Lesson 3 - Centralisation of states and enlightened monarchs
This is still background on the American Revolution...
Despite what nation states would like you to believe, nations have not existed for very long. The modern nation state was largely created in the 19th century and the concept of nationalism as we understand it today, was also invented at that time.
Despite what nation states would like you to believe, nations have not existed for very long. The modern nation state was largely created in the 19th century and the concept of nationalism as we understand it today, was also invented at that time.
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Look at this fantastic tamelapse film of changing European frontiers. If you jump forward in time to the middle ages, you'll notice that very few of the nation states that exist today existed then. And even those that did exist had frontiers very different to today.
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So what caused the creation of modern states?
To understand the origins of modern states, we need to look back again at the late middle ages. At the time of Colombus and Pizarro (see earlier lesson) the world was changing. New ideas associated with the Renaissance, science and the Enlightenment were spreading at the same time as new trade was opening up between regions of the world, most notably the Americas. (see next lesson). Imagine a world where most wealth comes from owning land, as we have seen that’s how feudalism worked. But in the 15th and 16th century, people started making lots of money through trade—buying and selling goods from places like Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This is called (merchant) capitalism. We can summarise this transformation with four reasons:
To understand the origins of modern states, we need to look back again at the late middle ages. At the time of Colombus and Pizarro (see earlier lesson) the world was changing. New ideas associated with the Renaissance, science and the Enlightenment were spreading at the same time as new trade was opening up between regions of the world, most notably the Americas. (see next lesson). Imagine a world where most wealth comes from owning land, as we have seen that’s how feudalism worked. But in the 15th and 16th century, people started making lots of money through trade—buying and selling goods from places like Asia, Africa, and the Americas. This is called (merchant) capitalism. We can summarise this transformation with four reasons:
Economic reasons - Merchants, financiers, and townspeople grew in economic importance, challenging the dominance of the landed nobility. Kings and queens realized they could tax this trade - rather than depend on feudal dues (labour service) - to become richer, which made them more powerful than the land-owning lords.
Social reasons - This period saw the growth in towns. Towns became centers of trade, commerce, and innovation, attracting peasants seeking better opportunities. As serfs left the countryside for towns, feudal lords lost their workers, undermining the feudal system. Monarchs offered towns charters of protection and autonomy in exchange for taxes, further diminishing the role of feudal lords
Military reasons - As we saw earlier this year warfare changed significantly at this time. In medieval times, lords had knights and soldiers to fight for them as part of their feudal obligations. But in the 16th century, kings started using gunpowder and cannons, which needed professional armies and cost a lot of money. Lords couldn’t afford these weapons, but kings could because they collected taxes from trade and towns. This made kings the ones in charge of war, not the lords.
Cultural reasons - The Scientific Revolution brought new ideas about how to run governments. Instead of old traditions, rulers started using more organized systems to control their lands, which favoured centralized states capable of efficently collecting taxes and paying for and using the new military technologies. The Reformation challenged the Catholic Church, which was deeply intertwined with the feudal system, as it supported (legitimised) the social and political hierarchy. With the Church’s authority weakened by division, monarchs (esepcially Protestant monarchs) consolidated power over religious institutions, often at the expense of feudal lords.
Social reasons - This period saw the growth in towns. Towns became centers of trade, commerce, and innovation, attracting peasants seeking better opportunities. As serfs left the countryside for towns, feudal lords lost their workers, undermining the feudal system. Monarchs offered towns charters of protection and autonomy in exchange for taxes, further diminishing the role of feudal lords
Military reasons - As we saw earlier this year warfare changed significantly at this time. In medieval times, lords had knights and soldiers to fight for them as part of their feudal obligations. But in the 16th century, kings started using gunpowder and cannons, which needed professional armies and cost a lot of money. Lords couldn’t afford these weapons, but kings could because they collected taxes from trade and towns. This made kings the ones in charge of war, not the lords.
Cultural reasons - The Scientific Revolution brought new ideas about how to run governments. Instead of old traditions, rulers started using more organized systems to control their lands, which favoured centralized states capable of efficently collecting taxes and paying for and using the new military technologies. The Reformation challenged the Catholic Church, which was deeply intertwined with the feudal system, as it supported (legitimised) the social and political hierarchy. With the Church’s authority weakened by division, monarchs (esepcially Protestant monarchs) consolidated power over religious institutions, often at the expense of feudal lords.
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Centralisation in states throughout Europe meant that law making was carried out in the capital city and these laws were applied and enforced throughout the kingdom. Trade flowed more freely across the kingdom as standard laws reduced local tolls, taxes and regulations.
Powerful monarchs sought to consolidate their power by taking over the territories of weaker neighbours and centralising power. Sometimes though diplomacy, but often through war, in the late 15th and early 16th century the modern nation states began to take on a recognisable shape. Sometimes though diplomacy, but often through war, in the late 15th and early 16th century the modern nation states began to take on a recognisable shape. |
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Activity 1 - Spider diagram explaining the weakening of the Feudal System
This activity can be done by hand or using mindmapping software. You should refer to and explain the four reasons mentioned in the text above.
