World History / Unit 7: Absolutism, the Scientific Revolution and the Enlightenment
7.1 Absolute Monarchy in Spain and France
Notes
In the 1500s to 1700s, many European rulers became absolute monarchs, holding complete power over their states.
- Divine right of kings: the belief that monarchs get their power from God and answer only to God.
- Philip II of Spain (ruled 1556 to 1598) used American silver to fund wars defending Catholicism. England defeated his Spanish Armada in 1588.
- Louis XIV of France, the "Sun King" (ruled 1643 to 1715), is the classic absolute monarch. A famous saying attributed to him is "I am the state."
- Louis built the palace of Versailles, where nobles had to live at court so he could watch and control them.
- He did not call the Estates-General (France's legislature), and he revoked the Edict of Nantes (1685), driving many Protestant Huguenots out of France.
- Costly wars and Versailles left France deeply in debt.
Practice
The divine right of kings is the belief that:
Rulers claimed they answered only to God, not to subjects.
Why did Louis XIV require powerful nobles to live at Versailles?
Nobles at court were busy with ceremony instead of building power at home.
Which action by Louis XIV hurt France's economy?
Many Huguenots were skilled workers and merchants.
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