Age Of Absolutism Analysis

The Age of Absolutism was a time where a strong centralized government was created, and the ruler of a nation dominated over both upper and lower classes as well as the Church. But although the rulers were able to enjoy their unlimited power, they neglected the rest of their responsibilities as a monarch to pursue their own self-centered desires instead. By depending on the whims of a single person, it places the general good of everyone and everything at risk. Through the French, English, and Russian Age of Absolutism, religious dilemmas, financial and social crises, and aggression plagued these countries and jeopardized the happiness of the people and the prosperity of the nation itself.
Absolute rulers were considered God’s representatives

Louis XIV of France was the role model for absolutism, and since he was absolute, nobody could question his laws. He was a devout Catholic, so he undid his grandfather, Henry of Navarre’s, work by revoking the Edict of Nantes that legalized Protestantism, and this prominently displays his inflexibility and inability to compromise. He restricted Protestant rights and took down Protestant churches and schools; he completely disregarded his people in the process and instead focused on fulfilling his own desires. England, however, was much worse. Although Elizabeth created peace between Catholics and Protestants, her successors created a rift instead. Although the majority of the population was Protestant, including Parliament, Elizabeth’s successors, the Stuarts, were all pro-French and therefore,

Louis XIV was an ambitious, but inefficient king. Although he was the first modern military power with a large army and advanced training and weaponry, he failed spectacularly in his disastrous wars. The fact that his army was so progressive only accentuates his failures in war and the impact they had. His selfishness blinded him to the domestic affairs that plagued France, and in the end, his wars were a great source of suffering for the people. The nation was already weakened by poor harvests, which meant less food for everyone, and these wars further bankrupted the country not only because they were expensive, but also because France was forced to lose some possessions, which meant higher taxes for the peasants. He would pay whatever the cost may be to satisfy his need for more land and power, even if the price was the wellness of the lives he was supposed to protect. However, Louis was not the only absolute monarch to do this; the English monarchs also did the same. Not only were there foreign rebellions but there was also a civil war, which shows that these absolute monarchs were unfit for the responsibility of being king. Under the regime of most of these leaders, revolts were common, and this obviously portrays the neglect the people felt from