We explain what an absolute monarchy is, the characteristics of this form of government and some examples.
The “Sun King,” as Louis XIV was known, was one of the absolutist monarchs of France.
What is absolute monarchy?
An absolute monarchy is a political system in which power is concentrated in a king who exercises government over the State and the citizens without limitations. In absolutist regimes, the monarch is not subject to the control of other institutions such as parliament or the constitution.
This political system was characteristic of the European kingdoms of the Modern Age. Monarchical power was hereditary and for life. In some cases, dynasties (i.e. royal families) managed to control more than one kingdom through the marriage of sovereigns, the conquest of territories, and political alliances.
Among the most recognized absolute monarchies of this time are that of France under the reign of Louis XIV (1643-1715), that of Prussia under Frederick II (1740-1786), that of Russia under the power of the Romanov dynasty, and those of Spain and Austria, which were dominated by the Habsburg dynasty (16th and 17th centuries).
Frequent questions
When and where were there absolute monarchies?
Absolute monarchies were common in European kingdoms from the late Middle Ages and throughout the modern age.
How does absolute monarchy differ from other monarchical systems?
Absolute monarchy is characterized by the concentration of all state power in a sovereign king with unrestricted authority. In contrast, in parliamentary or constitutional monarchies, the king’s power is limited by other institutions or divided into different governing bodies.
What was the role of the absolute monarch?
In an absolute monarchy, the king had complete control of the government and acted as the absolute authority in all matters of state.
Were there absolute monarchies ruled by women?
Yes, there were different European kingdoms where, at some point in their history, the monarchy was in the hands of a woman. Among the most notable monarchs are Isabella I of Castile (1474-1504), Maria Teresa I of Austria (1740-1780) and Catherine II of Russia (1762-1796).
Characteristics of absolute monarchy
Among the main characteristics of absolute monarchies are:
- Concentration of powerThe executive, legislative and judicial powers were centralized in the figure of the king. The persons or institutions that were in charge of administering or exercising the different functions of government were appointed by the monarch and owed him obedience.
- Unrestricted authorityThere were no institutions to control the exercise of power by the monarch. The king’s power was unlimited and he exercised authority over all persons, affairs and institutions of the kingdom.
- Life and hereditary power. The monarchy was passed down from generation to generation within a dynasty. A king ruled until his death and was succeeded by his first-born male child or another heir designated by himself.
- divine sovereignty. Most Christian European monarchies held that their authority came from God. According to this ideology, the king had the divine right to rule over his subjects and was responsible to God for his rule.
Origin of the absolute monarchy
During the Middle Ages, the dominant political system in Europe was feudalism.There were different kingdoms, but the kings did not have absolute sovereignty over their territories, but depended on the feudal lords. The lords were members of the warrior nobility who had a large territory over which they ruled, which was called a fief. They were vassals of the king, owed him loyalty, military support and paid him tribute. However, the king needed them to maintain his authority over the kingdom and had no power to govern within the fiefs.
At the end of the 15th century and the beginning of the 16th century, Different European kings managed to consolidate their position against the feudal lords and centralize the power of the kingdom.This process was gradual and complex, and was linked to the development of different political and military conflicts specific to each local context.
For example, in the case of Spain, absolute monarchy developed with the union of the different Christian kingdoms and the conquest of the caliphates (Muslim kingdoms) that existed in the Iberian Peninsula. The kings Ferdinand of Aragon and Isabella of Castile (called “the Catholic Monarchs”) centralized power and united Spain under a single Crown.
In the case of France, the centralization of power in the hands of the king was linked to the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453). Throughout this conflict, the kings increased their armies and resources, allowing them to improve their control over the territory of their kingdoms and prevail over the feudal nobility.
The power of the king in the absolute monarchy
The exercise of royal power in absolute monarchies depended on the historical, cultural, political and economic context of each of the European kingdoms. In all cases, The king exercised supreme authority over any matter of government and all citizens owed him obedience. His decisions were not to be approved or legitimized by any other institution.
The absolute monarch exercised power over all functions of government: political, economic, religious, administrative, military, civil and foreign affairs. Likewise, It had legislative power, meaning it could create new laws or repeal old ones.. To govern, he was assisted by a royal bureaucracy. The bureaucracy was made up of officials that he himself appointed and were members of the nobility.
On the other hand, The king was the supreme authority of the army. This allowed him to control internal security, the defense of the kingdom and declare war against other territories. Furthermore, the centralization of tax collection in the Crown made it possible to have a fundamental economic support for the organization of the kingdom.
Society in absolute monarchy
The royal family was at the top of the social hierarchy.
During the Modern Age, European absolute monarchies were marked by a strong hierarchical division of estates and an unequal distribution of wealth. This type of society is known as the “Ancient Regime”. In it, social groups were differentiated by their origin:
- NobilityThe nobility belonged to the highest stratum of society. They were aristocrats and landowners who had noble titles and special privileges. Among their main privileges were the ownership of land (which was worked by peasants and constituted their source of wealth), exemption from taxes and the inheritance of feudal rights (collecting taxes and exercising justice over the peasants on their lands). In addition, they had legal privileges (such as being judged by special courts) and access to education and military training.
- ClergyThe Catholic Church had a great influence in the European monarchies. The high ecclesiastical hierarchy had privileges, as did the nobility. In many cases, bishops held positions of power in the royal administration. The clergy owned lands and feudal rights, were exempt from paying taxes, controlled education and monitored public morality.
- Bourgeoisie. It was a social class made up of merchants, bankers and other professionals. They were especially dedicated to investing money, producing manufactured goods, short and long distance trade, and providing professional services. They lived in the cities and had to pay royal taxes. Although they did not have the privileges of the nobility, during the Modern Age they improved their social position due to their economic growth. In addition, some bourgeois joined the nobility through the purchase of titles or marriages with noble families.
- Peasantry. This was the largest social group with the least wealth. They were rural workers who, in addition to harvesting the land, produced different goods. They were not landowners, but rather resided within a fief and cultivated the feudal lord’s land for their own survival. In exchange, they owed him loyalty and lifelong services. It was a relationship of subjection and the peasants were not free to end it. They had to pay taxes to the feudal lords, the Church and the king.
Culture in the absolute monarchy
Louis XIV created the Palace of Versailles and made it the residence of the kings of France.
The different European monarchies influenced the development of culture during the Modern Age. At that time, It was common for kings to act as patrons of the arts, letters and sciences.. In this way, they sponsored scholars, artists, musicians, writers, philosophers and other cultural agents, and integrated them into their courts. This activity was known as royal patronage and was a key element in modern cultural development.
On the other hand, European monarchs commissioned the construction of great palaces and architectural works. These works sought to reflect the greatness and wealth of the monarchy, so their designs were sumptuous and imposing. They had enormous halls with luxurious materials, gigantic gardens, very ornate facades, and the interior decoration included pieces of decorative art such as tapestries, furniture, porcelain, and gold objects with precious stones.
Artistic styles were also influenced by the desires of the monarchs. During this period, the Baroque, Rococo and Neoclassical styles were developed.. The Baroque style was characterized by an emphasis on movement and drama, the use of curved lines, and lush, detailed decoration. Rococo sought to highlight the delicacy and elegance of royal courts, with great use of floral motifs. For its part, the neoclassical recovered features of classical antiquity, with simple and geometric shapes in search of timeless greatness.
Another important aspect of culture in the different monarchies was the development of science, literature and education. The kings encouraged the creation of academies, universities and scientific societies. In this way, with royal patronage, scholars were able to explore topics of study outside of Christian dogmas (although with limitations and control by the Catholic Church). In this…