AC - Balance of Power (Lesson)

Balance of Power

Up until the 17th century, religion had been an important and frequent cause of warfare among the European states. However, with the dawn of the 17th century, the focus of the state was less on religion and more on the balance of power. The goal of the European states after the Peace of Westphalia was to keep one European country from gaining a significant amount of power over the other countries. This was especially true between England and France, who were constantly fighting over land during this time as evidenced by the Seven Year’s War, a war fought on two continents for land and power. Students of American History will recognize this as the French and Indian War. Other wars that were fought for balance of power instead of religion were the War of Spanish Succession and the Napoleonic Wars.

However, not all efforts to maintain the balance of power worked out in favor of European countries. In Poland, a commonwealth was established in 1569 which was basically led by the nobility through a series of local assemblies and a central parliament. There was a monarchy, but the king was elected. There was usually intrigue as other countries backed their own chosen candidate for king based upon what that king could do for other countries, such as Russia. Although Poland had a somewhat centralized government, it also had a policy of liberium veto, which meant that Parliament had to unanimously agree on any governmental changes. This was difficult to do and allowed emergent countries such as Russia, Prussia, and Austria to partition, or divide Poland up into three distinct parts and absorb them into their own countries in the year 1772. This event removed Poland from the European map.

 

Ottoman Empire Falters

While England and France continued to fight and before Poland was absorbed into emerging nations Russia, Austria, and Prussia, other European countries were facing threats from their southern neighbors. In 1683, Poland and the Holy Roman Empire managed to repel Ottoman forces at the Battle of Vienna. This battle was the turning point in the Ottoman-Habsburg Wars, which lasted about 300 years. Much land was gained and lost by both sides during these extended wars, but this battle was important because the result of turning the Ottomans away resulted in a failure of future Ottoman advances north into Poland and Austria.

 

Louis, Louis

Louis XIV of France (who we will look at in depth in the next lesson) was an absolute monarch.

The Theory of Absolutism.

According to Thomas Hobbes:

Seeking individual security, individuals would enter into a type of contract with their ruler, surrendering their rights in exchange for protection. A ruler's will thus became the almost sacred embodiment of the state.

According to Bishop Jacques Boussuet:

The ruler's authority comes from God alone. His role is to be absolute (independent of human authority) and paternal . . .He is responsible for looking after the needs of his people. Government was to be absolute but not arbitrary. There are limits on him imposed by reason through laws and traditions. (Divine Right)

 

Characteristics of Absolutist Monarchies.

• Nobles accept the king's authority in exchange for land ownership and privilege in society (in France, the king could monitor the legitimacy of all noble titles and could confiscate the property of nobility).
• Concentration of governing power in the hands of the monarch and a centralized bureaucracy to support him.
• Large standing state army that is maintained through a large portion of the budget; even in peacetime, expenditures tended to be 1/2 the budget.
• Raised revenues through the sale of monopolies in industries and trade as well as tariffs and taxes.
• Had a desire to add to their dynastic domains and prestige.
• Had an alliance with the established church: the church helped to build the image of the king while the king helped rid the threat of religious minorities. They also hold power over the religious authority of their states.

4 main signs of an Absolutist:

• Strong, central authority that controls all aspects of the state
• Large standing armies, even in peacetime
• Divine Right
• Built Grand Palaces to awe and inspire

However, being an absolute ruler who is constantly fighting to gain more power and land does not make one popular among other European leaders who are opposing you. Louis XIV provides a perfect example given that he fought continuous wars.

Dutch War or Franco-Dutch War (1672-1678)

France, under the rule of Louis XIV, nearly took over the Netherlands and started a war that pitted the French against the Dutch, Holy Roman Empire, Spain, Prussia, and Norway. The French originally had England as an ally and Sweden supported them as well. France was kept out of Amsterdam by the use of water; they opened the dikes. This pushed the French back, but over the years, they continued to push back toward Amsterdam. However, this was an extremely expensive war and Louis XIV incurred a large amount of debt before he signed the Treaties of Nijmegen which allowed the Netherlands to keep their land. Be sure you remember the debt!! It will be important a few modules from now.

 

War of the Spanish Succession

When Charles II of Spain died, he left all of his kingdom to his grandson, Philip of Anjou. While this was not unusual, what was different is that Philip was also the grandson of Louis XIV of France. Louis saw this as an opportunity to gain power and land by combining the French and Spanish kingdoms under one ruler. The countries of the Holy Roman Empire, Great Britain, and the Dutch, along with some others felt strongly that this would upset the balance of power in Europe. Therefore, they fought the War of the Spanish Succession which lasted for over 13 years. In the end, Philip was proclaimed the ruler of Spain, but the Treaty of Utrecht required that he renounce his place in the line of French succession. Louis XIV remained king but also incurred more debt.

 

Technology isn't Always Good

As the period of 1648 to 1815 came to a close, there had been numerous and major changes to military technology that led to new forms of warfare. Gunpowder, originally developed in China, was now readily available due to the swiftness of trade through overseas routes. Armies grew larger and more bureaucracy was needed to keep them organized. Because of new weapons like mobile cannons, infantries were relied upon more than ever and techniques were honed including the use of more elaborate fortifications. This military revolution benefited those countries that could afford to finance it. However, this support came at a cost. Countries such as France relied on heavy taxation in order to maintain the large army they required to both defend and expand their territory. The money obtained through the taxes also helped to support the growing bureaucracy. However, the bureaucracy wasn’t the only thing growing. The resentment that came from being overtaxed has been planted and would grow until the time of the French Revolution.

 

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In your notes, respond to the following question.

• Why was the Ottoman such a key part of the Balance of Power dilemma for Europe?

 

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