Chapter 14: Crisis and Absolutism in Europe

Part I
Chapter 14 Summary
‡ Wars of the 16th century pitted
Protestants against Catholics.
‡ From 1560 to 1650, wars and
economic and social crises
plagued Europe.
‡ European monarchs
sought economic and
political stability through
absolutism and the
divine right of kings.
‡ The people become
concerned with order
and power
 he French Wars of Religion

‡ Calvinism and Catholicism had

become militant (combative)
religions by 1560.
‡ Their struggle for converts and
against each other was the main
cause

‡ The Huguenots were French

Protestants influenced by John
Calvin.
‡ Huguenots = 7% of the pop.
And 50% of nobility, including
the house of Bourbon
hltra Catholics
Vs.
Huguenots
(Calvinistic Protestants)

August 1572, during the

French Wars for religion,
Catholic party members
decided to kill Protestant
leaders gathered in Paris.

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he French Wars of Religion (cont.)
‡ Townspeople were willing to help nobles
weaken the monarchy - became a base of
opposition against the Catholic king.

‡ Civil war raged for 30 years until

in 1589, Henry of Navarre,
leader of the Huguenots,
succeeded to the throne as
Henry IV.

‡ He issued the Edict of Nantes

in 1598.
‡ It recognized Catholicism as
France¶s official religion, but gave
the Huguenots the right to worship
Coronation of Henry IV
 Henry of Navarre
becomes Henry IV
French King ± converts to Catholicism
 Assassination of Henry IV

Although he was a man of kindness,

compassion and good humor, and was
much loved by his people, Henry was the
subject of attempts on his life by Pierre
Barrière in August 1593 and Jean Châtel
in December 1594.

King Henry IV was ultimately

assassinated in Paris on 14 May 1610 by
a Catholic fanatic, François Ravaillac,
who stabbed the king to death while his
coach's progress was stopped by traffic
congestion for the Queen's coronation
ceremony, as depicted in the engraving
by Gaspar Bouttats.
 Philip II and Militant Catholicism
³Most Catholic King´
‡ King Philip II of Spain was the
greatest supporter of militant
Catholicism.

‡ He ruled from 1556 to 1598,

period of greatness in Spain.

‡ Strict adherence to
Catholicism and support
for the monarchy.
‡ Spain - the nation God
chose to save Catholic
Christianity from the
Protestant heretics.
 Philip
tried to use
marriage as
a political
tool.
Married Mary
(England) ±
Liz¶s sister


  !



Phillip II and Militant Catholicism

‡ Spain was the world¶s most

populous empire when Philip¶s
reign ended in 1598.
Flag of Spanish Army under Philip II
‡ It seemed a great
power, but in reality
Philip had
bankrupted the
country by spending
too much on war.
‡ Real power shifted
to England.
Who is the Queen of England?
^





Henry VIII
-
King of
England
Catherine of
Aragon
1st queen of King
Henry VIII
Could not bear a
male heir to the
throne
All Children
died at
childbirth
except for
Mary
 Anne
Boleyn
‡ In Catherine of
Aragon¶s court
‡ Caught the µeye¶ of
Henry VIII
‡ Bore the
daughter
Elizabeth
‡ Could not
produce male heir
- Anne Executed
Video: A princess becomes a queen
he England of Elizabeth
‡ Elizabeth udor ascended
to the throne of England in
1558 as Elizabeth I.
‡ During her reign, this small
island became the leader of
the Protestant nations and
laid the foundation for
becoming a world empire.
‡ She tried to keep France and
Spain from becoming too
powerful by supporting first
one and then the other,
balancing their power.
he England of Elizabeth
‡ Intelligent, careful and
self-confident she set to
resolve religious conflict.
‡ Repealed laws favoring
Catholics.
‡ The Act of Supremacy made her
the ³only supreme governor´ of
both church and state.
‡ She balanced the supremacy
with moderate Protestantism
that kept most people
satisfied.
Video: Elizabeth¶s Reign
Show Elizabeth Movie Trailer
 Philip¶s Plan to Overtake England and Restore Catholicism
‡ Mary Queen of Scots was Catholic and favored by Philip to be
the new queen.
‡ he Babington Plot: Plan to have Elizabeth assassinated
‡ Mary Queen of Scots was implicated and put to death.
‡ In 1588, ordered the invasion, he believed God would protect
Catholic Spain and provide them a victory.
he Spanish Armada!
³The invisible Spanish Armada´
 Show Video Clip: ³Elizabeth
Golden Age: Battle of the Armada´
he England of Elizabeth
‡ In 1588, Spain sent an
armada±a fleet of
warships±to invade
England.
‡ Yet the fleet that sailed had
neither the manpower nor the
ships to be victorious.
‡ The Spanish fleet was
battered in numerous
encounters and finally sailed
home by a northward route
around Scotland and
Ireland, where storms
sank many ships.
‰   
he Defeat of the
Spanish Armada
 Impact of the Defeat of
the Armada
‡ Guaranteed that England
would remain
Protestant under
Elizabeth I.
‡ Signaled the beginning of
the decline for Spain¶s
power.
‡ Helps pave the way for
the ³Golden Age´ of
Elizabeth where culture
and life in England leads
the world
Show video clip of actress Helen Mirren¶s
Elizabeth Performance of the Speech at
Tillbury
Show Golden Age Extended railer Clip from the movie.
Painting commemorates the English
victory over the Spanish in
the Spanish Armada.

Elizabeth¶s hand rests on the globe, signifying world power status.

Page 433 ±
Queen
Elizabeth¶s
Golden Speech

Show video clip

of Elizabeth¶s
Golden Speech
What makes a King or
Queen Strong?
What makes them a
respected and powerful
ruler?