WHII SOL 4 - Wars in Europe/Absolutism

​Wars in Europe

Started when Martin Luther challenged the Catholic Church. His ideas spread quickly thanks to the printing press, making it hard for the Church and political leaders to control. This led to a split within Christianity, with Protestants breaking away from the Catholic Church. As different versions of Christianity emerged, tensions rose, eventually erupting into war.

The Reformation - 1517

Habsburg Emperor (1519-1556) and King of Spain. He worked with Pope Leo X to declare Martin Luther an outlaw in 1521 at the Diet of Worms. After years of religious war, Charles V’s dream of uniting the European continent under a Catholic empire ultimately failed. 

​​Charles V

Multiple Choice

What religious conflict did Charles V face during his reign?

• The Glorious Revolution

• The Protestant Reformation

• The Italian Inquisition

• The French Wars of Religion

Multiple Choice

What was Charles V’s main goal and failure for Europe during his reign?

• Conquer England and France

• End monarchy and create a republic

• Unify Europe under a Catholic empire

• To establish a Protestant empire

One of the earliest major conflicts was the German Peasants' War (1524-1525). Peasants, inspired by radical interpretations of Luther's teachings, revolted, demanding social and economic changes based on their understanding of the Bible. However, Luther himself condemned the revolt, and the uprising was brutally suppressed by both Catholic and Lutheran forces. This shows how complicated these wars could be, with shifting alliances and unexpected outcomes.

​

German Peasant's War

Multiple Choice

What major historical event inspired the German peasants to rise up against the Catholic Church?

• The Enlightenment

• The Reformation

• The Crucifixion

• The Crusades

Multiple Choice

What was one main cause of the German Peasants’ War?

• The people supported the Catholic Church

• The people demanded social and economic reforms

• The people desired to unify with Italy

• The people opposed Martin Luther's ideas

READ WHAT HE WROTE -

​He wrote: 'You...must bear witness that I have taught with all quietness, have striven earnestly against rebellion, and have energetically encouraged and exhorted people to obey and respect even you wild and dictatorial tyrants. This rebellion cannot be coming from me.'

Aren't you curious as to why Martin Luther did not support this rebellion? Afterall, the peasants were inspired by his ideas.

Multiple Choice

Why did Martin Luther aide in the killing of nearly 100,000 German peasants when they were inspired by his own words?

• He lied when he wrote the 95 Theses

• He was a deranged physcopath

• While he believed in reform, he did not believe in revolt

• He thought the German Catholics were cool

During the French Wars of Religion (1562 - 1629), the Huguenots (French Protestants - Calvinists) were seen as a threat to the crown.  Between two and four million people died from violence, famine, or disease directly caused by the conflict, and it severely damaged the power of the French monarchy.

French Wars of Religion

Targeted assassinations by the monarchy. An estimated 3,000 French Protestants were killed in Paris, and as many as 70,000 in all of France. This event intensified violence across France.

St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre - 1572

The fighting ended with a compromise in 1598 when King Henry IV of France issued the Edict of Nantes, which granted substantial rights and freedoms to the Huguenots.

Edict of Nantes - 1598

Multiple Choice

What were the French Wars of Religion mainly fought for?

• Control over the spread of theology to new lands

• Land disputes with Spain and the Muslim Moors

• Power struggles between the Catholics and Huguenots

• Conflict between Parliament and the monarchy

Multiple Choice

What major event in 1572 intensified the violence of the French Wars of Religion?

• Execution of Henry IV

• The defeat of the Spanish Armada

• The St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

• The rise of Orthodox groups

Multiple Choice

The divine right theory is the belief a ruler has absolute power since s/he was established by ________________.

• God

• The people

• The pope

• Destiny

Multiple Choice

What did the Edict of Nantes accomplish?

• Made Catholicism illegal in France

• Allowed for some religious freedoms for Protestants

• Created a Protestant monarchy

• Forced all Protestants to convert to Catholicism

These rebellions were caused by disputes over who was the legitimate monarch of England combined with frustrations over the English Reformation. Ultimately, Catholic rebellions were suppressed, strengthening the Anglican Church and the monarch. The Tudor reign ended with the death of Elizabeth I in 1603.

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Tudor Rebellions
1485-1603

Multiple Choice

What does legitimate mean? (le·​git·​i·​mate)

The king needs a legitimate heir.

• rare

• fake

• unlawful

• lawful

Multiple Choice

Where did the Tudor Rebellions take place?

• England

• France

• Italy

• Spain

Multiple Choice

Which was a common cause during the Tudor Rebellions?

• Concerns about royal succession

• Support for absolute monarchy

• Demand for universal suffrage

• Expansion of overseas colonies

Multiple Choice

"Ultimately, Catholic rebellions were suppressed, strengthening the Anglican Church and the monarch." What does this statement mean?

• The king lost power.

• The peasants gained rights

• Democratic systems were imposed

• Kings and queens gained power

Multiple Choice

One consequence of repeated Tudor rebellions was-

• the weakening of the monarchy

• increased power of Parliament

• strengthening royal authority

• creation of trade councils

Also known as the Eighty Years' War, was between the Dutch provinces and Catholic Spain over the authority of King Philip II (Charles V son) of Spain, in the Netherlands, resulting in the establishment of the Dutch Republic.

The Dutch Revolt (1568 - 1648)

Multiple Choice

What was a major cause of the Dutch Revolt?

• Opposition to Protestantism

• Support for the Holy Roman Emperor

• Desire for union with France's monarchy

• Resistance to Spanish and Catholic persecution

These religous conflicts reached a peak with the Thirty Years' War, a devastating war that ravaged Germany and killed about a third of its population. What started as a religious conflict soon became a broader European power struggle.

