AP European History Absolutism in Eastern Europe M. Holloway

Absolutism in Eastern Europe Holy Roman Empire  Compare Western Europe with Eastern Europe  Roughly 300 states 17th Century - West  Austria is the largest  Most countries had:  Emperor selected by 7 Electors… after 1648 there  Strong central govt were 8 Electors  tamed or incorporated into the state  German princes gradually go their own way  Urban merchant classes on the rise  Treaty of Westphalia (1648) allow for member  Agricultural population free from feudal obligations states to conduct their own foreign policy Central & Eastern Europe  Imperial courts powerless  Nobility has considerable power and status Habsburgs - Austria  Middle class weak  Tried to consolidate HRE during Thirty Years  Peasants still enserfed War… 1618-48  How does it happen?  Lost – forced to turn inward and Eastward Economics from 1300-1500  HRE included 15 major languages  Tough econ times in West… leads to more freedoms of  Habsburgs are only power able to exercise its Peasants influence in both West and East (back in Charles V  Serf obligations gradually declined days)  In eastern Europe landlords used political and police Habsburg King – Ferdinand II power to control peasants  Formerly known as Ferdinand of Styria Eastern Europe Control  He ruled from 1619-1637  1. Lords made kings and princes issue laws to restrict or  Although Defenestration of launches his eliminate free movement of peasants (ear nailed… given Catholic administrators out the window… he wins knife) the bigger conflict  2. Lords took more of their lands and increased their Habsburg King – Ferdinand II labor obligations  crushed into submission  Peasants become enserfed again!  Peasants further oppressed  Protestantism stamped out Economic factors or Political?  Bohemian nobles forced to submit – they like  Economic factors would have to somehow account for Habsburg monarch for new measures placed on opposite effects in East and West serfs: TAXES, work (peasants worked  Namely, West – freedom of serfs, 3 days/week for no pay for new masters) East – peasants are re-enserfed Ferdinand III (r. 1637-1657)  Therefore, likely to be Political  Centralized gov in German-speaking provinces…  WEST – monarchs become stronger mostly Austria, Styria, and Tyrol  EAST – monarchs = first among equals in noble class…  Creation of permanent standing army thought their role to be more private than public  Peace of Westphalia 1648 Leopold I (r. 1658-1705) Political Power of Peasants  Hungary–Habsburgs continue to look east…  Weakened in East  Try to dominate… never successful until later  Resistance minimal  Yet, Hungarian nobles present stronger resistance  Uprisings never succeeded than Bohemian/Czech nobility  Lords ran the courts… not Kings  Hungarian/Magyar nobles - Protestant  Towns robbed of their merchant status in Middle Ages…  Leopold promises Hungarian Estates restoration of  Landlords undermined by selling/trading directly with some landowner privileges that had been suppressed big foreign capitalists  Hungary ends up calling for Turkish assistance  Foreign merchants bypassed towns to get to large estate  Louis XIV allies himself with Turkish/Ottoman push docks, etc. Eastward… the Turks Absolutism on the Rise  Turks attempt siege of Vienna in 1683… finally fails th  In 17 century – things begin to change  Eventually Habsburgs win BIG  Continued wartime emergencies provide monarchs with  By 1699 – Habsburgs have all of Hungary and “opportunity” Transylvania…  Nobles can have domain over peasants… while  But, again, Hungarian nobles will never completely monarchs gradually monopolize power submit to Habsburg rule – 1. Monarchs begin to impose and collect permanent  Peace of Karlowitz (1699) – Ottomans yield taxes without consent territories to Austria and Poland – 2. Maintained permanent standing armies – 3. Conducted relations with other states as they pleased

