The Sun King
This grand, sprawling palace outside of Paris was built by Louis XIV to keep his nobles close and showcase his absolute power.
the Palace of Versailles
This 6-foot-8-inch Tsar dragged Russia into the modern era by forcing it to adopt Western European customs.
Peter the Great
Absolute monarchs believed they received their power directly from God, a concept known by this two-word term.
Divine Right
This deeply religious Spanish king saw himself as the defender of the Catholic faith against Protestants and Muslims.
Philip II
This island nation resisted absolutism when its Parliament fought a civil war against King Charles I.
England
Louis XIV famously declared "L'état, c'est moi," which translates to this confident English phrase.
"I am the state"
to make his nobles look more like Western Europeans, Peter the Great famously taxed this specific facial feature.
The Beard Tax
Unlike a constitutional monarchy, an absolute monarchy means the king or queen has this much control over the government and people.
absolute/complete) control
In 1588, Philip II sent this massive fleet of ships to invade England, only to see it disastrously defeated.
the Spanish Armada
This 1689 document signed by William and Mary strictly limited royal power and gave rights to English citizens.
the English Bill of Rights
Because he believed the world revolved around him, Louis XIV adopted this nickname.
the Sun King
Built on land won from Sweden, this city became Russia's new capital and its "Window to the West.
St. Petersburg
In his 1651 book Leviathan, this English philosopher argued that people need a strong, absolute ruler to avoid chaos.
Thomas Hobbes
Philip II’s grim, grey palace-monastery outside of Madrid was known by this name.
El Escorial
This Austrian Empress reformed the tax system and centralized power, despite having to fight a war just to prove a woman could rule.
Maria Theresa
ouis XIV revoked this 1598 decree, ending religious tolerance for French Protestants
the Edict of Nantes
This German-born princess overthrew her husband to become Empress of Russia, expanding its borders to the Black Sea.
Catherine the Great
This French bishop was a chief theorist of divine right, arguing that kings were God's representatives on Earth.
Jacques-Bénigne Bossuet
Spain’s economy suffered massive inflation because of the influx of this precious metal from the Americas.
silver
his Prussian king called himself the "first servant of the state" and used his absolute power to build a brilliant, feared military.
Frederick the Great
This brilliant finance minister managed France’s economy under Louis XIV, using mercantilism to fill the royal treasury.
Jean-Baptiste Colbert
Peter the Great fought a 21-year conflict against Sweden known by this directional name to secure a warm-water port.
the Great Northern War?
This economic system, favored by absolute monarchs, emphasized stockpiling gold and maintaining a favorable balance of trade.
mercantilism
Philip II was a member of this powerful European royal family, known for ruling both Spain and the Holy Roman Empire.
the Habsburgs
This Austrian Emperor, son of Maria Theresa, was the ultimate "Enlightened Despot," abolishing serfdom and the death penalty.
Joseph II