12 Enlightened Despots

Overview of class lecture.

1. History of Europe: Renaissance to 1815

2. What is the true End of Monarchy? Not to deprive People of their natural Liberty; but to correct their Actions, in order to attain the supreme Good. ∼ Catherine the Great

3. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Defined

4. Enlightened Despots Enlightened Despotism (or Absolutism) An oxymoron … right? You have an era obsessed with freedom & individual liberty Crashing into an era of monarchs concerned with absolute political control

5. Enlightened Despots

6. Enlightened Despots Enlightened Despots Claim to rule for their subjects’ well-being Often focus on healthcare, education, safe living conditions At same time – maintain the social order Often accepted they ruled from a social contract Everything for the people, nothing by the people. - Emperor Joseph II of Austria

7. Enlightened Despots Many Philosophes supported a strong monarchy Best tool to implement the goals & ideals of Enlightenment Believed in a top-down approach to these principles This doesn’t mean they were egalitarian Let us admit to the truth: the arts and philosophy extend to only the few; the vast mass, the common people and the bulk of the nobility, remain what nature has made them, that is to say savage beasts. - Frederick the Great to Voltaire

8. Enlightened Despots Think of it as a TRAP T oleration of religious minorities R eform of institutions A bsolutism – still, despite seemingly enlightened P atronage of the philosophes

9. Enlightened Despots Why Was This Happening? Seems odd for rulers to be embracing Enlightenment ideals Absolute monarchs believed in total control Justified it in religious terms – God wanted them to rule Therefore absolute, unchallenged authority But with the Enlightenment Religion as developed over the centuries called into question Began focusing on Rational thinking, a people-oriented government, reliance on science over religion

10. Enlightened Despots Recap of Enlightenment 18 th c. intellectual, social, & political movement Characterized much of European thought Kings, philosophers, peasants – all levels of society into this Enlightenment challenged traditional authority Religious and monarchical rule & governance

11. Enlightened Despots Recap of Enlightenment New way of thinking challenged Religious dominance on matters of morality, ethics Church’s stance on the natural world Traditional absolutist monarchical rule, governance For 18 th c. monarchs How to justify rule in wake of new ideas? Solution: Enlightened Absolutism Incorporated beliefs in liberty, progress, tolerance Into all-encompassing rule of despots

12. Europe’s Enlightened Despots The Role of Voltaire

13. Enlightened Despots Voltaire (1694-1778) Key figure in Enlightenment Believed in freedom of expression, religion, separation of church and state Big fan of Enlightened Absolutism Need for strong authority But not cruel government Befriended monarchs Catherine the Great, Frederick II

14. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Frederick the Great of Prussia

15. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great of Prussia (1712-1786) Embraced enlightened absolutism Believed he was the “first servant of the state” My principal occupation is to combat ignorance and prejudice ... to enlighten minds, cultivate morality, and to make people as happy as it suits human nature, and as the means at my disposal permit. Not ruling over his country, but serving as the benefactor of his subjects

16. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Ruled Prussia 1740-1786 From scattered territories To consolidation by 1772

17. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Education: obtained a 3,000-volume library Poetry, Greek and Roman classics, French philosophy Spoke multiple languages Loved music, literature, French culture Clashed with his father’s militarism Leading to frequent beatings, humiliation

18. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Ruled Prussia 1740-1786 From scattered territories to consolidation by 1772 Modernized Prussian bureaucracy, civil service Reformed judicial system, allowing non-nobles to be judges, senior bureaucrats Abolished torture, limited use of death penalty Spandau Street, Berlin, Prussia, 18 th c

19. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Allowed complete freedom of speech, the press, and literature Laid foundations for primary education system Required that all children be educated in state-supported schools Aged 5 to 13 or 14 Boys and girls Using trained teachers Founded first veterinary school Criticized hunting as cruel

20. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Agriculture Opened farmland for colonizers to expand nation’s food supply Created 1,000 new villages Attracted 300,000 immigrants from outside Prussia “Taming” and “conquering” of nature But altered biodiversity of area Displaced native plants, animals

21. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Religious policies – ranged from tolerance to segregation Favored Protestantism Catholics not chosen for higher positions in government More tolerant of Catholics, Jews than neighboring states Recognized educational skills of Jesuits But also vocally anti-Semitic Berlin Synagogue, 18 th c.

22. Enlightened Despotism Frederick the Great Love of Poetry and Music From teen years Played the flute Patron of the Arts Surrounded self with great musicians, artists, thinkers

23. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great of R ussia

24. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Golden Age of the Russian Empire Enthusiastically embraced ideals of Enlightenment Believed the strength of her authority came from improving lives of her subjects Implied the sovereign knew the needs of her subjects Better than they knew themselves Didn’t envision subjects participating in political process

25. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Presided over Russian Enlightenment Example: visiting Russian polymath, scientist, writer. Mikhail Lomonosov Discovered the atmosphere of Venus Poet – formation of modern Russian literary language Catherine II of Russia visits Mikhail Lomonosov in 1764

26. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Continued to modernize Russia along Western European lines But Enlightened aspects of her reign mostly in commitment to the arts, sciences and Russian education Not extended to common classes

27. Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Education: created “a new kind of person” Recommendations: establish general system of education for all Russian Orthodox children aged 5-18, including serfs Catherine’s efforts far more limited Female education: Smolny Institute for Noble Girls Enlightened Despots

28. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Education: Introduced some educational reforms, despite lack of national school system Russian Statute of National Education (1786) 2-tier network of primary & secondary schools Co-ed, open to all (except serfs), tuition free In practice, not well implemented Moscow Orphanage – A project conceived by Catherine the Great

29. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Religion: Catherine converted to Russian Orthodoxy upon marriage to heir Personally – largely indifferent to religion Used Church properties to fund her wars Toleration of All Faiths Edict of 1773 Muslims permitted to build mosques, practice freely Jews taxed more heavily, declared to be foreigners

30. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Serfdom: Peasantry tied to owners, not bound to the land – essentially slaves Only thing a noble couldn’t do to a serf? Kill them Minor reforms – serf who’d been freed couldn’t become a serf again But also restricted freedoms of peasants

31. Enlightened Despots Catherine the Great (1729-1796) Actual impact Limited ability to reform Russian social structures But did modernize to a certain degree Divided Russia into governing provinces and districts Limited power of nobles, creating a middle estate Most impact: Patron of the arts, literature, education Support for Encyclopédie when France threatened censorship Wrote her own comedies, fiction, memoirs Support for Russian opera Parasha Zhemchugova , a serf actress-turned-countess

32. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Maria Theresa of Austria

33. Enlightened Despots Maria Theresa (1717-1780) Only female Habsburg ruler Implemented significant reforms Strengthen Austria’s military & bureaucratic efficiency Education for all children of both genders Favored smallpox vaccinations

34. Enlightened Despots Maria Theresa (1717-1780) Limits to embrace of Enlightenment reforms Believed religious unity required for public stability Actively worked to suppress Protestants, Jews Censorship of publications, learning Many by philosophes

35. Enlightened Despots Maria Theresa of Austria Patron of the Arts Encouraged portrait painting and sculpture One of the most painted women of her time Representing imperial family Ceiling frescoes & allegorical murals

36. Enlightened Despots Maria Theresa of Austria For much of reign, believed her cause should be her subject’s cause By later reign, recognized that her subject’s cause should be her cause Schönbrunn Palace in Vienna, Austria

37. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Joseph II of Austria

38. Enlightened Despots Joseph II (1741-1790) Embraced Enlightenment ideals Implemented wide range of reforms Tried to establish rational, centralized, uniform government But with Joseph at the head as supreme autocrat Meritocracy: promotion earned, not awarded based on family or wealth

39. Enlightened Despots Joseph II (1741-1790) Committed to variety of reforms Tax reforms Ordered fresh appraisal of value of all properties in the empire To impose a single and egalitarian tax on land And thereby modernize relationship of dependence between landowners and peasantry And increase revenue for the state

40. Enlightened Despots Joseph II (1741-1790) Serfdom Policy: eliminate serfdom system Appeal to peasants’ basic civil liberties Education & Public Health Elementary education compulsory for boys and girls To create a literate citizenry Controversy: ordered teaching in German, not Latin

41. Enlightened Despots Joseph II (1741-1790) Religion Patent of Toleration (1781) Religious freedom to Lutherans, Serbian Orthodox, Calvinists Generally - freedom for Jews to practice their faith Made Catholic Church answerable to State Not Rome A medal minted during the reign of Joseph II, commemorating his grant of religious liberty to Jews and Protestants.

42. Europe’s Enlightened Despots King Carlos III of Spain

43. Enlightened Despots King Carlos III of Spain Succeeded to Spanish throne in 1759 From the French Bourbon dynasty Ruling a weakened Spain Need for substantive reform Embraced Enlightened Despotism A new type of Spanish ruler Launched reform of internal politics & diplomatic relationships Enlightenment philosophy & the arts

44. Enlightened Despots King Carlos III of Spain Came of age in Italy, became Duke of Parma And then King of Naples During time of unearthing ruins of Pompeii & Herculaneum Revival of interest in the ancients Carlos involved in the digs Profound influence on Carlos’ perception of his role as King Associated himself with supposed virtues of classical society

45. Enlightened Despots Carlos III Makeover of the capital, Madrid New buildings Custom House Hospital Porcelain factory Museum of Natural History Improvements to Sewage system Roads Street lighting

46. Enlightened Despots Reforms Under Carlos III Ecclesiastical Policy Church made subordinate to Crown No papal bulls or briefs without royal permission Expelled Jesuits from Spain Curbed power of the Inquisition Expulsion of the Jesuits from Spain

47. Enlightened Despots Reforms Under Carlos III Bureaucratic Reform Designed to make government efficient Via agencies implementing will of King Creating conditions for improvement of industry & trade Led to greater commercial opportunity throughout the Empire Included a thriving cotton-based textile industry Views of Royal Palace of Madrid

48. Enlightened Despots Carlos III & the Nation of Spain National identity, not just a collection of kingdoms Creation of national anthem, flag Enhanced capital city System of roads leading to Madrid Flag of Spain from 1785–1873; then again from 1875–1931

49. Europe’s Enlightened Despots Assessment

50. Enlightened Despots Similar Goals Reduce religion in political affairs And in society at large Transform bureaucracies into state institutions Capable of caring for most of population Enlightenment-era values Education, the sciences, rationalism Often led to creation of State-funded schools Rational legal systems

51. Enlightened Despots Transitional Point in History Conflict between earlier forms of government Absolutism And greater acceptance of basic freedoms & legal rights Leading to tension between Public looking for greater representation And monarchs trying to maintain control

52. Enlightened Despots Many had difficulty implementing reforms Sometimes just couldn’t reach everyone As with Catherine the Great, Russian Empire simply too large Resistance from society also an issue Especially when limits placed on the Church Or nobility felt threatened by growing bureaucracy But attempt to merge the two divergent systems