Absolutism in England

In France absolutism grew out of the civil conflict between Catholics and Huguenots over the control of the French throne. Because of geography and political precedents, absolutism persisted in France longer than it did in England.

This period also saw the rise of mercantilism, an economic system that grew out of the exploration and settlement of colonies at this time. As colonies were established, each European country adopted mercantilist policies to protect their colonial and trading interests.

In this unit you will learn about the rise of absolute government in England and France and its later decline in England. You will also learn about the growth of mercantilism and the policies adopted by each country.

The years from 1500 to 1750 were years of adventure, knowledge, and wealth. Portuguese ships sailed around Africa, opening new trade routes with the East Indies. Spanish conquistadors explored and conquered the New World. The Spanish sailed west around the world; they gained and then lost great wealth. Spain's leadership began to decline. She was involved in many wars and gradually lost the great empire she had built.

The Austrians and Germans did not possess large amounts of land or money, but they preserved and built stable governments out of chaos. The Ottomans conquered much of Africa and Europe and were a constant threat to Christendom until they were driven out of the Balkans by the Austrians in 1699.

In the period following the Renaissance and Reformation two theories predominated in government, one political and one economic. The political theory was absolutism. It was not unique to this period. The roots of absolutism can be traced back to the Egyptian Pharaohs and Roman emperors. Following the upheavals of the late Middle Ages and the religious wars of the Renaissance, many believed a strong central government was necessary to bring efficient rule, order, and prosperity. Supporting this theory was the doctrine of divine right of kings.The doctrine said the king, chosen by God, was absolute in his powers and responsible only to God. Many people accepted absolute government because it seemed to be the answer to the problems of the time.

The dominant economic theory of the time was mercantilism. It was the economic extension of absolute government. In practice the government controlled the nation's entire economy. The government wanted to establish its rule over the economic life of its citizens as well as its political life.

The Tudors founded despotic government in England. The first Tudor king, Henry VII, came to the throne in 1485 at the end of the War of the Roses. People welcomed the establishment of absolute government as an alternative to anarchy. The middle class in particular wanted a strong government. This desire perhaps best explains why the Tudors were so successful in bending the country to their will. The two most successful members, Henry VII and Elizabeth I, gained some of their power by maintaining a semblance of popular government. When Henry and Elizabeth wanted to enact legislation of doubtful popularity, they regularly went through the formality of getting parliamentary consent. They also manipulated procedures in such a way as to make appropriations of money seem like voluntary grants of the people's representatives. Parliament under the Tudors was hardly more than a rubber stamp. Parliament was called irregularly and for only brief periods. The Tudors interfered with elections. Depending on the circumstances, they flattered or bullied the members of Parliament to obtain their support.

After the turmoil of the minority reign of Edward VI and reign of Queen Mary, England welcomed the ascension of Elizabeth I. Although no one at the time could have known, Elizabeth's reign would be a period of relative peace and prosperity for England. Elizabeth knew foreign involvement cost money, so she carefully avoided it. Elizabeth did aid the Dutch in their rebellion against the Spanish. Actual war did not come until 1588 with Spain's fleet, the Spanish Armada.

Philip II of Spain sent the "Invincible Armada" for three reasons. First, Spain resented English aid and interference in the Netherlands. Second, the Armada was a religious crusade. Philip wanted to return England to the Catholic Church. Third and most important, Spain wanted to stop English interference with its New World trade. English adventurers, like John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake, first smuggled goods into Spanish colonies and then later plundered Spanish ships. On one occasion prior to the war between England and Spain, Drake sailed into the harbor of Cadiz and burned the fleet stationed there. Elizabeth claimed she could not control the piracy, although she secretly supported it and shared in the profits.

Philip sent a fleet of 130 ships to conquer England. In July the ships were sighted in the English Channel. The English fleet, led by Admiral Lord Charles Howard, waited for the Spanish fleet. Although the English fleet was outnumbered, their ships were smaller and were more maneuverable. The battle lasted for more than a week. Finally, the English cut off the Armada's retreat to the south, forcing it to go north around Scotland. Storms in the North Sea destroyed more Spanish ships. Less than half of the "Invincible Armada" returned to Spain.