Heidi Kim Per. 1 10/30/02 “In what ways and fo what extent did absolutism affect the power and status of the European nobility in the period 1650 10 1750? Use examples from at least two countries.” (2002, Question #5) From the period of 1650 to 1750, absolutism greatly degenerated the power and status of the European nobility, especially scen in the countries of France during the reign of Louis XIV and of Russia under the rule of Peter the Great, Louis XIV, embittered by the Fronde of his childhood, ruled aan absolute monarch without calling the Estates General once during his reign. He successfully transplanted the nobility from Paris to Versailles, wherc they were distracted from political mischief by the affairs of the court. He used newly ennobled intendants that could aspire to no independent political influence of their own to occupy government positions, preventing any challenges to the throne by the French nobility. However, the noble class remained exempt from taxes until the close of Louis XIV's rule. Similarly, Peter the Great transformed the lives of the nobility in his efforts to wwestemnize Russia. Contemptuous because of his disputed succession, he kept a firm control of ‘government by ruthlessly punishing and killing any that opposed him, namely the Stricltzy in their ‘mutiny of 1698, Peter the Great replaced existing forms of goverament with an administrative system in which officers were obligated to scrve the tsar in cither civil administration or the military, effectively prioritizing state service over personal position. He moved the country's capital and nobility to St. Petersburg, a magnificent city built in his own namesake. Here, he integrated Russian culture with his Petrine reforms, forcing all beards to be shorn and short westemized clothing to be wom. Both rulers had similar goals in trying to keep the nobles under their control. 1. Louis XIV, King of France (1643-1715) A. Background 1. The Fronde (1648-1653) a. Revolution led by parlements and nobility directed against prime minister Cardinal Mazarin bb. Parlements insisted on their right to pronounce certain edicts ‘unconstitutional and demanded a calling of the Estates General c. Mazarin was outlawed and the royal family was forced out of Paris to live in destitution in Saint-Germain 4d. Resulted in total faiture because the frondeurs had no systematic ‘organization and aimed only to overthrow the unpopular Mazarin and obtain offices and favors for themselves ‘¢, The royal court and Mazarin were eventually restored; however, Louis XIV would never forget the humiliating treatment of the nobility during his youth 2. In 1661, with the death of Mazarin, Louis XIV declared the start of his absolute ‘monarchy ‘a, Was supported by Bishop Bousset’s theory in the divine right of kings b. “Lam the State” B. Political Effect on the Nobility 1. Versailles had a debilitating effect on the political powers of the nobility > a. In 1661, Louis XIV started the building of a tremendous palace in the old village of Versailles, eventually transplanting the nobility from Paris to this new location b. Monument of worldly splendor: fitted with polished mirrors, gleaming chandeliers, magnificent tapestries, and a formal park ‘with fountains and shaded walks (36,000 bricklayers and 6,000 horses were employed for labor)¢c. Served as a public building for government offices as well as a residence for the king, nobles, churchmen, notable bourgeois, and servants 4d. Attention of the nobles became consumed by gambling, the condoned diversion of adultery, and the capricious extravagant fashion of the court (average of 50% of noble’s money went towards wardrobe) rather than political affairs and personal ambitions . Under the royal eye, and involved in daily court ritual, the nobility’s only role in government was to glorify and imitate Louis XIV 2. Councilors of State and Intendants 1. Louis XIV preferred to use newly-appointed nobles of bourgeois ‘origin for positions in the government b. Could aspire to no independent political influence of their own c, Embodied all aspects of royal government: supervising the flow of taxes and recruiting of soldiers, keeping an eyc on the local nobility, dealing with towns and guilds, controlling the hereditary officeholders, famine, watching the local law courts, deciding cases 4. Through these agents, Louis XIV was able to keep a firm and uniform administration upon the varied mass of France CC. Social Effect on the Nobility 1, Nobles of the Sword vs. Nobles of the Robe a. Nobles of the Sword 1. Louis XIV's personal entourage in Versailles b._ Nobles of the Robe 1, Newly appointed nobles who had purchased patents of nobility (government offices, judgeships, and commissions in the army and navy) 2. Revocation of the Edict of Nantes (168.5) ‘a. Louis XIV considered religious unity necessary to the strength and dignity of his rule b. Protestants, especially the Huguenots consisting substantially of nobles, wore persecuted and many left France to live in Holland, Germany, and America D. Economic Effect on the Nobility 1, Nobility remained exempt from taxes ‘a. Old bargain between the French crown and nobility stated that the king could raise taxes without consent of the Estates General if he refrained from taxing the nobles. b. Louis XIV was unable to impose direct taxes on the nobility until the close of his reign under extreme stress Il. Peter I (the Great), Tsar of Russia (1682-1725) A. Background 1. Grew up in nemetskata