1. M A G I S T E R R I C A R D
A P E U R O
T H E C U L T U R E O F A B S O L U T I S M A N D
C O N S T I T U T I O N A L I S M
CH 16: Absolutism and
Constitutionalism in Western
Europe (1589-1715)

2. Questions to Consider
 How did the influence of absolute monarchs affect
culture?
 Or did the cultural influences of the time create the notion of
an absolute monarch?
 How did the monarchs of England lose their power?

3. C H A P T E R 1 6 : A B S O L U T I S M A N D
C O N S T I T U T I O N A L I S M I N W E S T E R N E U R O P E
( 1 5 8 9 - 1 7 1 5 )
The Culture of Absolutism

4. Baroque Art and Music
 Rome and the Catholic Church played a key role in
development of baroque style
 Most fully developed in Catholic countries
 Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640) represents baroque painting
 Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) represents baroque music

5. Court Culture
 Versailles sets trend in court culture
 Becomes center of French state
 Symbol of Louis XIV’s power
 Nobles were required to spend part of the year in
attendance
 Access to the king translates into political and
economic power
 Women take on a more prominent role in patronage
system

6. French Classicism
 Refers to imitation of Roman and Greek artistic
models with the values of discipline, restraint, and
balance in art
 After 1660s, artists focused on glorifying Louis and
the state
 Nicholas Poussin exemplifies French classicism in painting
 Jean-Baptiste Lully music
 Moliere and Racine in theater

8. C H A P T E R 1 6 : A B S O L U T I S M A N D
C O N S T I T U T I O N A L I S M I N W E S T E R N E U R O P E
( 1 5 8 9 - 1 7 1 5 )
Constitutionalism

9. Absolutist Claims in England (1603-1649)
 After much bloodshed and instability, England
emerged as a constitutional monarchy
 James I (1603-1625) succeeds Elizabeth I, asserts his
divine right to rule and antagonizes Parliament
 House of Commons objects
 Members comprised of new wealthy, capitalist class

10. Religious Divides
 James I and his successor, Charles I (r. 1625-1649)
sympathized with Catholics
 Puritans in House of Commons were suspicious
 In 1640 Charles I summons Parliament to request
funding to suppress a rebellion in Scotland
 Parliament passes laws which limit Charles’ power
 Irish uprising leads to civil war
 Charles I is executed by Parliament in 1649
 Parliament is unable to address issue of sovereignty
 England becomes military dictatorship run by Oliver
Cromwell 1649-1660

11. Puritanical Absolutism in England
 Oliver Cromwell and the Protectorate
 Cromwell attempts to create a community of Puritan
saints
 After Cromwell’s death in 1658, England had enough
of military rule
 Longed for restoration of civilian rule, restoration of common
law
 By 1660, ready to restore monarchy

12. The Restoration
 Charles II (r. 1660-1685) is invited back from exile in
France
 Limits Parliament by creating 5 man panel
 Charles II is caught in secret negotiations, panic
ensues
 Was negotiating with Louis XIV for gradual return to
Catholicism in England and an alliance against Netherlands

13. The Restoration
 James II succeeds (r. 1685-1688) but is an open
Catholic
 Places many Catholics in high positions
 Declares universal religious tolerance
 Anglican bishops refuse to read his proclamation
 James II’s wife produces a male heir
 Fear of Catholic dynasty
 Parliament offers throne to his daughter, Mary
(Protestant)

14. The Restoration
 James II flees in 1688 to France
 Mary and her Dutch husband, Prince William of
Orange are crowned king and queen of England

15. The Triumph of England’s Parliament
 Constitutional Monarchy and Cabinet Government
 The “Glorious” Revolution – Parliament’s expulsion
of James II
 Bill of Rights passed by Parliament
 Guarantees independence of judiciary
 Parliament has power to make laws and freedom of debate
 Protestants granted religious toleration

16. The Triumph of England’s Parliament
 John Locke’s Second Treatise of Civil Government
(1690) defends Glorious Revolution
 Government was a contract between ruled and ruler for
protection of life, liberty, and property
 Glorious Revolution was not a democratic revolution
 Few English subjects could vote in election of Parliament
 Cabinet system is born in 18th century
 A cabinet of ministers, responsible to Parliament,
governed
 Further diminishes power of monarch

17. The Dutch Republic of 17th Century
 Basis of power rested on assemblies of wealthy
merchants in each of 7 provinces called “Estates”
 A federal assembly, “States General”, ran foreign
policy – but served the Estates
 States General appointed a stadtholder in each
province/Estate
 Sometimes men held the post of stadtholder in all 7 provinces
 Power relied on commercial prosperity

18. The Dutch Republic of 17th Century
 The Netherlands was the only realm in Europe that
allowed nearly complete religious toleration
 In 1650, Dutch owned half of the ships in Europe
 Dutch, as a result, controlled much of European
trade
 Had arguably the highest standard of living in the
world
 Began to decline around the time of the War of
Spanish Succession