01:510:102 Lecture Notes - Lecture 16: Moral Authority, Europe 1, Fall Guy
12 May 2018
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Chapter 16 - The Royal State in the Seventeenth Century
Theory of the Monarchy
Theory of the Monarchy:
• In theory all nobles were equal, but in practice they were divided by
office and wealth
King: “1st Noble”
• Source of Kings authority was representing the nobility
1. Nobility never disobeyed a direct order, may at times subvert
orders
Royal Family: “Princes of the Blood”
• Direct relatives of the king were the next highest nobles in practice
Great Nobles: had titles (Duke, Earl, Count, Etc.) and wealth
• Held cast lands and amassed great wealth
• Typically lived at or visit court for extended periods of time
• Usually had direct access to the king
1. Importance of wealth
Middle Nobility: Had enough money to visit court but could not stay
• Lived in the countryside
• Connected the upper nobility and the people
Lower Nobility: Had enough money so that they did not labor directly
• Could not afford to visit court, relied on Great Nobles
• Served to connect upper nobility to the people
• Nobles increased their wealth (thus power) through Royal Offices and
Pensions
1. Meant that they needed contact with the King
2. Must go to court
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16th Century Government
• Very weak relative to contemporary standards
1. No ability to enforce policy
• No police or significant bureaucracy
• Key to government power was the ability of the govt. (King) to influence
the nobles through a sense of personal persuasion
• Moral Authority to lead
1. The greater a king’s Moral Authority the more difficult to resist
• In the purest form kings will make themselves out to be a sacred
element of govt.
Keys to Moral Authority:
1. Effective “Public Display”
• Purpose: to show that the king’s will was that of the people and must be
followed
• Image was everything
• Used quasi-religious rituals and ceremonies to demonstrate Moral
Authority
• Goal was to establish a sense of “deference” to illustrate a king’s right to
lead
• Kings used Royal Offices and Pensions as an enticement
• Result: King became seen as a divine figure
Ex. Louis XIV made himself into a sacred object to increase his Moral
Authority
2. “Mystery of the State”: Ruling became a “cult” of knowledge not shared
among the nobility or people
• “State Secrets” were closely guarded
• Develop the idea that only the king could make key decisions, thus no
one should question him
• Knowledge was power
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find more resources at oneclass.com
3. “Reason of the State”: Kings were to act in best interests of the state for
reasons known only to themselves (connects w/ “Mystery of the State”)
• Others may not / could not understand the higher purpose
4. Law: An expression of the Kings will
• Justice was the kings will, thus Kings not subject to Justice
• All justice was performed in the King’s name
Overall Result: Concept of the State was tied directly to that of the King
• Created a tension between Kings and the State (Nobles)
Eastern Europe:
Tensions solved by a winner:
1. Poland: Nobles won, central govt.
failed
2. Russia: Peter the Great won, despotism
Western Europe:
Tensions remained unsolved:
1. France: King gained advantage over
nobles: Absolutism
2. England: Nobles gained advantage over
king: Constitutionalism
French Absolutism:
Response to growing social, political and economic crisis / change:
Absolutism: Ultimate authority rests w/ monarchy through Divine Right
• Note Arbitrary govt. was hated, govt. not subject to any control / law
How to extend state power:
1. Extension of the Legal System: Sacred right of kings
• Kings implemented officials to enforce justice
1. usurp power of hereditary monarchy (Nobles of the Robe)
2. War
• Armies increasingly became the province of the government
• Forced states to reform taxation
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Chapter 16 - the royal state in the seventeenth century. In theory all nobles were equal, but in practice they were divided by office and wealth. King: 1st noble : source of kings authority was representing the nobility, nobility never disobeyed a direct order, may at times subvert orders. Royal family: princes of the blood : direct relatives of the king were the next highest nobles in practice. Great nobles: had titles (duke, earl, count, etc. ) and wealth: held cast lands and amassed great wealth, typically lived at or visit court for extended periods of time, usually had direct access to the king, importance of wealth. Middle nobility: had enough money to visit court but could not stay: lived in the countryside, connected the upper nobility and the people. Pensions: meant that they needed contact with the king, must go to court. In the purest form kings will make themselves out to be a sacred element of govt.
