Absolutism Terms

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absolutism

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the principle or exercise of complete and unrestricted power in government

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absolute monarchy

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concept of government developed during rise of nation states in Western Europe during the 17th century, featured monarchs who passed laws without parliaments, appointed professionalized armies and bureaucracies, established state churches, imposed state economic policies

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divine right of kings

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the doctrine that the right of rule derives directly from God, not from the consent of the people

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Cardinal Richelieu

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French prelate and statesman; principal minister to Louis XIII

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Louis XIV

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French monarch of the late 17th century who personified absolute monarchy

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Versailles

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Louis XIV's extravagant palace that kept nobles busy with social function so that they would not interfere with affairs of state

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Frederick the Great

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Prussian king of the 18th century; attempted to introduce Enlightenment reforms into Germany; built on military and bureaucratic foundations of his predecessors; introduced freedom of religion; increased state control of economy

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Prussia

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a former state in Northern Europe: became a European power state in the 18th century and in 1871 led the formation of the German empire; formerly abolished as an administrative unit in 1947

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Peter the Great

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son of Alexis Romanov, ruled from 1689 to 1725; continued growth of absolutism and conquest; included more definite interest in changing selected aspects of economy and culture through imitation of Western European models

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Westernization of Russia

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the modernization of Russia from the days of Mongol captivity taken under Peter and Catherine the Great

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Magna Carta

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great charter issued by King John of England in 1215; confirmed feudal rights against monarchial claims; represented principle of mutual limits and obligations between ruler and feudal administration

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jury trial

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a trial in which the jury serves as the trier of the fact

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common law

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a system of unwritten laws based on old customs and on judges' earlier decisions

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Charles I

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King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His power struggles with Parliament resulted in the English Civil War in which Charles was defeated. He was tried for treason and beheaded in 1649.

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Oliver Cromwell

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English general and statesmen who led the Roundheads (parliamentary army) in the English Civil War

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jury trial

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a trial in which the jury serves as the trier of the fact

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common law

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a system of unwritten laws based on old customs and on judges' earlier decisions

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Charles I

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King of England, Scotland, and Ireland. His power struggles with Parliament resulted in the English Civil War in which Charles was defeated. He was tried for treason and beheaded in 1649.

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Oliver Cromwell

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English general and statesmen who led the Roundheads (parliamentary army) in the English Civil War

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Restoration monarchy

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a period starting after 1660 by Charles II of England who restored monarchy in Ireland, Scotland, and England

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limited monarchy

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a monarchy that is limited by laws and a constitution

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Charles II

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Spanish king who died without an heir in 1701, which led to the war of the Spanish Succession over the Spanish throne

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Glorious Revolution

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English overthrow of James II in 1688; resulted in affirmation of parliament as having basic sovereignty over the king

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William and Mary

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King William III and Queen Mary II of England who ruled jointly after the Glorious Revolution of 1688. They were Protestants.

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Parliament

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the legislature of Great Britain, historically the assembly of two estates, the lower house, the House of Commons,and the higher house the House of Lords

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English Bill of Rights

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a statement of certain rights that a citizen or resident of a constitutional monarchy ought to have, written during James II's reign

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Thomas Hobbes

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English philosopher and political theorist, best known for his book Leviathan

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Leviathan

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a philosophical work by Thomas Hobbes dealing with the political organization of society

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Enlightenment

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intellectual movement centered in France during the 18th century; featured scientific advance, application of scientific methods to study of human society; belief that natural laws could describe rational behavior

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philosophes

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any of the leading philosophical, political, and social writers of the 18th century French Enlightenment

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John Locke

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English philosopher in the 17th century; argued that people could learn anything through senses or reason; argued that power of GOV came from the people, not divine right of kings; offered possibility of revolutions to overthrow kings

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Two Treatises on Government

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a book written by John Locke that influenced the Declaration of Independence

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natural rights

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rights that people supposedly have under natural law

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Montesquieu

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French political philosopher who advocated the separation of executive and legislative and judicial powers

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The Spirit of Laws

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a book written by Montesquieu about French politics in the Enlightenment period

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separation of powers

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model for the governance of democratic states, first brought about by Montesquieu

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Jean-Jacques Rosseau

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Swiss philosopher and writer who held that the individual is essentially good but usually corrupted by society. He wrote the Social Contract and Emilie.

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The Social Monarchy

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book written by Jean-Jacques Rosseau about that the individual is essentially good but usually corrupted by society

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Voltaire

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French writer who was the embodiment of 18th century Enlightenment

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Diderot

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French philosopher and writer whose supreme accomplishment was his work on the Encyclopedia, which epitomized the spirit of the Enlightenment thought. He also wrote novels, plays, critical essays, and brilliant letters to a wide circle of friends and colleagues

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Encyclopedia

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the French worker edited by Diderot and D'Alembert, published in the 18th century, distinguished by its representation of the views of the Enlightenment