Joseph II, Holy Roman Emperor

refer to absolutist monarch Joseph II of Austria (1741-1790) as an enlightened despot due to the numerous social reforms he instilled during his reign. Joseph commissioned countless works of propaganda that showcase his enlightened ideology, yet it is through one of these images that one can also see the ironies that invalidate the possibility of an effective enlightened despot. The authority of a despot relies on his ability to secure his own power, while a true Enlightenment thinker would prioritize the rights of the people over their own. Joseph II attempted to balance these two concepts, but because they are so inherently contradictory, he could never fully dedicate himself to either cause, rendering many of his policies ineffective.…

Charles was born in Ghent, Belgium on February 24, 1500 who was the child of Philip of Burgundy and Joanna of Spain. The Emperor Charles V made a last attempt to restore the medieval all-inclusive realm. His opponents were in this way the European national states; particularly France; the German rulers; the Turks; additionally the Pope. He controlled the Netherlands, Bohemia, Hungary, Naples, Sicily and Sardinia. Administering Spain implied controlling Spanish America and in Charles' chance…

The interaction between the explorers from Western Europe and the indigenous people of North and South America was shaped by the different cultures and beliefs that each come from. Over the course of several hundreds of years, many different explorers from Western Europe made the voyage to the Americas. Whether they were exploring the different bodies of land in the search of riches, or conquering the indigenous people that resided there, the attitudes of the men that traveled there were shaped…

The Protestant Reformation proved to be a major effect on Europe during the 15th century. The Reformation began in Germany from 1517 to 1648. During this time, reformation was occurring throughout all Europe and traditional medieval values disintegrating away. Traditionally, in the 14th century the Church 's power and authority were never questioned. Martin Luther, a catholic monk saw many problems with the Roman Catholic church during the height of it’s power, such as John Tetzel selling…

From humble beginnings to an oppressive doctrine, the Holy Catholic Church truly underwent change throughout the course of Medieval history. Seen in these two letters, Clericis Laicos and Unam Sanctam, are what would seem to be the culmination of all this history: the responses of Pope Boniface VIII to the continued pressures of secular rule and its jurisdiction in relation to the Church and its functioning. With the Church’s rapid increase in size and influence over the past several centuries,…

form of Christian egalitarianism that stated that all Christians were equal in the eyes of God (Document 6). Pope Leo X saw Martin Luther as nothing more than a heretic who was diminishing the teaching of the church and judicial authority. Luther threatened the Catholic Church 's wealth and teachings. In 1521, Luther was summoned by the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire to appear before the empire at the Diet of Worms. It was during this assembly that Luther refused to retract the theological…

Introduction Throughout history religion has been an influential factor in the way society and politics have evolved to this day. One of which; Christianity, it has had one of the most noticeable impacts on the world we know today. During the middle ages the Holy Roman Empire which was the embassy for Roman Catholicism was the strongest force of power and politics in the 1400’s . While the church had divine power over Europe it also abused its rule by monetizing faith and spreading it to the…

geopolitical blunder France had succumbed to, as Habsburg encirclement had absolutely entrenched his aspiration for further French advancement. Nonetheless, with the impending demise of the inept Charles II, his objective would become for his grandson, Philip of Anjou (Philip V), to profit from Habsburg loss. Correspondingly, any method of a French venture to the throne of Spain would be presumed as an act of aggression by the Habsburg Monarchy, thus instantaneously prompting a confrontation.…

In Spain, King Charles V and his son Phillip II spent much of their lives fighting wars that emerged due to the Reformation, such as the War with the Huns. King Charles “undertook the war with greater energy and better equipment than before” and it showed as the desert palace of Khan “no longer has a trace of human population, which testifies to the many battles fought there and the great amount of blood shed”. Inspired by the new Protestant Doctrines, the Netherlands also rose up and rebelled…

Pier delle Vigna was inappropriately charged with the attempted murder of Frederick II, Holy Roman emperor and king of Sicily. He was conspired against by envious people who wanted to see an end to his greatness. Once charged, Pier was jailed, beaten, and had his eyes viciously removed from his skull, blinding him. He saw no hope for his future, and therefore ended his life, by bashing his head against the wall until his brain leapt from his cranium. Pier was the victim of political envy, which…