sloboda (German village) near Moscow ‘a. Opportunity for Peter to interact with foreigners with keen intelligence and strong personality from outside Russian society 2. After a disputed succession, Peter succceds in becoming absolute monarch a. Was clected tsar at the age of 10 b. However, the family of his father's first wife revolted and instated Poter’s half-brother Ivan (who was mentally retarded) as co-tsar under the regency of his half-sister Sophia,Yy cc. Under threats against his own life, Peter succeeded in arresting and putting Tsarevna Sophia in a convent in 1689 with the help of the Strielizy (Moscow garrison composed of nobles who were constantly active in politics) 4d. Peter assumed the throne as the sole tsar when Ivan dic 3. Journeyed abroad incognito as Peter Mikhailov from 1697-1698 ‘a. Mainly visited Holland and England . Interested in the work of the craftsmen and technical and scientific achievements of western Europe rather than ‘monuments and great works of art c._ Recruited almost 1,000 experts for service in Russia B. Political Effect on the Nobility 1. Massacre of the Strieltzy, 1698 a. The Strieltzy were long accustomed to almost unlimited power and privileges b. Resented the reforms in church and government, and rebelled c. In punishment, Peter set up 14 torture chambers and worked to ‘extract confessions and proof of their guilt 4. 1,000 Strieltzy were sentenced to death 2. The Table of Ranks ‘a. Formerly, the great landed estates of the nobility had been either hereditary or derived from a goverment office b. Peter abolished this system entirely and established the Table of Ranks in 1722; aristocracy of service or dvoriantsco replaced the aristocracy of birth ¢. Composed of 14 classes in which all were obligated to serve the tsar in either civil administration or the military d, Tsar’s officers were no longer officers because they were noblemen, but rather were noblemen because they were officers C. Social Effect on the Nobility 1. Decreed Petrine Reforms to westernize Russia a, Beards were strictly outlawed b. Imposed short Westem-style clothes on the entire populace, with only the clergy and peasantry excluded ‘c, Couriers were obliged to participate in court life d._ Required all gentry to put their sons in school ¢, Julian calendar was adopted and Cyrillic alphabet simplified D. Economic Effect on the Nobility 1. Peter supported the nobles in strengthening the system of serfdom ‘a, Manor came to resemble slave plantations b. Lords won the right to recover fugitives up to fiftcen years after their flight; time limit was eventually abolished altogether 4 ¢,. Serfidom gave lords complete control over the peasants as mere ‘attachments to their estates; able to scll serfs without land 2. St. Petersburg was a symbol of the new Russia, a new city facing toward ‘Europe and drawing the minds of the Russians westward ‘a, Peter wanted a port city that would serve his expansionist policies b. Old capital, Moscow, faced toward Asia and was the stronghold of opposition to Peter’s westernizing program c. Commissioned many well-known foreign architects, including the Italian Rastrelli, the German Schluter, the Swiss Tressini, and the Frenchman LeBlond 16964. In 1703, he began construction of the city situated on a landscape of forests and vast frozen swamps where the Neva River drained into Lake Ladoga cc. Established offices of government, required noblemen to build town houses of assigned dimensions, plan, and building materials, and gave favorable terms to foreign merchants and craftsmen to settle here £ Faced widespread resistance 1. Forbade the use of stone in the rest of the country in order to provide stone for his building purposes 2. Used forced labor bucause of lack of a work force (took a heavy toll in human life; estimated that 100,000 workers perished in the first year alone) 3. Taxes were imposed (on salt, tobacco, coffins, hats, leather, cellars, beards, meat, etc.) to pay for the enormous debts of building 4. Ruble (Russian unit of money) was devalued, weakening Russia’s economic position ‘Monarchs such as Louis XTV and Peter the Great were able to maintain a tight grip on their governments by keeping the nobility class in their respective countries in control. Both rulers were careful not to give the noble class political powers because of the social revolts of the upper classes that they had experienced in their earlier years. Both undermined the hereditary positions of nobles to favor and raise persons of inferior social rank, advancing the cause of civil ‘equality in schemes to secure their own thrones. However, one distinct difference between the policies of Louis XIV and Peter the Great was the use of serfdom. The Russian landlords gained power over their separate manors, while in France the manorial system was weak and deteriorating. BIBLIOGRAPHY: Buzzi, Giancarlo, The Life & Times of Peter the Great. Philadelphia, New York: The Curtis Publishing ‘Company, 1967. Louis XTV, le monarque absolu. [Online] Available http://www. chatcauversailles.frlen/220.asp, 10/16/02. Palmer, R.R. A History of the Modern World, Seventh Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, Inc., 1992. Panicucci, Alfredo. The Life & Times of Louis XIV. Philadelphia, New York: The Curtis Publishing ‘Company, 1965. St. Petersburg. {Online} Available hitp/hvww russia nevhistory/sp.html, 10/16/02. ‘Vernadsky, George. A History of Russia. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1930.