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Period: 1524 to
Gustavus Adolphus (1524 - 1632)
Gustavus Adolphus was a Sweden king during the Swedish phase of the 30 Years' War. He was considered a military genius and hardcore Lutheran but was killed in battle causing the Swedes to lose interest and the French to enter the war themselves. -
Period: 1533 to
Ivan the Terrible (1533 - 1584)
Also known as Ivan IV, Ivan the Terrible became king at 3 years old, but pushed his advisors out at age 16. Notable achievements during his reign: He got rid of Mongol power, added new territories, laying the foundation of multiethnic Russia. He also killed notable Boyars and their families/associates to get rid of the opposition, then replaced them with a new "service nobility" that ensured loyalty and dependence from the nobles. -
Period: 1552 to
Henry IV (1552 - 1610)
Henry IV or Henry of Navarre or "Good King Henry" was a politique. It was during his wedding that the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre occurred and later that he got the throne from Henry III. During his reign, he converted to Catholicism from Calvinism to appease the population, 90% Catholics, stating "Paris is worth a mass." But, later instated the Edict of Nantes that allowed Huguenots limited religious freedom. His reign was cut short when he was assassinated by a Catholic (1610). -
Period: 1568 to
80 Years’ War (1568 – 1648)
The 80 Years War was the Dutch War of Independence from Spain, due to the Netherlands' protestantism vs. Catholic Spain, as well as taxation purposes when Spain had to fund their fighting in the 30 Years' War. 17 provinces of the Netherlands revolted against the Habsburg Spain and the northern ones were successful while the southern ones remained under Spain. This war spurred the Dutch Golden Age. -
Period: to
Dutch Golden Age (1600 - 1648)
The Dutch Golden Age saw an increase in the quality of art, science, trade, and militia. This is due to wealth and a higher standard of living. The Dutch made their money off of shipbuilding, shipping in and out of Asia, the East India Company, and their largest merchant marine. It also helped when they accepted/tolerated the Jewish who were exiled and good at money (banking). -
Period: to
James I (1603 - 1625)
James I was the son of Mary Queen of Scots and ruled Scotland for 30 years before inheriting the throne after the death of Elizabeth I. He firmly believed in the Divine Right of Kings in which he was responsible only to God, conflicting with the English tradition that property could not be taken away without due process. -
Period: to
Louis XIII (1610 - 1643)
During Louis XIII's reign, Marie de'Medici headed the government for him along with Cardinal Richelieu. Cardinal Richelieu was highly influential and allowed the monarchy to maintain power. -
Period: to
The Thirty Years’ War (1618 - 1648)
The 30 Years War was fought in the Holy Roman Empire between the Catholic League and Protestant Union. It began with Protestants fighting for the ability to practice their religion after the attempts to recatholicize. This trend was in the Bohemian, Danish and Swedish phases. The French phase however was for political reasons to weaken the rival Habsburgs. The war ended with the Peace of Westphalia, and left the Empire commercially ruined, the Habsburg weak, and thousands of casualties. -
Period: to
Ferdinand II (1619 - 1637)
Ferdinad II was an Austrian Habsburg king. He reduced the Bohemian's powers and confiscated land to the Catholic nobles and mercenaries. With this direct rule, the conditions of the enserfed worsened. -
Period: to
Cardinal Richelieu (1624 - 1642)
Jean de Pessis became Cardinal Richelieu and was able to maintain the power of the monarchy during Louis XIII/Marie de'Medici's reign. He created an administrative system with intendants that recruited men for the army, supervised over tax collection, presided for over local law administration, checked the local nobility, and regulated economic activities. -
Period: to
Charles I (1625 - 1649)
Charles I was the king during the English Civil War before being beheaded in 1649. His unpopularity was attributed to his unwillingness to call parliament from 1629 - 1640 and marriage to a Catholic princess. -
Period: to
Ferdinand III (1637 - 1657)
Ferdinard III was a Holy Roman Emporer during the last decade of the 30 Years' War. During his phase, he had to make peace with France and Sweden. He agreed upon the Peace of Westphalia, that gave/affirmed freedom of religious practice to Protestants, specifically Calvinsts. This would prove to weaken the power of the Holy Roman Emporers. -