Thirty Year's War 1618-1648

Religious leader of France hoped to use this war to limit the power of the monarchy in France, raise his own power by ensuring France dominance, and weakening the power of the Habsburg Dynasty. He made alliances with England and the Dutch against the Habsburgs. He turned a religious war into a war over political power.

Cardinal Richelieu

Multiple Choice

Known as the title of the King’s “Chief Minister” in France, his main foreign policy goal was to check the power of the Hapsburg dynasty. He did not hesitate to make alliances with Protestant rulers to achieve his goal. He wanted to make France a powerful state. The statement supports the idea that Cardinal Richelieu –

• exploited a religious conflict for political purposes

• went to war to keep France a Protestant nation

• redirected the King of France from war to peace

• enacted policies that led to the end of the monarchy

Multiple Choice

The Thirty Year's War took place primarily here, killing nearly a third of it's population.

• France

• Spain

• Germany

• England

The Age of Absolutism, roughly from the 16th to the 18th centuries, was a time when many European monarchs tried to grab as much power as possible. Instead of sharing authority with churches, legislatures, or nobles, these rulers wanted to be in complete control. Think of it as a historical power grab where kings and queens aimed to be the ultimate decision-makers in their kingdoms. They were able to do this with all the riches they had gained from their colonies.

Age of Absolutism

Multiple Choice

Which does NOT describe an absolute monarch?

• Has unlimited power.

• Controls taxes.

• Looks to church leaders to guide religion.

• Dominates the upper class to show off power.

One key idea behind absolutism was that the monarch held absolute political power and that everything they did was to protect the rights of their people. This was a shift from the Middle Ages when kings were often seen as just the most important noble, but still had to answer to powerful lords and even the Pope. Absolute monarchs believed they had a divine right to rule, meaning their power came directly from God. Questioning the king was like questioning God himself.

Divine Right

Multiple Choice

The belief that one’s authority to rule came directly from God is called –

• social contract

• natural law

• limited monarchy

• divine right

France became the poster child for absolutism, especially under King Louis XIV (14th), also known as the "Sun King". Louis XIV was all about showing off his power and wealth. He built the extravagant Palace of Versailles, where he required his nobles to live. This kept them close and dependent on him, reducing their ability to challenge his authority. While the nobles were busy attending fancy parties and vying for the king's attention, state officials, who answered directly to Louis, managed their lands.

​The Sun King

Multiple Choice

Which absolute monarch from France built the Palace of Versailles which became a symbol of royal power?

• Peter the Great

• Louis XIV

• Henry VIII

• Elizabeth I

The English Civil War was a series of battles fought between 1642 and 1651. On one side were supporters of the king (Charles I) and on the other were supporters of Parliament (led by Oliver Cromwell). The Civil War resulted in the execution of Charles followed by 11 years of a commonwealth, when England had no monarch. The monarchy was restored in 1660.The Parliament were noblemen representing the people, kind of like our Congress. Charles refused to work with Parliament.

English Civil War

Multiple Choice

Who led the Parliamentarian forces during the English Civil War?

• King James I

• Oliver Cromwell

• Charles II

• William the Conqueror

The English Revolution of 1688, called the Glorious Revolution, was not a war. No soldiers went into battle, and no shots were fired. A new king and queen simply took the place of James II, an unpopular king. The Glorious Revolution completed England’s long process of changing itself from a Roman Catholic nation into a Protestant one. It also made the English Parliament, rather than the monarch, the true power of the government.

Glorious Revolution

Multiple Choice

What was the main result of the Glorious Revolution?

• England became a Catholic monarchy

• The monarchy remained absolute

• Parliament's power increased under a constitutional monarchy

• England divided into several kingdoms for many years

Several Protestant leaders decided to invite Prince William of Orange to England. William, a Protestant, was the ruler of what is now the Netherlands. He was also married to King James II’s daughter Mary. The marriage meant that William had a claim to the throne.

William and Mary landed in England in November 1688. James II’s supporters gave up the fight before it began. James fled to France. Parliament then asked William and Mary to become king and queen of England. King William III and Queen Mary II took the throne in 1689.

William & Mary

Multiple Choice

Who was invited to take the throne during the Glorious Revolution?

• Charles II and Mary

• James II and Anne

• William of Orange and Mary

• George and Elizabeth

Parliament continued the revolution by publishing the English Bill of Rights in 1689. The Bill of Rights stated that no Catholic could ever rule England again. The Bill of Rights also guaranteed more power and freedom for Parliament. Monarchs could no longer rule without Parliament.

English Bill of Rights

Multiple Choice

Based on the information shown, which is an outcome that followed the Glorious Revolution?

• The restoration of Charles II

• The English Bill of Rights of 1689

• The English Civil War

• Parliament was dissolved

Multiple Choice

Which event ended religious unity in Europe? 

• Crusades
• Renaissance
• Enlightenment 
• Reformation

Multiple Choice

What is a heretic?

• A person whose beliefs are not the same as the Church.
• A person whose beliefs are the same as the Church.
• A person who lives near the woods.
• A person who has a lot of hair.

Match

Match the following

• Tudor King of England

• German monk and professor

• new Holy Roman emperor

• Queen of England

Henry VIII

Martin Luther

Charles V

Elizabeth

• Henry VIII

• Martin Luther

• Charles V

• Elizabeth

Multiple Choice

The divine right theory is the belief a ruler has absolute power since s/he was established by ________________.

• God

• The people

• The pope

• Destiny

Multiple Choice

French Protestants are known as the ____________________.

• Sea Dogs

• Huguenots

• Roundheads

• Regimers

Multiple Choice

What is the event when William & Mary of Orange took the English throne from James II without violence?

• The English Civil War

• The Thirty Years' War

• The Battle of Hastings

• The Glorious Revolution