Absolute Monarchy: Crash Course European History #13

So far, the rulers of Europe have been working to consolidate their power and expand their kingdoms, and this is it. The moment they've been working toward: Absolute Monarchy. We're going to learn about how kings and queens became absolute rulers in Europe, and where better to start than with Louis XIV of France, who is really the model for absolute rule.

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[michaelpisciarino]

30 Years War
Treaty of Westphalia
0:18 Divine Right Monarchy, Absolutism
0:48 King Louis XIV
2:40 A quick French langauge lesson
3:45 The Paulette Tax
5:16 Jansenism 5:45 The Fronde
6:07 Thought Bubble
*_Palace of Versaille_*
8:00 Divine Right theory
10:00 Mercantilism
11:00 Louis XIV Major Wars

[Sora-sllj]

I hope this European history series will lead to future series on other continents. I'm particularly interested in potential Asian, African and South American history series.

[TheTexas]

I wonder what will happen to the French absolute monarchs in a future episode

[Blabla]

12:10 "Again, satisfying one's ambition and one's vengeance makes you a great reality TV contestant but maybe not necessarily the perfect king"
I can't possibly imagine what american political situation would inspire John to say this...

[lordrc]

Thank you for explaining what Absolutism is and how I can use it in EU4.

[joshedwards]

Robespierre: "The state will decide your fate."
Louis XIV: "I am the state!" *Lunges at Robespierre*

[CliffCardi]

“The state will decide your fate.”

“L’etat c’est moi.”

[feitocomfruta]

Funny story, in college I took a European history course and our final essay question for the Final was "Based on historical figures and using the university and surrounding county as location, design your own totalitarian regime." It was a little easy for us because our professor gave us that question ahead of the final, so I'm sure she loved reading the responses. I based my control of governmental on Versailles and Louis XIV by housing all the student government and department heads in our fanciest Residence area, which had really amazing food (including really amazing cookies that were also calorie bombs). I didn't do well with the first half of the exam (just not great at memorizing dates and names), but I know she gave me full marks on the essay.

[Anonarchist]

"how desperate you have to be to add saw dust to your dough."

*contains powdered cellulose*

[Xerxes]

I believe this video is overly negative about absolutism. Sure, absolutism certainly wasn't democratic, but it still was an improvement over the feudalism of the previous centuries. Since the end of the Hundred Years War, both French and English monarchs sought to increase their power and to reduce the powers of the great nobility. During the 16th century, France had to live through multiple religious wars caused by great houses forming leagues and warring each other. It ended with Henri IV and the King's ministers (Sully under Henri IV, Richelieu under Louis XIII and Mazarin under Louis XIV) undermined the power of the great nobles, which culminated with "La Fronde." When the Fronde was crushed, the Great Nobles were humiliated at last.



Absolutism gave birth to a centralised, modern state. The King was ruling effectively over his whole kingdom, but he had to heed the advices of his councils, to obey the fondamental laws of the Kingdom and respect the rights of his subjects (whatever rights they had). His ministers were not necessarily nobles. Intendants (stewards) were appointed to oversee the administration of the provinces (both financial and laws). These were real administrators, and not nobles of the sword. This was a great improvement from the constant bickerings of the High Nobility.

[poorplayer]

Wow, this is eerily timely. It's almost as though there really is something to the aphorism that history doesn't repeat itself, but it often rhymes.

[Oxtocoatl]

An interesting contrast could be made with the contemporary states that moved away from absolute rule, like the Netherlands and Poland-Lithuania, and of course England, where the two ideas of government collided violently.

[tatelamoreaux]

I really appreciate that CrashCourse continues to make these videos even if their lives and them as individuals—and so their attitudes—have all changed. They’ve helped me far beyond my long-passed school years.

[michaelk]

John Green's energy is much different from years ago.
Still great content

[l.jishere]

Wow John is speaking really slow (blink twice if you've been kidnapped)

[LangThoughts]

So if Colbert wrote an account of what was going on in France, was if called The Colbert Report?

[Chris-hpbe]

“His high heels shows his shapely legs” 😂😂

[Flowerz__]

Hi I like how these new episodes are slower paced. It’s a lot easier to follow. Thank you for all the content you guys put out. Such a treasure trove of knowledge and information that will forever exist as long as this platform and the internet sticks around.

[باسلالتأريخوالفلسفة]

You’re john green the best thing to pick and watch on the internet, i was amazed by this new european history videos, please, please, don’t stop making videos and please keep them coming free because you’ve given us a completely new exciting way to learn about history, being greedy in history I’m hoping for more and more, it is becoming a history encyclopedia, thank you all very much crash course team you’re the best.

[JulieHerrick]

At 9:35 there's a mention of Jean-Baptiste Colbert. Did anyone else immediately think of JON BATISTE, the bandleader for The Late Show with Stephen COLBERT?