Absolute Monarchs in Europe Research Paper

Absolutism is defined simply as one ruler having full control of the empire, the government, and all the citizens which their borders hold. European monarchs famously popularized this method of rule in their respective empires and were awarded wealth and stability for decades. Europe had experienced absolute monarchs before and seen its benefits in the Mughal Empire and the Qin Dynasty of India and China respectively. However, the three most successful rulers of this era of Absolute Monarchs were Philip II of Spain, Louis XIV of France, and Ivan the Terrible (IV). The three ruled over their countries with an iron fist and made sure their nations were a force to be reckoned with in Europe. All three envisioned a nation that was religiously united and peaceful. They all realized the importance of separating noblemen's decisions from their decisions and they saw the importance of assuring that they were the government and that they were the supreme power in their country. 

Phillip II lost his mother at a young age. He was given the crown at age twenty-nine and began his reign over an empire that would become a formidable opponent for decades under him. Philip, far more than the other two, was very religious. He was Catholic and by force, was able to make sure the rest of his nation was also catholic. Due to a very high population of Muslim and Jewish citizens, the infrastructure of Spain was severely damaged due to the Spanish Inquisition. Spain lost its most brilliant and skilled minds which in turn would lead to its eventual downfall. However, under Philip II, religious unity had succeeded and Spain became a world power. Unsurprisingly, the noblemen of Spain were displeased with the absolute rule that Philip was partaking in, and wisely Philip II was able to resist outside interference in his rule of Spain. He knew from early on to never trust your nobles, due largely to the idea that many believed they would bring far more success to Spain had they been in Philip’s place. Philip, taking note of the attempted revolt of noblemen in other governments, was successful in keeping the nobles of his nation in check to ensure that he would be in power and that Spain would prosper. Lastly, Philip saw how his father ruled. Charles V was in charge of both the Holy Roman Empire and Spain, along with some smaller territories as well. Charles had a difficult time managing all these different lands and split his empire into two entities, giving the Holy Roman Empire to his brother Ferdinand II, and Spain to his son, Philip. Philip II saw that without a centralized government, ruling over Spain was going to be a difficult task, let alone leading a massive empire like his father, Charles V. His main purpose was to ensure that monarchs long after him would also be the central power in Spain. Sadly, due to the Inquisition and Philip’s failed attack on England, Spain was unable to maintain its power and France would take over as the most powerful nation in Europe.  

Unlike Henry VIII of England, Henry IV of France was a smart and wise ruler of France. He knew that having Catholic support would ensure his rule over his empire. However, he was protestant and upon seeing the violent conflicts between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants) he wrote the Edict of Nantes. This gave Huguenots religious freedom and even Louis XIII did not change this Edict, allowing Huguenots and Roman Catholics to worship freely in France. Sadly, Louis XIV was not as tolerant. He repealed the Edict of Nantes causing the massacres between the two sides to begin again, and ultimately lead to the Huguenot population of France to leave the nation. Similar to the Spanish Inquisition, this decision would drain France of its greatest resource, people. Unshockingly, Louis XIV cared very little about this and decided the best thing for France was to be united under one religion and he chose Catholicism. Similar to Philip II, Louis also had a noble problem. He had grown up watching as the nobles of France tried to take away his power. As a young King, he was the most powerful person in France yet he was made a joke of by the nobles. He vowed never to give them control again and spent his entire life taking away their power. In his attempt to fulfill his promise, the Palace of Versailles was built. Historians call it a magnificent architectural masterpiece. A place for the King to show his magnificence to all. However, Louis XIV, brilliantly, built Versailles to be the world's most glamorous prison. Here he housed all his noblemen, keeping them busy rendering them unable to influence him in his rule of France. He kept them occupied and always had spies that reported to him on the activities of the always-scheming nobles. He kept his friends close but his enemies even closer. Though the main purpose of Versailles was to keep his nobles busy, Louis XIV never forgot Cardinal Richelieu’s goals for France. “King supreme in France, France supreme in Europe.” Versailles was Louis’ way of saying to France and other European nations that he was the most powerful man in France and that France was the most powerful nation in Europe. Louis XIV embodied the same mentalities as Philip II of Spain and one can see that their reigns over their respective nations were very similar. 

In addition to the prior two rulers, Ivan IV, more lovingly known as Ivan the Terrible was right alongside Philip and Louis in the way he ruled Russia. As a young Czar, publicly he was treated nicely by his boyars, the noblemen of Russia. Behind closed doors, however, he was humiliated, made a servant, and treated horribly. One can assume this is the reason, Czar Ivan was incredibly hateful and resentful towards the boyars. Once he took control over his vast empire, he began what some call, the nicer part of his rule. He expanded Russia, revised the government, and took complete (absolute) control over his nation. No one in Russia could oppose him and no one wanted to because he brought prosperity to Russia and was a fair and successful ruler. He had centralized his power and had managed to subordinate the Orthodox Church under the Russian state. Ivan IV was the supreme power in Russia and had united his nation under the Orthodox Church. Then his wife died. Ivan IV suspected the boyars due to his deeply rooted hatred for them and began to earn his more common nickname, Ivan the Terrible. He began by killing the boyars that had taken advantage of him in his youth. He removed them from power, humiliated them, and publicly executed them. One recount tells of Ivan giving his garments, crown, and throne to a boyar. He is quoted as saying, “...so you want to be Czar.” The story ends with the boyar’s limp body, slit throat, and Ivan standing there, covered in boyar blood. He may have had a deeper hatred for nobles than Philip and Louis but Ivan also understood that even boyars that were kind, wise, and supportive most often had bad intentions. This led to mass executions and Ivan earned the title, Terrible, due to his cruelty after suffering the loss of his first wife. 

In conclusion, History is known to repeat itself. One such instance is the rise and fall of empires. One nation may stand strong but eventually, due to countless reasons, that nation will fall and another will take its place. With the absolute rulers of Europe, history shows a pattern. The beliefs, actions, and goals of these monarchs are not coincidences. Every ruler took from those before them and molded it to suit their reign. Philip II saw it necessary to centralize Spain’s government after the disaster regarding his father, Charles V. Louis XIV decided that religious unity had more positives than it did negatives after seeing the effect in Spain. Czar Ivan saw that the noblemen of France and Spain had the same vengeful and conniving mindsets that his boyars did. The three spearheads of absolutism had very similar beliefs when it came to nobles, religious unity, and becoming the supreme powers in their nations. Events of the past show one that History in and of itself is a pattern and through these three absolute rulers, one can see the distinguishable patterns between them and understand the mindset that allowed for Philip II, Louis XIV, and Ivan the Terrible to be three of the most successful rulers in the Age of Absolutism.