Age of Absolutism

Between the years of 1500 and 1700 Western Europe went through tremendous changes in its political and religious views. The 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries were filled with immense political and religious turmoil that would ultimately lay the foundation for limited government and religious toleration. England, France, Spain, and the German Empire would all have major changes from within. Religious toleration would be a long road, and would take hundreds of years, but it was started by Martin Luther (1483-1546). Martin Luther's Reformation of the Catholic Church would have serious impact, not only during his lifetime but for centuries to come. Because of the stronghold of the Holy Roman Empire not only that it had on religious practices throughout Western Europe, but it also had enormous affects on the kingdoms in Europe as well. It wasn't until King Henry VIII of England, did we start to see kingdoms and monarchs start to pull away from the Holy Roman Empire, religiously and politically. Not only did Henry VIII pull away but other kingdoms as well made the decision to pull away as well, such as Scotland, The German Empire, which also included The Netherlands too. But even those that maintained Catholicism as their kingdoms religion start to morph into new realms of political and religious change. France would change severely with King Louis XIV in charge, and even later in Russia with Peter the Great.

During the 16th century the Holy Roman Empire was in control or had bearing on almost all of Western Europe. With almost all practicing Catholicism, and influence on the monarchs, the papacy had so much income, and territory spread throughout. With more and more men going into priesthood, ultimately trying to move up to bishops and archbishops because of the power, many priests were ignorant and neglectful of their spiritual duties (Coffin, 399). Martin Luther who had started out as a German monk, and a teacher of theology set off the chain reaction we know as The Reformation (Coffin, 400). Ultimately Martin Luther came to the conclusion that what the Catholic Church had been preaching, which was how human beings could not adhere to the commandments, and them be punished for damnation for all of eternity. Luther a professor of theology came to the conclusion that God's justice had nothing to do with his power to punish, but rather with his mercy in saving sinful mortals through faith (Coffin, 401). Luther's reformation changed the entire outlook on religion during the 16th century and led to more types of new religions. Protestantism came along, but within that were Lutheranism, Calvinism, Anabaptism, and many more.

With the strangle hold that the Catholic Church had on the Western European population until that of Martin Luther and many of the reformers, so was the strangle hold of the monarchs in the 16th century. With leaders like the Queen of France, Catherin de' Medici, who was very closely aligned with the papacy, she had protestant leaders murdered in their beds, and also thousands more were killed in the streets of France, by Catholic mobs, over 10,000 Parisians were killed in all ( Coffin, 431).

Another tyrant during the 16th century was the King of Spain, Phillip II. Phillip too was a strong supporter of the Catholic Church, and as he came into command he tried to tighten controlled of the Netherlands, and eventually dispatched an army of 10,000 Spanish soldiers, led by the Duke of Alva. The Duke and the soldiers were sent to wipeout Protestantism in the Netherlands. Operating under martial law, his "Council of Blood" examined some 12,000 people on charges of heresy or sedition, of whom 9,000 were convicted, and thousands executed.

Even with a strong hold on the Western European nation we start to see small changes during the 1500's. As the first real monarch to go against the Catholic Church, and the papacy, King Henry VIII may have helped to start a new trend. Initially all he wanted to do was divorce his wife who had not given him an heir to the English throne. But because of Catholic beliefs the pope was not going to grant the divorce. So Henry exiled his country from the Holy Roman Church and declared himself head of the English Church. But his eventual son soon took over as king, Edward VI, and made even more changes to the English Church; English services replaced Latin ones; the veneration of images discouraged; and the images themselves were defaced or destroyed (Coffin, 418).

The 1600's were still a time of kingdoms dominating the population in absolute monarchy, but this absolutism would not take kindly to Europe's population. During the 17th century Spain and France continued to involve themselves in many wars throughout the continent, and even in the new world. But after the involvement in the 30 years War, Spain was about to be taken back by its very unhappy population. In 1643, French troops inflicted a stunning defeat on the famed Spanish infantry at Rocroi in Northern France (Coffin, 437). Because Spain had depleted its money into several wars throughout the 1600's, and needed to continue to raise taxes, more men for the army, and limit liberties, the Catalan's revolted against the kingdom and ultimately led to the freedom of Portugal, and the even more demise of the Spanish kingdom.

With the decline of Spain, and how it's involvement in so many wars it would be consievable that France too would suffer the same problems, but France did not. This was mostly because the monarch