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Jan 1, 1520
Mannerism
Mannerism led to the end of the artistic Renaissance. It emerged in Italy in the 1520's and 1530's. Elongated figures were used to show suffering, heightened emotions, and religious ecstasy. El Greco used mannerism and the mood of his works showed reflected tension created by the religious upheavals of the Reformation -
Jan 1, 1550
The Witchcraft Trials
During the 16th and 17th century, an intense hysteria changed the lives of many Europeans. More than 100,000 people were charged with witchcraft. Commons-usually the poor- were the ones getting accused. While getting tortured, many confessed to things. Some said they had sworn to allegiance with the devil. Others admitted to casting spells. By 1650, the witchcraft hysteria had begun to lessen. Attitudes changed. People found it unreasonable to believe the view of a world haunted by evil spirits. -
Jan 1, 1556
Spain's Militant Catholicism
In the second half of the 1500's King Philip II was the greatest supporter of militant Catholicism. He insisted on strict conformity to Catholicism and strong monarchical authority. King Philip II also had the powerful Spanish navy at his command. Spain saw itself as a nation chosen by God to save Catholic Christianity from Protestant heretics. Philip II was known as the the “most Catholic king” and his actions led to great victories and defeats. -
Jan 1, 1566
Resistance from the Netherlands
One of the richest parts of Philip’s empire was the Netherlands. Philip attempted to strengthen his control of the region, but it caused resentment and opposition from the Netherlands nobles. Violence began in 1566, Philip sent 10,000 troops to crush the rebellion. Philip faced resistance from the Dutch, a province led by William the Silent, the prince of Orange. The violence drug on for 12 years. The 17th century has often been called the golden age of Dutch. -
The Defeat of the Spanish Armada
In 1588 Philip II prepared to send a fleet of warships to invade England. The armada was beaten by the faster English ships.The armada tried to sail back but was pounded by storms along the way. -
Protestantism in England
Elizabeth Tudor took throne in 1588. She repealed the laws favoring Catholics. A new act of Supremacy named Elizabeth as "the only supreme governor" of both church and state. She was also moderate of her foreign policy. She tried to keep Spain and France from becoming too powerful. -
Henry IV and Edict of Nantes
Catholics and Huguenots raged battle for 30 years. In 1589, the Huguenot leader, Henry of Navarre, took over the throne as Henry IV. He was a Protestant and realized he'd never be accepted by Catholics so he converted to Catholicism. When Henry was crowned King in 1894, the fighting in France stopped. To solve all of the religious problems, he offered the Edict of Nantes in 1598. The edict recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France. This appeased both Catholics and Huguenots. -
The Thirty Years War
Begins as religious conflicts when the Peace of Augsburg weakens. It is considered the “Last of the Religious Wars.” Both religion and political motives were evident. Beginning with the Holy Roman Empire in 1618 between Catholic and Protestant forces. It later turned into a political war as Denmark , Sweden, France, and Spain got involved. The Peace of Westphalia ended the war in 1648 and gave Sweden, France, and their allies new territories. -
The Decline of Spain
At the beginning of the 17th century, Spain was the most popular empire in the world. Europeans thought that Spain was the best power of the age. That wasn’t quite the case. Philip IV came closest to the practices of absolute monarchy. A political reform program centralized the government of Spain. However, unlike Louis XIV in France, the king was unable to curtail the Spanish nobles. Expensive wars and military campaigns led to Spain’s great power. -
The Stuarts and Divine Rights
King James 1 believed he received power from God and was only responsible for God. This is called the Divine Right of Kings. Religion was a big issue. While Puritans were part of the Church of England, they wanted to make the church more Protestant. In 1628, Parliament passed the Petition of Rights. The petition placed limits on the ability of the king to tax, imprison citizens and quarter troops. Charles, the son of James, tried to impose more ritual on the Church. Most left rather than accept -
Legal and Political Thought
Thomas Hobbes was alarmed by the revolutionary upheavals in England. In 1651, he published the Leviathan to try to deal with the problem of disorder. He thought that humans were guided by ruthless struggle for self preservation. Hobbes thought the only way to save them was with an absolute ruler with power to preserve order. John Locke believed that all humans derived from a state of equality and freedom. Therefore, all humans have natural rights. -
The Restoration
Cromwell ruled until he died in 1658. The restoration of the Stuart monarchy, is known as the Restoration period, didn't mean the work of the English Revolution was undone. Parliament kept its power and continued an important role in government. Charles was sympathetic to Catholicism. Parliament's suspicions rose when Charles broke the laws that Parliament had on Catholics and Puritans. When Charles ll was on his deathbed, he converted to Catholicism. After Charles died, James ll became king. -
Louis in Power
Louis XIV took over supreme power in 1661 at age 23. He kept a strict routine and thought of himself as the Sun King. He gave local leaders say in affairs. Louis XIV blew all of his money on palaces, his court, and armies. He also told his successor “do not imitate me” and “live in peace with the nations.” -
A Glorious Revolution
A group of English nobles invited William of Orange to invade England. William began making preparations to invade England in early 1688. Forces landed and began marching towards London. James responded by sending forward his army. King James II flees to France. With almost no bloodshed, England had undergone a “Glorious Revolution.” -
The Emergence of Prussia
Frederick William the Great Elector started the foundation for the Prussian state. Frederick William, realizing that Prussia was a small, open territory with no natural frontiers for defense, built a strong standing army. The army was made up of 40,000 men, making them the 4th largest in Europe. He set up the General War Commissariat to levy taxes. In 1701, Frederick officially got the title of King.
