AP Euro: Absolutism Terms
absolutism - : A form of government, usually hereditary monarchy, in which the ruler
has no legal limits on his or her power.
Divine Right Theory - : God created the state and that God had given those of royal
birth a "divine right" to rule
Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) - : Regent and later chief minister to Louis XIII; helped
weaken the nobility and strengthen the power of the monarchy; amended the Edict of
Nantes to disallow walled Huguenot cities
Intendants - : French royal agents who collected taxes and administered justice to
help strengthen the power of the monarchy
raison d'etat (reason of state) - : Machiavelli's notion that any means are necessary in
order to protect the state; used by Cardinal Richelieu during the Thirty Years' War
Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) - : Successor of Cardinal Richelieu. He ran the
government while Louis XIV was still a child. His bad attempts to increase royal revenue
and the state lead to the Fronde.
Fronde (1648-1653) - : A series of revolts against Louis XIV which posed an
unprecedented threat to the French crown
Louis XIV (1643-1715) - : Also known as the "Sun King"; the ruler of France who
established the supremacy of absolutism in seventeenth-century Europe.
Palace of Versailles - : Lavish palace constructed by Louis XIV to reflect his power
and might; used to make the French nobility dependent upon the crown
Jean Baptiste Colbert - : An economic advisor to Louis XIV; he supported
mercantilism and tried to make France economically self-sufficient; brought prosperity to
France.
Five Great Farms - : An area within France that does not have tariffs so there is a free
trade zone that opens up immense wealth
Marquis de Louvois (1641-1691) - : He was the minister of the military for Louis XIV
following the Treaty of the Pyrenees; standardized training, equipment, and promotion
of the military
, War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) - : A war fought over the Spanish throne.
Louis XIV wanted it for his grandson (Philip of Anjou) and fought a war against the
Dutch, English, and the Holy Roman Empire to gain the throne for France. The Peace of
Utrecht ended the war.
Grand Alliance of 1701 - : alliance that included England, Holland, Austria, and
Prussia due to fears that the monarchies of France and Spain would be unified thereby
upsetting the balance of power in Europe
Peace of Utrecht (1713) - : The pact concluding the War of the Spanish Succession,
forbidding the union of France with Spain, and conferring control of Gibraltar on
England; gave the Spanish Netherlands to Austria; France was left weakened and
nearly bankrupt
Philip IV (r. 1621-1665) - : Spanish monarch who failed to revive his country after its
losses in the Thirty Years' War despite the consolidating efforts of his chief minister, the
Count of Olivares
Magna Carta (1215) - : An English document drew up by nobles to provide a check
against royal power; created by Parliament, granting basic political rights of the English
citizenry; prevents monarchy from ruling as it pleases
James I (r. 1603-1625) - : First Stuart monarch in England; also James VI of Scotland;
quarreled with Parliament over his perceived right to govern without their consent;
subscribed to the Divine Right of Kings; quarreled with Puritans, even thought he issued
the King James Bible; established North American colonies of Virginia and
Massachusetts
Charles I (r. 1625-1649) - : Stuart monarch who clashed with Parliament over
sovereignty; despite agreeing to the Petition of Right, he refused to call Parliament into
session and instead raised revenue with a tax called ship money; his Archbishop
William Laud attempted to impose the Anglican faith on the Scots; led the Cavaliers
during the English Civil War; beheaded at the end of the war
habeas corpus - : a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge
or into court, especially to secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown
for their detention.
Petition of Right (1628) - : Parliamentary document that restricted the king's power;
called for recognition of the writ of habeas corpus and held that only Parliament could
impose new taxes.
English Civil War (1642-1649) - : Caused when Charles I attempted to have members
of Parliament arrested following Laud's execution; fought between the king's army
(Cavaliers) and Parliament's army (Roundheads); Cromwell's leadership helped defeat
the Cavaliers, resulted in the execution of Charles I
absolutism - : A form of government, usually hereditary monarchy, in which the ruler
has no legal limits on his or her power.