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What happened when these states went to war with each other?
As we have seen earlier this year, there were many religiously motivated wars in the 17th century but the most significant was the Thirty Years' War. The Thirty Years' War was a war fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. One of the longest and most destructive conflicts in human history, as well as the deadliest European religious war in history, it resulted in eight million deaths. Initially a war between various Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire, the war became less about religion and more of a continuation of the France–Habsburg rivalry for European political pre-eminence. The Thirty Years' War devastated entire regions, with famine and disease resulting in high mortality in the populations of the German and Italian states. It was one of the reasons why European monarchs fought more limited wars in the century that followed. |
(Below) Europe in 1600
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Peace of Westphalia (1648)
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The Thirty Years' War ended with the Peace of Westphalia (1648). The war altered the previous political order of European powers. Perhaps the most significant political consequence was the rise of France under the Bourbon Kings. The Treaty of Westphalia not only established the right of monarchs to decide the official religion of their territory but also the modern concept of national sovereignty. This is the idea that there is no higher power than the power of the individual nation state and that no other body or state can have authority over what goes on within the state. The state is independent.
The film opposite is funny - you might recognise some of the characters - watch it. |
Enlightened monarchs
Most European countries in the 17th century were absolute monarchies, Britain, Switzerland and the Netherlands were notable exceptions. Absolute monarchy is a form of monarchy in which one ruler has supreme authority and where that authority is not restricted by any written laws, legislature (parliament), or customs. Many European monarchs, claimed supreme autocratic power by divine right, and that their subjects had no rights to limit their power. This is what political scientists call 'traditional authoritarianism', because power was passed on from father to son, through time and through one family. In some European countries, this form of government lasted until the 20th century. As an inherited power, traditional authoritarianism can be distinguished from modern authoritarianism, which emerged after World War 1 with the rise of authoritarian political parties, such as the Nazis in Germany. There are still some absolute monarchies in the world today, mainly in the Middle East.
As a form of government, they emerged in Europe in the 16th century as new nation states sought to centralise and strengthen their power against enemies abroad and opponents within. Typically this meant imposing one religious faith and weakening towns, regional nobility and representative assemblies. In some countries, this failed as Britain became a constitutional monarchy. In other countries, like France, Prussia (northern Germany) and Russia, it succeeded.
In the 18th century a number of absolute monarchs came under the influence of the ideas of the Enlightenment and they sought to rule according rational and scientific principles of good governance. These monarchs have become known as enlightened despots. They enjoyed the despotic power of absolute monarchs but ruled with the general interests of the nation in mind.
As a form of government, they emerged in Europe in the 16th century as new nation states sought to centralise and strengthen their power against enemies abroad and opponents within. Typically this meant imposing one religious faith and weakening towns, regional nobility and representative assemblies. In some countries, this failed as Britain became a constitutional monarchy. In other countries, like France, Prussia (northern Germany) and Russia, it succeeded.
In the 18th century a number of absolute monarchs came under the influence of the ideas of the Enlightenment and they sought to rule according rational and scientific principles of good governance. These monarchs have become known as enlightened despots. They enjoyed the despotic power of absolute monarchs but ruled with the general interests of the nation in mind.
Activity 2 - Absolute Monarchs - Weakest link balloon debate - Who was the greatest absolute monarch?
There are two aspects to this assessment. You will begin by producing a standard piece of 'research' about one of the absolute monarchs listed below. For this you can use AI to help you. These monarchs will be allocated randomly. These accounts will be relatively short - 500-600 words - a highly selective, almost hagiographic* summary of the life and achievements of your allocated monarch. It is very important that this is written in your own words.
The Monarchs
There are two aspects to this assessment. You will begin by producing a standard piece of 'research' about one of the absolute monarchs listed below. For this you can use AI to help you. These monarchs will be allocated randomly. These accounts will be relatively short - 500-600 words - a highly selective, almost hagiographic* summary of the life and achievements of your allocated monarch. It is very important that this is written in your own words.
The Monarchs
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* hagiography is the life of a saint, some one who lived an unnaturally perfect life.
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Having completed your research account you then need to prepare for the debate in pairs. Each member of the class will represent a monarch and speak on their behalf. As in all 'balloon debates', the idea is that the balloon is sinking fast and cannot carry the weight of all the people (the absolute monarchs). Each monarch will need to make the case for why they should be saved. In this balloon debate we are also going to incorporate the rules of the popular TV show The Weakest Link.
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We are going to have a series of rounds. At the end of each round, all the monarchs will vote to jettison one least impressive absolute monarch. In each round you will only be allowed to make one point, the one reason why you should be saved. You will not be allowed to repeat this point in future rounds, so you must prepare enough points (9) if you want to win.
As well as a game of history, it is also a game of performance and strategy. It is a game of performance because what matters is how well the point is made. It is a game of strategy because you need to decide which are your strongest and weakest points. For example, do you make your strongest points in the early rounds when your chances of survival are greatest or do you save them for when the going gets tough? Watch some of this film (right) in order to get an idea of how it will work. |
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