Abolute Monarchs Essay, Research Paper

ABSOLUTE MONARCHS

During the middle of the seventeen century and early eighteen century, the system of central authority was established. King Louis XIV (Sun King), Frederick William (The Elector), and Tsar Peter I (The Great) their achievements, policies, and similarities were in view of obtaining desired goals.

Many achievements for advancement were accomplished during the late 1700s and early 1800s. The French King Louis XIV created at Versailles, near Paris a elaborate court and in 1680s he transformed a small chateau into the largest building in Europe, 12 miles from Paris. Also, Louis XIV carried off successfully a dual functions. He was both King in council and King in court. In his view, the two rules went together and he held them in balance. Frederick William developed, Berlin, into a cultural center he founded what was to become one of the finest libraries in the world, the Prussian State Library. He made his palace a center of art. Frederick construction program beautified Berlin with new churches and huge public buildings. He also established an academy of Sciences. Tsar Peter I was the only one of the autocrats to build an entirely new capital, called ST. Petersburg.

Policies were implemented to establish precedence. Louis XIV implemented polices to expand Frances s frontiers and to assert his superiority over other European states. In the early 1680s, Louis adopted the Marquis aim and asserted his right to a succession of territories on Frances s northeast border. Also, in 1685 Louis revoked the Edict of Nantes, he forced France s 1 million Huguenots either to leave the country or to convert to Catholicism. In 1648 Frederick William, backed by both the Dutch and the French, restrained Sweden in northern Europe during the negotiation leading to the Treaty of

Westphalia, earning new territory without having to do much. Also, in 1653 the Diet of Brandenburg gave Frederick the right to raises taxes without its consent. Tsar s Peter

policies laid the foundation for a two class society that persisted until the twentieth century. Under Peter all peasants were reduced to one level, subject to new poll tax, military conscription, and orced public work. Below them were serfs. The peasants advantage fover the serfs was the freedom to move. Peter also created a single class of nobles by substituting status within the traditional hierarchy of titles. In 1722 he issued a table of bureaucratic ranks.

The similarities of royal authority during the middle seventeen century and early eighteen century were phenomenally equal. Louis XIV, Frederick William and Tsar Peter all believe in central authority(absolutism). They believed that a strong army was the key to territory expansion. Also, they expressed their beliefs of absolutism authority at home and abroad.

Centralized authority during the late 17th century and early 18th century was the basis for reformation. The royal leadership of this period accomplished many achievements, established policies for expansion and established control centrally and abroad. Their methods were similar in obtaining power, control and territorial expansion.