Absolute Monarchs

Absolute Monarchs

Absolute monarchy is a type of government in which the monarch has absolute power over the people but absolute monarchs need support from the aristocrats. The power of the monarch was not limited by law but at the same time it is not completely totalitarian. The key components of absolutism are strong central governments, a strong military to fight wars and a strong economy that strengthens the power of the government. The basic, condensed idea of Absolutism is power and control. How a ruler uses this power is what determines how they excel as a leader. 

Ivan The Terrible

Ivan IV, better known as Ivan the Terrible, became czar of Russia in in 1547.  He was an absolute monarch with a wild temper who killed many of his advisors including his son.

In 1556, Ivan exerted control over the boyars and princes who still held private lands in Muscovy by requiring them and their personal slave soldiers to serve in the cavalry as well. By forcing them into the "service class," Ivan took away the Russian nobility's independence. Peasants were tuned into surfs as their lands were turned over to the servicemen and they were forced to not leave the lands.

The title Ivan was given was the term Grozny, which was interpreted to mean terrible, but in actuality translates to awesome. However despite the fact that Ivan’s title was simply a translation error, many of the things he did indicated that he was indeed terrible. This nature became evident after the death of his beloved wife, he fell prey to the mental issues he had always battled with. His suspicion deepened into paranoia he became angry and depressed, with his old cruelty resurfacing. Ivan often had violent fits of temper and feelings of remorse.  Because of all this, in 1564, Ivan decided to leave his home in Moscow to visit a series of monasteries. Shortly after he returned in 1565, Ivan set up the Oprichniki, which became a separate police state within Russia. They dressed in black, the traditional colors of death, and rode black horses, from whose saddle hung two emblems - those of a broom and a dog's head. The broom signified the rider's mission to sweep Russia clean of Ivan's enemies; the dog's head symbolized that he was watchful for the czar.

Ivan the Terrible also had a strong desire to rule over more people, another trait of Absolute Monarchs. Looking to further expand his empire, Ivan targeted Livonia, a small, Baltic-coast nation in 1558.  He expanded Russia by annexing non-Russian lands in the Volga region and areas east of the Volga in the Urals and Siberia. Siberian natural resources were abundant however Russia’s economy or trade did not improve significantly under his rule. Farmers fled their farms because of the terrors of the Oprichniki and forests took over. 

Maria Theresa

Unlike Ivan the Terrible, Maria Theresa used her power to the benefit of her country. In 1740, 23 year old Maria Theresa took the throne of Austria to become the 1st female Hapsburg ruler. While her enmity with Prussia led to the 7 year war in which the countries involved were the same as the war of Austrian succession. The war took place in Europe, North America and India. The Treaty of Paris in 1763 ended the war and Prussia retained Silesia which angered her. Peace was established between Prussia and Austria with the 1^st partition of Poland in which Poland was divided into 3 parts, one part each going to Prussia, Austria and Russia.

She improved the Austrian economy by ending trade barriers between Austria and Bohemia and modifying the tax system. She strengthened the army by doubling the number of troops from her father's reign, reorganized the tax structure to insure a predictable annual income to support the costs of the government and army, and centralized an office to assist in the collection of the taxes.

Maria Theresa was courageous, generous and kind. She respected the rights of others and expected others to respect her rights. In the later part of her rule, the empress focused more on human concerns, and less on financial and administrative improvements. She became increasingly involved with the problem of serf reform. Throughout the empire, the peasants were obligated to pay monetary and work dues to their lords. In 1771, Maria Theresa issued the Robot Patent, the serf reform designed to regulate the peasants' labor payments in all of the Habsburg lands.

Louis XIV  

Louis XIV is another example of an absolute monarch who greatly ruined the state of his empire with his hunger for power. However, in contrast to Ivan the Terrible it was his own cockiness that led to his downfall- sounds a bit like something straight out of a Shakespeare play, doesn't it.  Some examples of this are how he tried to raise revenues by collecting taxes in cooperation with the aristocracy. He called himself the Sun King and believed that his power was so absolute that he would say  “L’etat, c’est moi.” Or “I Am The State”. Under his rule the state encouraged economic productivity through the granting of monopolies tariffs on foreign products, and creation of overseas colonies. The wealth of the kingdom allowed the king to raise taxes and pay for the army and the ever costly wars. With these new funds he strengthened France’s army and economy and established outposts in Canada and America. However these are the factors that would soon bring him to his downfall. He led France to the imperialist wars, which, combined with the high levels of taxes led to the failing of the French economy. On top of all that, his unfair taxation of the peasants till 1789 was one the things that lead to the French Revolution.

