Section+21-1+Spain's+Empire+and+European+Absolutism

Key Words:

 * __Absolute Monarch__: Kings or Queens who had all the power within their boundaries. Very controlling.
 * __Divine Right__: What absolute monarchs believe in, that God created the monarch and they are representatives of God on Earth.

Key People:

 * __Philip II__: The son o Charles V, inherited Spain, Spanish Netherlands, and American colonies.
 * __El Greco__: Real name was Domenikos Theotokopoulos, born in Crete but speant his life in Spain, artist.
 * __Diego Velázquez__: Artist who showed pride of Spanish monarchy and painted 50 years after El Greco.
 * __Don Quixote__: wrote //Don Quixote de la Mancha// in 1605 about a guy who went crazy from reading too many books about knights.
 * __Rembrandt van Rijn__: greatest Dutch artist of the period, painted portraits of wealthy middle-class merchants and group portraits.
 * __Jan Vermeer__: Dutch artist, painted domestic, indoor settings, painted woman doing regular activities.

Key Terms:

 * A Powerful Spanish Empire:**
 * After Peace of Augsburg, Charles V divided his empire, retired to monastery and gave his brother, Ferdinand, Austria and Holy Roman Empire.
 * Philip II's Empire:**
 * Philip was also religious, hard working, very independent, trusted no one.
 * 1580: Philip's uncle, king of Portugal, died without an heir, Philip seized the kingdom, which included strongholds in Africa, India, East Indies.
 * Lots of Wealth: American Mines; 1600-339,000 pounds of gold, 1550-1650: 16,000 tons of silver, king took 1/4-1/5, army of 50,000.
 * Defender of Catholicism:**
 * When Philip became king, many religious wars going on, Reconquista completed 64 years earlier.
 * Philip thought it was his duty to protect Catholics from Muslims of Ottoman Empire and Protestants, 1571: pope got Catholic princes to go against Ottoman Empire, 200+ Spanish and Venetian ships defeated Ottoman fleet near Lepanto, 1588: Launched Spanish Armade to punish Protestants and Queen Elizabeth I, his fleet defeated.
 * Setback weakened Spain, wealth helped hem survive a bit longer, Philip's palace: Escorial, granite, massive walls and gates, had a monastery.
 * Golden Age of Spanish Art and Literature:**
 * Spain's wealth helped support patrons of the art, golden age in the arts happened during 16 and 17 centuries.
 * El Greco and Velázquez:**
 * El Greco's art was puzzling, brilliant and clashing colors, distorted figures, expressed emotion, showed Catholic faith.
 * Velázquez was court painter of Philip IV, portraits of royal family and court scenes most famous. Rich color.
 * Don Quixote:**
 * //Don Quixote de la Mancha// is called the birth of modern European novel.
 * Some thought Cervantes was mocking chivalry, others saw the book as an idealistic person who wants romance, not materialistic world.
 * The Spanish Empire Weakens:**
 * All that treasure caused long-term economic problems.
 * Inflation of Taxes:**
 * Inflation: decline of value of money and a rise in the prices of goods and services, happened in Spain because population growing (more food and such) allowed merchants to raise prices, and because silver bullion's value dropped because so much of it.
 * Another problem: they expelled Jews and Muslims in 1500s, lost many artisans and business people, nobles didn't pay taxes, lower classes had to pay taxes, Spain never developed a middle class.
 * Making Spain's Enemies Rich:**
 * Guilds dominated in Spain, used old-fashioned methods which made things more expensive, bought from France, England, and Netherlands instead, making others wealthy.
 * Spain's king borrowed money from German and Italian banks for wars, re-payed with incoming silver, Philip declared Spain bankrupt thrice.
 * The Dutch Revolt:**
 * Philip needed an army to keep people in Netherlands under control, different religions, Dutch had middle class.
 * Philip raised taxes in Netherlands, wanted to church Protestants, 1566: Protestant mobs swept though Catholic churches, Spanish duke of Alva killed 1,500 Protestants/rebels in one day as punishment in 1568.
 * Dutch fighted Spain for 11 years, 1579: seven provinces in Netherlands united and declared independence, known as United Provinces of the Netherlands, 10 southern provinces remained under Spanish control. (North Protestant, South Catholic)
 * The Independent Dutch Prosper:**
 * UPN: practiced religious toleration, built republic government, each province had an elected governor, supported by merchants and landholders.
 * Dutch Art:**
 * 1600s: Netherlands became Florence in the 1400s, best banks and best artisits. Supported by wealthy merchants.
 * Van Rijan painted //The Night Watch//group of city guards.
 * Van Rijan and Vemeer both show importance in merchants, civic leaders, and middle class in 17 century, Netherlands.
 * Dutch Trading Empire:**
 * Dutch were stable, economic growth, Amsterdam merchants brought surplus in Poland, shipped grain south when bad harvests, largest fleet: 4,800 ships in 1636, Dutch East India Company made because of that.
 * Absolutism in Europe:**
 * Philip lost Dutch, still a forceful ruler, controlled every aspect of the empire.
 * The Theory of Absolutism:**
 * An absolutism monarch answered only to God.
 * Growing Power of Europe's Monarchs:**
 * Coming out of the MIddle Ages, monarchs became more powerful promising peace, support in business, they used colonies for wealth, Church authority also lost authority, giving monarchs even more power.
 * Crisis Lead to Absolutism:**
 * 17 century: great upheaval, conflicts in religion and territories, constant warfare, caused huge armies and taxes, sometimes there people would revolt.
 * Response to revolts, monarchs increased their power to try and keep control, they regulated religious worship to social gatherings, bureaucracies were created to control economics.