Absolutism Vocab Flashcards
(24 cards)
Absolutism
A form of government, usually hereditary monarchy, in which the ruler has no legal limits on his or her power.
autocrat
a ruler with unlimited power
Beard Tax
A tax on those men in Russian who wore beards by Peter the Great as a method of Westernizing Russia. Those who had beards were required to carry a token stating that they had paid their beard tax.
Charles V of Spain
a Holy Roman Emperor who attempted to enforce a compromise between Catholics and Protestants; asks German princes to use their power to excommunicate reformers
Divine Right
Belief that a rulers authority comes directly from god.
Edict of Nantes
document that granted religious freedom to the Huguenots
Elizabeth I of England
Queen of England, protestant, never married despite many suitors, compromised between Roman and Protestant doctrines, church of England, kept theology, got rid of pope
English Civil War
civil war in England between the Parliamentarians and the Royalists under Charles I
Estates General
An assembly of representatives from all three of the estates, or social classes, in France.
Hapsburg Family
Powerful Catholic family that controlled many European states
Huguenots
French Protestants
Louis XIV of France
Sun King, absolute monarch of France, built Palace of Versailles, revoked Edict of Nantes
Magna Carta
the royal charter of political rights given to rebellious English barons by King John in 1215
Monarchy
A government ruled by a king or queen
nation-state
A state whose territory corresponds to that occupied by a particular ethnicity that has been transformed into a nationality
Oliver Cromwell
English military, political, and religious figure who led the Parliamentarian victory in the English Civil War (1642-1649) and called for the execution of Charles I. As lord protector of England (1653-1658) he ruled as a virtual dictator.
Parliament
A body of representatives that makes laws for a nation
Peter the Great
(1672-1725) Russian tsar (r. 1689-1725). He enthusiastically introduced Western languages and technologies to the Russian elite, moving the capital from Moscow to the new city of St. Petersburg.
Petition of Right
Document prepared by Parliament and signed by King Charles I of England in 1628; challenged the idea of the divine right of kings and declared that even the monarch was subject to the laws of the land
Philip II
(1527-1598) King of Spain from 1556 to 1598. Absolute monarch who helped lead the Counter Reformation by persecuting Protestants in his holdings. Also sent the Spanish Armada against England.
Roundheads and Cavaliers
These were the two sides of the English civil war. The Roundheads were the Puritan supporters of the Parliament and the Cavaliers were the supporters of Charles I
St. Petersburg
Built by Peter the Great of Russia to attract europeans and to get warm water ports.
Versailles
A palace built by Louis XIV outside of Paris; it was home to Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette
Westernization
An adoption of the social, political, or economic institutions of Western—especially European or American—countries.
