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Edict of Fontainebleau
The Edict of Fontainebleau was issued on October 22nd 1685 by Louis XIV and showcases his absolute power. This document called for the destruction of Huguenot churches and the demolition of Protestant schools thus forcing Huguenots to convert to Catholicism. Louis XIV posessed an unrivalled ability to impose his will upon the people of France which is essentially, the basis for the roots of absolute power. -
Bill of Rights England
After The Glorious Revolution of 1688, England formally became a constitutional monarchy when the parliament issued The Bill of Rights (1689). This Bill acted as a constraint of the political power of newly elected monarchs King William III and Queen Mary II. Under this Bill, the population was also granted freedom to disagree with the monarch without having to be fearful of repercussions. Also, it was declared illegal for the monarch to have a say in the election of members of parliament. -
Le dix-neuf brumaire by Jacques Sablet
“Le Dix-Neuf Brumaire” by Sablet represents a meeting during which Napoleon was present that eventually went a-wire and led to a coup d’état. The reason why this painting is a representation of how France became a meritocracy is that after the revolution of 1789, there existed no elite power base which meant that when Napoleon was left to form his government after his coup d’état, he had to chose from people who were best suited for the job and not from those who were the wealthiest. -
The Proclamation of the German Empire by Anton von Werner
“The Proclamation of the German Empire” by Anton Von Werner (1885) is the third version of a painting which depicts the coronation of King of Prussia Wilhelm I as German emperor in the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. The German Empire is a prime example of a federal monarchy and it is born out of the proclamation of Wilhelm I as German emperor. At the time of Wilhelm I’s rise to power in Germany, there came to be twenty give states which were apart of the larger German empire. -
Lenin arrives at Petrograd station and the October Revolution ensues
This image is highly pertinent to the foundation of Leninism because it in realtime depicts Lenin as the head of the revolution by placing him at the center of the crowd at a podium. The armed uprising took place on October 24th-25 in Petrograd and resulted in a Bolshevik victory. After the October Revolution, leninism became the predominant version of Marxism in Russia and manifested itself in Russia’s official Soviet state ideology. -
Benito Mussolini gives a speech in Berlin
Mussolini's speech in Berlin (Sept.1937)
Fascists sought to unify their states through a sort of totalitarian regime. Mussolini was the infamous fascist Prime Minister of Italy from 1922-1943. Mussolini’s fascist aims are somewhat outlined in his speech on September 28 1937 at the the olympics stadium in Berlin. During his speech, Mussolini called for the economic autarky of Italy in order to assure the country’s economic independence.
