Absolutism vs. English Monarchy

The Death of Absolutism

King John and His Barons

What is the English Monarchy?

• Definition: The monarchy of the Kingdom of England that governs the country.
• The English Monarchy changed dramatically over the centuries but one of the most dramatic changes is the transition from absolutism.

• In 1206 King John lost Normandy, Anjou, and parts of Maine to France during war.
• These failures damaged his reputation and image.
• King John was determined to win back the land he lost, but in order to win wars money was needed.
• He increased tax rates, stole peoples land, and exploited the rights of his people even his nobles.

Map Medieval Europe

King John and His Barons

• In 1209, John had been excommunicated in a dispute over the appointment of the Archbishop of Canterbury.
• He used his excommunication as an excuse to confiscate church property and sell it to his bishops for profit.
• The Barons of England were very displeased with King John because he was a bad ruler and a tyrant.

King John's Barons are displeased with him.

The English Hierarchy

Royal Social Structure

Revolt

• All of England's problems were blamed on John.
• The powerful Barons of England started a rebellion against King John on the 3rd of May in 1215.
• Almost all of England, even the pope was against King John.
• King John, in fear of being violently overthrown, agreed to negotiate with the Barons.

The English nobility was structured in a hierarchy where the King is the ultimate ruler.

At the top of social pyramid was the King. Below that are the Noblemen, Lords, and peasants.

Nobility was based on wealth, power, and status.

Lords were wealthy land owners but were not considered "Royal."

Peasants were the rest of society.

King John signing the Magna Carta

Ruling with an Iron Fist

The Magna Carta

• Until 1215, the British empire was ruled by a single monarch who had no limits in power.
• The King had absolute power over all of his subjects.
• Most Kings abused their power and exploited their subjects for personal gain.
• Although there were nobles who were involved in politics, the King had no restrictions on his political decisions.

• John was forced to sign the Magna Carta at Runnymede in 1215.
• This guaranteed the people of England rights that the king could not go back on.
• In 1216, John tried to go back on the Magna Carta but this only provoked the barons into declaring war on him.

What Was The Magna Carta?

King John

• The Magna Carta was written by a group of 13th-century barons to protect their rights and property against a tyrannical king.
• Magna Carta was the first document forced onto a King of England by a group of his subjects in an attempt to limit his powers by law.
• The Magna Carta can be seen as the first step of the evolution of todays constitution.

• King John had an immense impact on the future of the British Empire.
• King John is one of the more controversial monarchs of Medieval England.
• Medieval England was under his rule from 1119 to 1215.
• John, the youngest of five sons of King Henry II of England and Eleanor of Aquitaine, was at first not expected to inherit significant lands.
• King John was an unfavorable ruler who abused his power and took advantage of the peasants as well as the nobles.

The original copy of the Magna Carta

A detailed portrait of King John.

France

King Louis XI

• King Louis XI laid down the foundation for absolutism in France
• Born in 1423 in Bourges, France
• hated his father and planned to murder and take the throne from him
• Was banished from France but came back to rule and had great power

A portrait of King Louis XI

The Impact of The Magna Carta

King Louis XVI

• King from 1754 to 1793
• Was over thrown due to the French revolution
• King Louis XVI was much more interested in doing things for himself than dealing with public affairs.
• He relied on his wife's poor advice for ruling France.
• His minister of finance attempted to abolish the rights of the noble as well as the higher clergy.

King Louis XIV

King Lois XVI

What is Absolutism?

Conclusion

Slow Death of Absolutism

• The transition of power from absolutism is groundbreaking.
• Thanks to King John, people realized how tyrannical a ruler can become.
• Not only did it end absolutism, the Magna Carta made people realize that the King is not above the law.
• Ever since 1215, the power of the monarch slowly diminishes.
• Absolutism eventually became a thing of the past.

• France in the late renaissance to the early modern era is a prime example of absolutism
• The kings in that time period had unlimited power because he nobles power was taken away over time

• "The principle or practice of a political system in which unrestricted power is vested in a monarch, dictator, etc.; despotism"
• In other words absolutism is one ruler who has all of the power

• Absolutism is when a Monarch has ultimate power with no restrictions.
• Absolutism usually does not last because people tend to dislike tyrants.
• In order to abolish absolutism the power of the Monarch must be limited.
• As time goes on and the Monarch loses power, the people gain more power.
• Absolutism in England and France is what inspired people to want there government to serve them.

• At the time, the Magna Carta was simply a bargaining chip.
• Neither side took the Magna Carta too seriously, it was just a way to avert the outbreak of civil war.
• Ever since the Magna Carta was granted, the English monarch slowly became more limited.
• Although the Magna Carta only protected the rights of the nobles, it atleast proved that the power of the monarch can be limited.
• Inspired other movements and acts against tyranny

King Louis XIV

• Succeeded his father at the age of four and his mother ruled on his behalf until he was older
• His chief advisor, Mazarin was very unpopular, causing civil disturbances called the fronde in 1653
• The Frondes failure led to the strengthening of the king

Time Line of King John and the Magna Carta

The end of French absolutism

• The French revolution ended the era of absolutism
• Ended with King Louis XVI's death
• Without King Louis the 15th, france strayed away from absolutism.

By: Luke Kraus and Hamza Mqadmi