European States, International Wars, and Social Change (Chapter 18) Historical Overview: Royals during the eighteenth

century did not use divine right to justify their authority but the idea that they could be of service to the general public. Enlightened despotism and enlightened absolutism stated that monarchs should be all powerful. France was governed and ruled by Louis XV for the majority of the century. This king was lazy and useless. He rose to the throne at the age of five. Louis XV was followed by Louis XVI who married Marie Antoinette, an Austrian Princess. Marie was immediately disliked by the people of France and this was not helped by all of her spending sprees. Prussia gained much power during the eighteenth century under Frederick William I and Frederick II the Great. These leaders focused on the formation of a larger army and efficient control of resources. Fredrick the Great allowed religious tolerance, freedom of speech, freedom of press, and he improved upon many of the laws. He also increased the size of the Prussian army to 200,000 men. In Austria, Maria Theresa managed to establish a central government. Joseph II got rid of slavery, fixed laws, and allowed religious tolerance. In Russia, Catherine II the Great reformed the laws; these new laws favored the nobility greatly. The War of the Austrian Succession and the Seven Years War were fought in Europe as well as North America and India. The victory belonged to Britain in these wars, driving France away from India and Canada. The British created an empire across the whole world. Death rates decline and agriculture improved which led to a growth in the population. Warmer climates, improved soil, new crops, the end of the bubonic plague, and better livestock led to greater success in agriculture during this time period. International trade soared to new heights. Peasants made up 85% of the population in Europe, these peasants had more rights than in the west but still faced limited rights. The nobility consisted of 2 or 3% of the population. These nobles lived in large country homes with education and culture.