Louis was always religious, attending mass every day, and was deeply suspicious both of Protestants and of the Jansenists, A Catholic grope founded by the Saint Augustine. However, he had no real interest in theology, and his faithfulness did not stop him adopting a practical- even mercenary- policy in regard to clerical appointments and church lands.

He revoked the Edict of Nantes in 1685 which had given religious toleration to the Huguenots. The Huguenots were forced to convert to Catholicism or go to jail. Many of them left the country and with them left much of the prosperity they had created, resulting in problems for the French economy.

Louis also attempted to expand his kingdom. In particular, he would have liked to gain control over what is today Belgium and the Dutch Republic. Because he wanted to expand the borders of France many countries formed an alliance against him. This led to the war of Spanish Succession, where the Dutch Netherlands, England, and Austria fought against Spain and France for the Spanish throne.

Also known as the Spanish Wars, these events led to a further decline of the French economy. And the unjust tax system and migration of the Huguenots only accelerated this decline. 

Frederick the Great

Much like Maria Theresa, Frederick the Great is an example of an absolute monarch who used the power he held to benefit the state. Frederick the Great ruled Prussia from 1740 to 1786. After his accession he at once began the process of consolidation and expansion by invading Silesia, part of the Habsburg empire which resulted in the War of Austrian succession.  He grew the Prussian army which became the 4^th largest in Europe. France and Spain supported Prussia while England supported Austria. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed in 1748 to end the war and Silesia was acquired by Prussia. This made Maria Theresa of Austria upset which led to the 7 year war.

He was an example of an enlightened absolutist in that he displayed unusual religious tolerance, and he also tolerated free expression of the press.

He strengthened the Prussian economy by increasing food exports and mining natural resources. He introduced scientific farming and encouraged farmers from other parts of Europe to come to Prussia. He increased religious tolerance, outlawed torture, and enforced the rule of law.

After his accession he at once began the process of consolidation and expansion by invading Silesia, part of the Habsburg empire which resulted in the War of Austrian succession.  He grew the Prussian army which became the 4^th largest in Europe. France and Spain supported Prussia while England supported Austria. Treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle was signed in 1748 to end the war and Silesia was acquired by Prussia. This made Maria Theresa of Austria upset which led to the 7 year war.

 Aurangzeb

Aurangzeb has a story much more similar to Ivan the Terrible, his violent tendencies and need for control causing him to drastically worsen country because of his own personal issues. He was the 6^th Mughal emperor (1658–1707) and was known as Emperor Alamgir (Conqueror of the Universe). When he was 44 he killed his father Shah Jahan and all his 3 brothers. He was a strict Muslim with no tolerance for other religions. He persecuted Hindus, ordered the closing of their schools, the destructions of their temples and removed them from government service. He created poll tax and other taxes on Hindus. He fought two independent wars in Deccan in the south of India in 1683. This extended the Mughal Empire from Kabul in the north to Cape Comorin to the south.

In 1657 when Shah Jahan the Emperor of India fell really ill his son Dara who was liberal and tolerant was the chosen successor. In 1658 Aurangzeb marched into Agra, captured his father and his brother Dara as well as Dara’s son. He killed Dara and put his head on a platter! He was very intolerant and banned alcohol, dancing, beautiful paintings and writing of historical documents. He banned music in his own court. Aurangzeb’s reign left India in a state of bankruptcy thus making it easy for the British to gain control over India and resulting in the fall of Moghul Empire in India. He removed the tax free status of Hindus that was granted by his grandfather Akbar and spread his vast empire to the south of India. The large empire cost a lot of money and stressed the army and the bureaucracy. After 1680, he acted more like the intolerant leader of an Islamic nation by trying to annex the Marathas kingdoms in the south. The Marathas spread across south India and adopted guerrilla warfare.

From looking at these rulers and the countries they ruled over, it becomes evident that it is not how much power a certain ruler has, but what they do with it that shows the good they can do for their country. Maria Theresa and Frederick the Great did wonderful things with the power they held; they greatly improved the state of their respective countries because they knew what to do with that power. But the others only managed to damage their empires because they simply desired power and knew nothing of the responsibility that came along with it. And so to quote something that has already become far too over-quoted, “with great power comes great responsibility, (Stan Lee)” and it is one’s ability to use that power and understand that responsibility that defines the great things they can do.

References 

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Giles MacDonogh, Frederick the Great: A Life in Deed and Letters (2001) p 341