Absolutism

Absolutism emerged in Europe during the 17th century as a political system where a single ruler, often a monarch, held absolute power and authority.

Louis XIV of France, known as the “Sun King,” is a prominent example of an absolute monarch who ruled from 1643 to 1715, centralizing power in the French monarchy.

Absolutist rulers justified their authority through the idea of divine right, claiming that God granted them their power and, therefore, they were accountable only to divine authority.

The Treaty of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years’ War in 1648, contributed to the consolidation of absolutist power by recognizing the sovereignty of individual states and rulers.

Absolutist monarchs sought to control and weaken traditional power centers, such as the nobility, by promoting a highly centralized bureaucracy.

The construction of extravagant palaces, like Versailles in France, symbolized the monarch’s power and tools for controlling the nobility.

Absolutist rulers often imposed mercantilist economic policies, aiming to strengthen the state’s economy through regulation and control of trade.

Establishing standing armies was a characteristic feature of absolutist rule, providing the monarch with a means to enforce control and suppress dissent.

In Russia, Tsar Peter the Great implemented multiple reforms in the late 17th and early 18th centuries to modernize and centralize the Russian state, reflecting elements of absolutism.

Despite being an absolute monarch, Frederick the Great of Prussia implemented reforms such as religious tolerance and legal improvements, showcasing variations within absolutist rule.