Absolute Monarchy Flashcards
What is an absolute monarch?
An absolute monarch is a king or queen who held all the power in their country.
What is the idea of Divine Right?
Divine Right is when absolute monarchs believed their power came from God. The monarch was God’s representative on Earth and he/she answered only to god.
Limited Democracy Develops in England: Reforms in Medieval England; Who is King Henry II?
King Henry II (r. 1154-1189)
A. One of his greatest achievements was the development of JURY TRIAL.
B. England gradually became unified under COMMON LAW: laws that reflects customs and principles established over time and common to the whole kingdom (vs. the will of a single ruler).
•basis of legal system in the United States.
Magna Carta (Great Charter): What did King John had to do with the Magna Carta?
King John was forced to sign the treaty in 1215 by angry nobles (he had fought and lost costly war with France — lost land and King John tried to raise taxes).
What is a Parliament?
A parliament is a legislature, group of people who come together to discuss and create law.
What is the Magna Carta (Great Charter)?
The Magna Carta is a contract between king and nobles that limited the king’s power (all, even the king, had to obey the law)
-laws shall only be levied with “common consent”.
-everyone had the right to “due process of law” (right to jury trial and the protection of law)
~kings could no longer randomly punish his subjects.
When was the First Model Parliament made? Who made the First Model Parliament? Why did he make the First Model Parliament?
King Edward creates the first parliament to raise money to war with France in 1295.
Who was the King of England in 1603 and why did he have problems?
James the first of Scotland becomes King of England in 1603 and had problems because:
- he wanted absolute power and made Parliament angry.
- argued with parliament over money.
- made Puritans (purify the Anglican Church) angry because he did not enact Puritan reforms.
- did not understand English customs.
How did James I get the throne of England?
James I got the throne of England because Queen Elizabeth did not have a heir because she was never married so she passed it on to her nephew. (?)
Who came after James I?
Charles the First came after James the First because he is James the First’s son.
What did Charles the First do when he received the throne?
Charles the First (Son of James I):
- he always needed money because he was constantly fighting wars and when Parliament refused to give him money, he disbanded it.
- to raise money, he made the British people pay fees and fines — it made him unpopular.
- offended Puritans by trying to enforced the Anglican Church.
When did the English Civil War start and ended? Who was the war between?
The English Civil War began in 1642 and ended in 1649. The war was between Royalists (people that were loyal to Charles I) and Roundheads (Puritans).
Did the Royalist or Roundheads win the English Civil War?
The Roundheads win with the help of OLIVER CROMWELL.
What did Cromwell and the Puritans do to Charles I?
Cromwell and the Puritans brought Charles I to trial for treason (disloyalty to the country) and beheaded him.
What happens to the monarchy in England after Charles I was beheaded?
After Charles I was beheaded, the monarchy in England was abolished and Cromwell becomes the LEADER of England from 1649 to 1658 and abolishes the monarchy.
- he established a COMMON WEALTH (government for the common good) but became a military dictator.
- made laws that promoted Puritan morality and abolished (GOT RID OFF) activities they found sinful. (EXAMPLE: theater, sporting events, dancing)
What happened after Cromwell died?
After Cromwell died, Parliament voted to “restore” Charles I’s son, CHARLES II to the throne.
What did Charles II realize?
Charles II realized that he could not make the same mistake his father made and worked with Parliament.
What did the Parliament passed?
The Parliament passed HABEAS CORPUS: every prisoner had the right to know the charges against him.
-kings could no longer put someone in jail for opposing them, people could no longer be held indefinitely (forever) without a trail.
What happened in the GLORIOUS REVOLUTION?
A. After Charles II died, his brother JAMES II became king.
B. King James II was a CATHOLIC, appointed Catholic to important offices.
-when King James II had a son, the English people became afraid that all the future kings will the Catholic.
C. Parliament asked King James II’s daughter, MARY and her husband, WILLIAM OF ORANGE to be queen and king (they were Protestant).
D. King James II fled to France and the peaceful transfer of power to William and Mary of Orange is known as the GLORIOUS REVOLUTION.
E. As William and Mary got their power from Parliament, they promised to recognize Parliament as their partner in governing.
-England became a CONSTITUTIONAL MONARCHY: still had a king, but Parliament made all the laws and limited the ruler’s powers with the Bill of Rights (document that stated what the government could and could not do).
Who is Phillip II? — Presentation
Phillip II (mid to late 1500s) —
a. countries he ruled — Netherlands, Italy, parts of Germany, Portugal, Latin America, Spain*.
b. sent someone (duke of Alva) to kill 20,000 people.
c. William the Silent was sent to administer the territories.
d. Foreign things he did was invading England.
e. Had 3 wives and 1 son.
f. Country was weaker after he died because ships were set on fire.
Who is Philip II? — Lecture
Phillip II (1556-1598) —
a. Married to Bloody Mary (cousin) s Golden Age (high point of culture and art)
- All the gold eventually caused inflation.
e. Built El Escorial (very religious and had a monastery)
f. Lost England after Mary dies.
g. Sends army to attack England when Elizabeth ruled (Never gets England back).
h. Fights too much and lost too much. (Bad)
i. Read every single thing; Spanish empire was slow. (One way he was absolute) [Bad]
j. Spanish Golden Age and held the Spanish Colonial Empire and had a nice empire. (Good)
Who is Louis XIV? — Lecture
Louis XIV (1643-1715) —
a. Received throne when he was four.
b. Ruled for 72 years.
c. The Fronde — Nobility and Parliament of Paris started a rebellion; Louis fled Paris until his forces defeated them. (The Fronde happened when Louis was eight years old.)
d. Significance of the Fronde — traumatized at 8 years old, changed how he ruled.
e. No government decisions without king’s consent. (No Prime Minsters).
f. Nobility barred from king’s inner council.
g. He took control of the budget and in the beginning of his reign he reduced taxes.
h. Supported theater, fashion, and art.
i. Palace of Versallies — cost 2.5 billion dollars.
j. Nobles forced to live at Versailles.
l. Hall of Mirrors found inside the Palace of Versaillies.
m. Edict of Nantes — law that gave Protestants the right to worship in mostly Catholic France.
~Louis XIV revoked it —
i. Churches destroyed.
ii. Soldiers tortured and murdered Protestants.
iii. Execution.
iv. 300,000 fled to France — hurt France’s economy.
Who is Louis XIV? — Presentation
Louis XIV (mid 1600s to early 1700s) —
a. Ruled over France and parts of Spain.
b. Married Maria of Spain.
c. Cultivated fashion, art, theater. [GOOD]
d. Often referred to as ‘The Sun King’.
e. Weak in political power. [BAD]
f. Strong and weak empire.
g. 300 protestants left. [Weak]
h. Strong Military [Strong]
Who is Catherine the Great? — Presentation
Catherine the Great —
a. Ruled over Prussia.
b. Significance within Russia.
c. Helped Russia gain land.
d. Improved education and medical projects.
e. Forced labor for projects.
f. Stronger, because she gained more land.