Period: to
Frederick William “Great Elector” (1640 - 1688)
Frederick I was the first king of Prussia, known as the "Great Elector" and a member of the Hohenzollern family. Originally the Elector of Brandenburg, Frederick William expanded his territory holdings and was upgraded to royalty by the Holy Roman Emporer. He was able to crush any opposition coming from the towns and weaken the Junkers' power by having financial independence and superior forces. -
Period: to
Puritan Republic (1651–1660)
The Puritan Republic was a Protectorate commonwealth government run by Oliver Cromwell like a military dictatorship. During his reign, he practiced a degree of religious toleration except to the Catholics, whom he banned (as he was a Puritan), and made mercantilist policies with the Navigation Act of 1651 that made sure English Goods were transported by English ships, weaking the Dutch's power. The republic died with Cromwell as his son was ineffectual. -
Period: to
English Civil War (1642 - 1651)
The English Civil War was fought between the King and Parliament. Charles I was unpopular due to his Divine Rights of Kings belief and his affiliations with the Catholics. The kind recruited his army from northern English while Parliament, Oliver Cromwell formed the New Model Army. In the Spring of 1942, both sides prepared for war. Charles was defeated and Cromwell, Puritans, and members of the Commons captured him and beheaded him. Cromwell assumed power with his Rump Parliament. -
Period: to
Louis XIV (1643 - 1715)
Louis XIV, "the Sun King" was the epitome of the absolute monarch. He was able to consolidate power through increased taxation, a large standing army, better bureaucracies, and compelled obedience. He created the Palace of Versailles, the center of European politics and culture. There, he was able to curb the noble's power by holding them hostage. -
Period: to
The Fronde (1648 – 1653)
The Fronde was French Peasant uprisings due to the increased taxation on bread, the peasants' primary food source. The uprisings uprooted Anne of Austria and a young Louis XIV to the countryside. -
Period: to
William III of Orange (1650 - 1702)
William III of Orange was the Prince of Orange and a Stadholder in the Dutch Republic. In 1677, he married Mary II of England, James II's daughter. In 1689, the Glorious Revolution, William and Mary became joint-monarchs of England, Scotland, and Ireland through Mary's claim to the thrones and James II's fleeing to France. -
The Restoration (1660)
Following Oliver Cromwell's Commonwealth form of government, which was ran like a military dictatorship, the monarchy was restored with the reign of Charles II (1660 - 1685). The English wanted to go back to a civilian government with common law and social stability. Both houses of Parliament and the Anglican church was restored. The restoration did not address attitudes towards Puritans, Catholics, and dissenters from the established church, and the king and parliament's relationship. -
Period: to
Charles II (1660 - 1685)
Charles II was the monarch during the English restoration after Cromwell's death. An important act during his reign was the Test Act of 1678 at decreed those outside the Anglican church could not hold public office, preach, teach, attend universities, or hold public meetings. Tensions between Parliament and the King were increased by his deal with Louis XIV of 200,000 Euros annually for the catholicization of England after thinking parliament granted him an inadequate income. -
Period: to
War of Devolution (1667 - 1668)
The War of Devolution was fought over if Maria Theresa, Louis XIV's wife, had right to the Spanish Netherlands. It was France versus England, Sweden, and the United Provinces. The Treaty of Aix-La-Chapelle forced Louis XIV to give back the land he gained but allowed him to inherit 1/4 of the Spanish Netherlands with the Franche-Comté territory. This was one of Louis XIV's wars. -
Period: to
Dutch War (1672-1678)
War began when France invaded the Netherlands. France had the support of England and Sweden, while the Dutch were supported by Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, and Denmark. The war ended with the Treaty of Nimwegen where France had to give back their Dutch territories and the Dutch will be neutral in the future but also gained the territories in the Spanish Netherlands. This was one of Louis XIV's main wars. -
