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Absolute Monarchy

All new nations had to answer one question: what form of government shall we
have? The English philosopher, Thomas Hobbes, wrote in the 1600s that a powerful
monarch, or king or queen, was the best way to unify a nation. Hobbes believed that
kings were justified in assuming absolute power because only they could maintain order
in a society. Absolutism is a political system where a monarch has absolute power over
his or her people. This power is unlimited. Historians call this period of absolute
monarchs the Age of Kings.
In the Age of Kings, many rulers had absolute or total power. People often
believed that this power came from god. The belief that a ruler’s power came from God
was known as the “divine right.” Divine Right theory was used by monarchs to increase
their power. According to this theory, the king was God’s deputy on Earth. The king’s
commands expressed God’s wishes.
Louis XIV of France provided a model for other absolute monarchs. Under his
rule, the king’s command was law. Critics who challenged the king were punished. To
control the nobles, Louis built a large palace at Versailles. Leading nobles were expected
to spend most of the year at the royal court, under the watchful eye of the king. Louis
also interfered in the economic and religious lives of his subjects. He demanded that
Protestants convert to Catholicism or leave France. Finally, Louis involved his subjects
in a series of wars to expand France’s frontiers and to bring glory to his rule.

Questions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

1) Who was Thomas Hobbes and what did he believe?

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2) Explain Divine Right theory.

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Absolute monarchs or kings and queens with complete power eventually

destroyed the old feudal system and took complete control over their subjects.  When
control of a country or area comes from one individual, it is called centralization.  A
centralized government tends to be more stable.  Law and order come from one place,
decisions rest on one person or one group of people.  The feudal system was
decentralized because there were many small nobles in constant conflict with one another
over land and power. Absolute monarchies were centralized because power came from
one place: the monarch.
The absolutists did away with this fragmented system and seized absolute control
of every aspect of life in their respective country or nation-state. Some prominent
absolute monarchs include Elizabeth I of England, Philip II of Spain, Frederick the Great
of Germany, Louis XIV of France, Peter the Great of Russia, and Catherine the Great of
Russia. 
Conflicts of varying degrees occurred between the authorities of the day.  The rise
of absolutists took power away from the Roman Catholic Church.  During the Middle
Ages, the Pope had been the strongest authority in Europe. Under absolutism, monarchs
or kings challenged the Pope in political power, territory, and wealth.  Subsequently,
conflict arose between the Church and the monarchs.  Also, the absolutists came into
conflict with one another.  When one monarch gained enough territory and wealth to
threaten another, war would erupt. 
Religion also played a role. After the Protestant Reformation succeeded,
Absolutists used differences in religion as an excuse to invade other nation-states.  For
example, Louis XIV, the Sun King, engaged many nations simply because they were
Protestant, and France was Catholic.  He gained huge amounts of territory and wealth
because of it.  
Questions: Answer the following questions in complete sentences.

3) What is the difference between a centralized government and a decentralized

government?
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4) How did absolute monarchs change life in Europe?

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