussia

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Toward a Central Government

• Monarchs gained power in three key areas
• Imposed and collected taxes without consent
• Created standing armies
• Conducted relations with foreign states as they
  pleased

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Austria and the Ottoman Turks

• Devastated by the Thirty Years War
• The loss made them turn inward
• Established direct rule over Bohemia
• The robot 3 days a week of unpaid labor
• Protestants were stamped out
• 1683 Ottomans are in retreat to the east the
  Habsburgs take Hungary

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The Pragmatic Sanction1713

• Habsburg land was divided into three fragile
  political entities
• Austria
• Bohemia
• Hungary
• Rakoczy- Revolt
• Defeated 1703
• All would be passed to a single heir.
• Hapsburgs . Hungary accepts Habsburg ruler but is
  never fully integrated into the Empire.

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Prussia in the 17th Century

• The Elector of Brandenburg had prestige to
  elect the Holy Roman Emperor, but no military
  power
• Estates of princes were weakened by the Thirty
  Years War
• Frederick William the Great Elector
• Comes to power 1640

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Frederick William The Great Elector r.1640-1688
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The Junkers

• Landowning nobles that had dominated Prussia
• Frederick was not resisted in his drive toward
  absolutism by the nobles they barked but did not
  bite
• Different than England which had moved to
  constitutionalism

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Frederick the Great Elector

• Introduced permanent taxes without consent
• Paid for a standing army
• The size of the army grew ten-fold
• Two major reasons for success
• The invaders to the east demanded a consolidation
  of forces
• Allowed the nobles to continue their rights and
  privileges over the peasants, but the royal
  authorities could tax the townspeople

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Frederick the Ostentatious1688-1713

• Weak in mind and body
• Man crush on Louis XIV
• Luxury and petty tyranny

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Frederick William I The Soldier King1713-1740

• Prussian war psychology- cult of the military-
  with the Junkers as officers
• Best and strongest soldiers
• Dog eat dog view of world politics
• Violent temper immediate and severe punishments
• Obsession for tall soldiers

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The Prussian Military

• Grows from 38,000 to 83,000
• Amazing discipline and precision
• Although ready for war, he was usually at peace
• Tall males were recruited

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Replaces the Estates with bureaucracy

• Frederick was austere which made his country
  economically conscientious
• Ministers were honest and fair

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Russia

• It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an
  enigma Winston Churchill

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The Mongol Yoke

• Russia was forced to pay tribute
• The Greatest prince was the one that paid the
  most money
• Ivan I money bags(r1328-1341)
• Collects taxes for the Mongols
• Ivan III (r 1462 1505) Muscovite princes gain
  authority
• Ivan III stops acknowledging Mongols
• Fall of Constantinople holy Russia 1480

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Ivan the Terrible(IV)

• R. 1533-1584
• Turns west against the Poland and Lithuanian
  state
• Destroys leading Boyars with secret police
• Purges many other elements of society
• Greater oppression of the serfs
• All were servants of the Prince