Divine Right Theory - : God created the state and that God had given those of royal
birth a "divine right" to rule
Cardinal Richelieu (1585-1642) - : Regent and later chief minister to Louis XIII; helped
weaken the nobility and strengthen the power of the monarchy; amended the Edict of
Nantes to disallow walled Huguenot cities
Intendants - : French royal agents who collected taxes and administered justice to
help strengthen the power of the monarchy
raison d'etat (reason of state) - : Machiavelli's notion that any means are necessary in
order to protect the state; used by Cardinal Richelieu during the Thirty Years' War
Cardinal Mazarin (1602-1661) - : Successor of Cardinal Richelieu. He ran the
government while Louis XIV was still a child. His bad attempts to increase royal revenue
and the state lead to the Fronde.
Fronde (1648-1653) - : A series of revolts against Louis XIV which posed an
unprecedented threat to the French crown
Louis XIV (1643-1715) - : Also known as the "Sun King"; the ruler of France who
established the supremacy of absolutism in seventeenth-century Europe.
Palace of Versailles - : Lavish palace constructed by Louis XIV to reflect his power
and might; used to make the French nobility dependent upon the crown
Jean Baptiste Colbert - : An economic advisor to Louis XIV; he supported
mercantilism and tried to make France economically self-sufficient; brought prosperity to
France.
Five Great Farms - : An area within France that does not have tariffs so there is a free
trade zone that opens up immense wealth
Marquis de Louvois (1641-1691) - : He was the minister of the military for Louis XIV
following the Treaty of the Pyrenees; standardized training, equipment, and promotion
of the military
, War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1713) - : A war fought over the Spanish throne.
Louis XIV wanted it for his grandson (Philip of Anjou) and fought a war against the
Dutch, English, and the Holy Roman Empire to gain the throne for France. The Peace of
Utrecht ended the war.
Grand Alliance of 1701 - : alliance that included England, Holland, Austria, and
Prussia due to fears that the monarchies of France and Spain would be unified thereby
upsetting the balance of power in Europe
Peace of Utrecht (1713) - : The pact concluding the War of the Spanish Succession,
forbidding the union of France with Spain, and conferring control of Gibraltar on
England; gave the Spanish Netherlands to Austria; France was left weakened and
nearly bankrupt
Philip IV (r. 1621-1665) - : Spanish monarch who failed to revive his country after its
losses in the Thirty Years' War despite the consolidating efforts of his chief minister, the
Count of Olivares
Magna Carta (1215) - : An English document drew up by nobles to provide a check
against royal power; created by Parliament, granting basic political rights of the English
citizenry; prevents monarchy from ruling as it pleases
James I (r. 1603-1625) - : First Stuart monarch in England; also James VI of Scotland;
quarreled with Parliament over his perceived right to govern without their consent;
subscribed to the Divine Right of Kings; quarreled with Puritans, even thought he issued
the King James Bible; established North American colonies of Virginia and
Massachusetts
Charles I (r. 1625-1649) - : Stuart monarch who clashed with Parliament over
sovereignty; despite agreeing to the Petition of Right, he refused to call Parliament into
session and instead raised revenue with a tax called ship money; his Archbishop
William Laud attempted to impose the Anglican faith on the Scots; led the Cavaliers
during the English Civil War; beheaded at the end of the war
habeas corpus - : a writ requiring a person under arrest to be brought before a judge
or into court, especially to secure the person's release unless lawful grounds are shown
for their detention.
Petition of Right (1628) - : Parliamentary document that restricted the king's power;
called for recognition of the writ of habeas corpus and held that only Parliament could
impose new taxes.
English Civil War (1642-1649) - : Caused when Charles I attempted to have members
of Parliament arrested following Laud's execution; fought between the king's army
(Cavaliers) and Parliament's army (Roundheads); Cromwell's leadership helped defeat
the Cavaliers, resulted in the execution of Charles I