Period: to
Peter the Great (1682 - 1725)
Peter the Great was a Russian king with was responsible for westernizing Russia. He took an 18-month tour of the European capitals to learn about weapons, foreign technology, technical skills, and gain support against the Ottomans. There, he got inspiration from Versailles to create St. Peterburg that curbed the noble's power. In order to westernize, to him "modernize", he changed the clothing style, outlawed beards, and other things, this was not popular from the citizens. -
Period: to
James II (1685 - 1688)
James II was an English king whose reign was littered with religious conflicts. Though raised Protestant, James II converted to Catholicism. James II violated the Test Act of 1673 and appointed Roman Catholics into positions in universities, local governments, and the army. In 1688 James fled to France. -
The Glorious Revolution (March 1688)
Named "Glorious" due to the changing of kings in England without bloodshed, though William's arrival did cause revolutionary riots across the British Isles and North America. As James II and his queen fled to France, William and Mary became the king and queen of England. William of Orange was from the Netherlands and Mary was his wife and was James' daughter. -
Period: to
William and Mary (1688 - 1702)
William and Mary were the king and queen of England with the Glorius Revolution. William of Orange was a Dutch prince, Stadholder, who married Mary, James II's daughter, giving them a claim to the throne. \ Their reign was cemented by the Treaty of Limerick (1691) that ended an Irish uprising. -
Period: to
Frederick I (1688 - 1713)
Frederick I of Pruissa, Frederick William's son, was the Elector of Brandenburg and Duke of Prussia, was the first king in Prussia ("in" due to how the Holy Roman Empire did not allow kingdoms in their empire). He strengthened the army and set the stage for Prussia's kingship that his son, Frederick William I, would get. -
Period: to
War of the League of Augsburg (1688-1697)
Also known as the 9 Years War, Louis XIV invaded the Holy Roman Empire but was repelled by Spain, England, and Sweden. This is one of Louis XIV's wars, this one he lost. -
The English Bill of Rights (1689)
The Bill of Rights was a response to Stuart Absolutism when William and Mary accepted the crown, basic points included:
- Parliament called triennially
- Protestants can carry arms, Catholics could not
- No standing armies during peacetime
- Freedom of worship to Protestants and dissenters (but not
Catholics) -
Period: to
Charles XII (1697 - 1718)
Charles XII was a Swedish king who was able to fight off the Russians, Polish, and Dutch during the Great Northern War. He was targeted for being younger and newer to the throne, and despite multiple victories, was ultimately defeated by Russia. -
Period: to
the Great Northern War (1700 - 1721)
Russia, Poland, and the Dutch enter an alliance against Sweden to gain access to the Baltic Sea, a Warm Water Port that allows Russia to be more European. Charles XII of Sweden defeated Denmark and turned their sights to Russia. This conflict made Russia innovate their armies with lifelong conscription and a disciplined and talented army. Russia won the war, gaining the Warm Water Port and the ability to build St. Petersburg. -
Period: to
the War of Spanish Succession (1701 - 1714)
When Charles II of Spain died, he had no living heirs, so he named Phillip of Anjou, Louis XIV's grandson, as his successor. In 1701, England, the Dutch, Austria, and Prussia formed the Grand Alliance against this as they were afraid of Spain and France joining together. This represented the Balance of Power dynamics of Europe. The Peace of Utrecht resolved this, where Phillip would be king but France and Spain can't be united, marking the end of French expansion. One of Louis XIV's Wars. -
Period: to
Frederick William I (1713 - 1740)
Nicknamed the "Soldier King" Frederick William I of Prussia had an obsession with the military. He had the fourth-best army in Europe with skilled, disciplined, and precise soldiers led by Junkers. The army was lifelong forced conscription where all men would undergo military training and serve as reservists. Due to this, society became rigidly disciplined. During his reign, he eliminated parliamentary estates and local self-government, establishing Prussian absolution with a military state.
