Absolute Monarchies - Austria-Hungary & Prussia
Aim: How were the Absolute Monarchies in Austria-Hungary & Prussia different/same?
Do Now: Other than taxes, what economic system allowed absolute monarchs to gain wealth?
Background
Austria-Hungary & Prussia
- German states in war: “Thirty Years War”
- Part of Holy Roman Empire
- Patchwork of states- not unified
- North: Protestant vs. South: Catholic
- Starts as local conflict
- Fredrick tried to suppress Protestant states
- Grew into political conflict
- murder, torture, disease, famine.
- Peace of Westphalia
- Leaves region divided into hundreds of separate states.
- Still part of Holy Roman Empire, but governed locally.
Absolute Monarchy in Austria
- Maria Theresa- Austria (Catholic)
- Daughter of Charles VI (Hapsburg)
- First woman to rule Hapsburg lands
- Fredrick seizes province of Silesia
- War of Austrian Succession
- Unsuccessful, but she retains most of her empire and support from her people.
- She Strengthens monarchy
- Reorganizes the bureaucracy
- Forces nobles, clergy to pay taxes
- Eases burden of taxes on peasants
Absolute Monarchy in Prussia
- Emerges as Protestant power
- Hohenzollern family gains control of lands from Peace of Westphalia
- Imposed their rule on people
- Reduced independence of nobles
- Efficient bureaucracy
- Well trained army; great emphasis on military
Frederick II (Frederick the Great)
- Inherits throne 1740
- Trained in art of war
- Used army to seize Silesia from Austria
- Several wars- force all to accept Prussia as a great military force.
Classwork & Homework
Lesson PowerPoint: Absolute Monarchy - Austria-Hungary & Prussia
Lesson Activity: Absolute Overview Worksheet
Homework: None