Europe in the Age of Absolute Monarchs, 1648-1783

About this course:

The absolutist system of government was widespread in western Europe in the 17th and 18th centuries. Exemplified by the likes of France's Louis XIV, these monarchs sought to govern without any constraints, declaring that they ruled by divine right. Absolutism was the order of the day as rulers sought to expand their empires, their palaces, and even remake nature itself to impose order and civilization in the chaotic wake left by the Thirty Years War. In this course, we showcase figures such as Louis XIV, Russia’s Peter the Great, Austria’s Empress Maria Theresa, and Prussia’s Frederick the Great, among others. This course will be recorded. Students will have access to videos for the duration of the course.