System of government

King or Queen has

complete control over
government & its people
Autocracy
Centralized Government
Nation states

Monarchs based their

claim on Divine Right
Authority comes from God
Similar to Mandate of Heaven
Monarchs are Above the Law
Common features- Strong
armies,limited representative bodies,
high taxes

Breakdown of Feudalism/ Rise

of Nation states
Continuous Warfare
Need for money
Exploration
Declining influence of the church

Regulation of Religion
& society
Loss of power by
nobility & legislatures
New government
Bureaucracies
Huge building projects

The Hapsburg
Monarchy
1556 Holy Roman
Emperor Charles V
divides empire
Son Phillip II rules
Spain, Netherlands
& Italy

Promoted Golden age of Spain

Wealth from colonies
helped buildup military
Defender of Catholicism
1588-Spanish Armada
defeated by England
(Elizabeth I)
1600s Spain power declines
Financial problems

The Bourbon Monarchy

Henry IV increases
power of Govt. &
decreases power of nobility
Louis the XIII strengthens
& builds up military
Cardinal Richelieu
subdues nobles &
Huguenots

Known as The Sun King

Ruled for 72 years
Mercantilist policies
Built the strongest army in
Europe
Expanded bureaucracy
Never called the Estates General
Persecuted the Huguenots
French Protestants

Built Lavish palace @ Versailles

Gilded Cage for nobility
His successors inherited enormous
debts (costly Wars & extravagance)

1480 Russian rulers

drive Mongols out
Early Czars Ivan III &
Ivan IV (Terrible) used
harsh methods to unify
Russia & strengthen
Monarchy
1613 Michael Romanov

Grand Embassy tour

Toured Europe
learning new technologies
Westernization/Modernization
Introduced western ideas
Laws, technology, culture

Built largest army

in Europe
Won territory
along the Baltic Sea
St. Petersburg becomes
Window to the West
Major trading port &
new capital

Centralized
power
Reduced power
of the nobility
Brought
Orthodox Church
under his control

1215 King John forced to sign

Magna Carta
Limited Kings powers
1295 Edward I establishes
Model Parliament
Lawmaking body
House of Lords & House of
Commons

Parliament
successfully blocked
attempted shifts to
absolute rule
The Tudor
Monarchs(1485-1603)
generally worked well w/
Parliament
Ex. Henry VIII &
Elizabeth I

Had absolutist
tendencies (Strong belief
in Divine Right)
James I & son Charles
I Consistently clashed
with Parliament over
finance & foreign policy
Angered Puritans

Known as the Puritan

Revolution (1643)
Charless Cavaliers vs.
Roundheads led by
Oliver Cromwell
Charles I is overthrown
by forces loyal to
Parliament
beheaded in 1649

England became a Republic

called the Commonwealth
At first Cromwell & Parliament
share power
1653 Cromwell assumes Title of
Lord Protector & rules as a
dictator
Cromwell brutally put down
revolts in Ireland & Scotland
(Genocide)

Upon Cromwells death, Parliament

restores Stuart Monarchy to throne
Charles II & James II became
unpopular due to absolutist policies
Parliament fears return of
Catholicism(James II)
Parliament overthrows James II
& asks William & Mary to
assume throne (Glorious

1688-William & Mary

forced to sign English Bill
of Rights is signed
Guarantees Parliaments
superiority over the
Monarchy
England becomes a
Limited Monarchy
(Remains today)