Page 1 AP European History Absolutism in Eastern Europe M. Holloway

Habsburg Empire  Estates of Brandenburg and Prussia dominated by  Three separate and distinct territories: nobility and landowning classes – known as  Austria “Junkers”  Bohemia (Czech)  Eventually gets Junkers  Hungary to accept his plan  Each with own laws and political system – tied together  Soldiers collect taxes by common Habsburg monarch  Tax revenues triple  Joseph I (r. 1705-1711)  Army increases 10x Charles VI (r. 1711-1740) Elector Frederick III – “The Ostentatious”  In 1700 he was designated successor to throne in Spain Rules 1688-1713 (after Spanish King Charles II died – who was childless) Becomes King Frederick I (Prussia) in 1701 for helping  BUT, on Charles II deathbed – switched to Philip of Leopold I and HRE in War of Spanish Succession Anjou (grandson of Louis XIV) Frederick William I (r. 1713-1740) The “Soldier’s King” or the “Sergeant-Major” Charles VI (r. 1711-1740) Could not to 10 as a boy without tutor  France is eventually defeated in War of Spanish Bad tempered Succession (1701-1713)… ends with Peace of Utrecht – Wore uniform around the house 1713 Known for fits of screaming rage  By 1718 – Charles adds Wallachia (Romania), Serbia Called everyone in sight “blockhead” and Bosnia to Hungarian territories (from Ottomans) Beat officials with a stick  Signs Pragmatic Sanction in 1713 to keep Habsburg Knocked out the teeth of several judges whose sentences possessions from being divided (passed to single heir) displeased him  Allows for female heir – Marie Theresa Truly establishes absolute rule in Prussia Hungarian Resistance Began hiring commoners to run bureaucracy  Protestantism kept them unified “Tall soldiers = his weakness”  Liked Ottomans for their religious tolerance Battalion of Giants  During War of Spanish Succession – Hungarians rise in Junkers become the Officers in Army one last patriotic rebellion Child Abuser? Prince Francis Rakocy – 1703 Known to constantly ridicule and beat his son  Although defeated Hungary able to keep strong Frederick II – (r. 1740-1786) independent nature… Will become “Frederick the Great”  Noble privileges kept… in exchange for Habsburg rule Tried to run away at 18… friend is beheaded acceptance The Rise of Prussia Russia  The Hohenzollern family Ivan III – (r. 1462-1505)  Brandenburg = “the sandbox of the Holy Roman Last of the Muscovy princes and first ruler of greater Empire” Russia  Landlocked (around Berlin)… poor land/soil, no military Takes title of Tsar strength… Dumps khan as supreme leader Yet, the future seemed oddly bright? Secures Novgorod – confiscates property  Prussia – a related territory, but geographically not Adopts double-headed eagle of Byzantium as imperial connected… reverted back to Brandenburg in 1618 crest  Brandenburg/Hohenzollern family could do nothing “Third Rome” after fall of Constantinople in 1453 to throughout the Thirty Years War Turks  Totally devastated… but also weakened Estates’ (noble  Ivan marries daughter of the last Byzantine emperor families) strength… perfect for absolute power before the Turks conquer them Boyars – landed … Georg Wilhelm (r. 1619-1640) gradually lose power during Ivan III and Ivan IV…  Described by one of his descendents as “utterly unfit to abolished by Peter the Great rule” Ivan IV (r. 1533-1584) – THE TERRIBLE  Known for his piety and gluttony…. Ivan Groznyi (“awe inspiring” – “terrible”)  Spent most of the war switching from one side to the Mother poisoned by Boyars other. When Ivan was 13, he ordered a noble ripped  By 1638…revenues fallen off by 90% apart by fierce dogs Had archbishop sewn into bearskin and thrown Enter Frederick William (r. 1640-1688) to hungry wolves  Becomes known as the “Great Elector” Reforms army, legal system, expands trade, conquers East – Siberia

Page 2 AP European History Absolutism in Eastern Europe M. Holloway

Boyars – all, old and new, had to serve tsar to hold any land Fyodor’s brother-in-law ruled… After 1560… Death of 1st wife made him unstable Sort of… Ivan’s wives False Dmitri I and II 1547 – at age of 16... married: Supported by Poland… not trusted by Russians 1. Anastasia Romanova – good marriage. She bore Michael Romanov (r. 1613-1645) six children, although only two survived infancy. She Ivan the Terrible’s 16-year-old nephew dies in 1560. Very dedicated to nobility who secured his position Landlords continue push to enserf the peasants Two weeks after her death he announces that he’ll wed a Completely enserfed by 1649 sister of the king of Poland, Sigismund II Augustus. The Tsar’s power is thus, solidified offer is rejected by the Polish family. So he marries: Alexei Mikhailovich Romanov 2. Maria - Asiatic beauty... the daughter of the Ruled 1645-1676 Circassian ruler Temgruk. One child, boy, dies after 5 Law Code – 1649 weeks. Ivan loses interest in her... shortly thereafter Peasants enserfed she dies... (poison?) Annex Ukraine Revolt of Stephen Razin 3. Marfa – married to her just 16 days... some say Zealots of Piety never consummated?... she dies on 16th day (poison?) Nobility exempted from military service Two months later... Nikon and Russian Orthodox Church 4. Anna – a commoner (Church disapproves)... Wanted to eliminate corrupted practices and bring closer married 3 years... barren... sent to nunnery to Greek Orthodox Commoners saw him as the “Antichrist” Wives #5 and #6 – seen as mistresses in eyes of Old Believers –vs.- new reformed Rus Orthodox Church... Old Believers supported violent peasant uprisings Nikon defeats this Schism Then in 1580... Stephan (Stenka) Razin 7. Maria Nagaia – daughter of a boyar... gave birth to (b. 1627 – d. 1670) a son, Dimitri (Anastasia's son, Dimitri, having died). Led Cossack / rebel armies Strikes down Muscovite Boyars Distributed loot equally Many executed… gives lands to lesser Boyars Very popular with the peasants Divides empire into two administrative Revolts from 1667-1670 halves - Oprichniki Razin Arrested and Executed  One governed by Council of Boyars Razin led to his execution  Other by him Swedish Empire Beginning of his paranoia 1640’s – 1650’s Sweden expanded into Denmark, Son = Theodore / Fyodor (r. 1584-1598) Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, West Pomerania, and Dies without heir Bremen (N. Germany) Thus, begins the “Time of Troubles” German was official language of administration No clear ruler until 1613 – Assembly of Nobles (Boyars) Queen Christina (r. 1632-1654) – sold 65% of royal elect first Romanov tsar lands to nobles to raise money Time of Troubles = tremendous taxation of peasants at the Charles XI (r. 1660-1697) – absolute rule hands of the landlords Charles XII (r. 1697-1718) – king at 15 Landlords began to reinstate serfdom to keep peasants from Refused to take coronation oath… snatched crown, running placed on own head, ruled by total instinct and strong Many headed East and South – Near Czechnya use of military Cossacks = outlaw armies – fierce! Killed in a war in Norway leaving no heir Time of Troubles – Boris Godunov

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