Security of the Political and Social Position of the Nobility in Early Modern Europe
The nobility of early modern Europe were descended on the whole from
the mounted knights of medieval armies who had been granted land along
with social and political privileges and had subsequently formed a
higher social class. Between 1500-1789 the status of the aristocracy
came under threat both politically and socially. The rise of
‘absolutism’ within the monarchies of Europe led to the desire of
governments to reduce noble power and bypass several of their
privileges in order to increase state revenue and centralise
governmental control. The growth of the middle classes and the
destruction of the feudal system meant that the aristocracy had to
dramatically adapt to new social and economic situations. A great
difference can be seen between the survival of the nobility in Western
Europe and Eastern Europe, the latter maintaining great political
control and a substantial section of society. Western Europe saw the
decline of the nobility but also its movement towards a new role in
society.
Scott describes the “three interlocking developments”[1] that
constituted the problems of the nobility in the seventeenth and
eighteenth centuries. The first was economic as many families
experienced difficulties and drew closer in wealth to the aspiring
middle classes. The sixteenth century saw prices continue to rise as
rulers manipulated currencies and this proved a burden to the nobility
who relied solely upon the land for revenue. The aristocracy were
losing their traditional authority “politically to the centralising
state that was coming into existence ...
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[1] Scott, H.M., The European Nobilities in the Seventeenth and
Eighteenth Centuries Vol. 1: Western Europe (1995) p.8.
[2] Scott, H.M., The European Nobilities in the Seventeenth and
Eighteenth Centuries p.8.
[3] Scott, H.M., The European Nobilities in the Seventeenth and
Eighteenth Centuries p.53.
[4] Ruiz, T.F., Spanish Society 1400-1600 (Los Angeles, 2001) p.74.
[5] Dewald, J., The European Nobility, 1400-1800 (1996) p.152.
[6] Bush, M.L., Noble Privilege (1983) p.1.
[7] Bush, M.L., Noble Privilege p.79.
[8] Dewald, J., The European Nobility, 1400-1800 p.70.
[9] Dewald, J., The European Nobility p.70.
[10] Dewald, J., The European Nobility p.71.
[11] Beckett, J.V., The Aristocracy in England 1660-1914 (1986) p.350.
[12] Kamen, H., Early Modern European Society (2000) p.93.
Between 1450 and 1700, attitudes toward the European poor changed dynamically, roughly following a three-part cycle. In the late 1400's, the poor were regarded with sympathy and compassion; generous aid from both public and religious institutions was common. By the 16th Century, however, the poor were treated with suspicion and harsh measures, to ensure that they were not becoming lazy, using welfare as a substitute for labor. Beginning in the 17th Century, the attitudes toward the poor again shifted, returning to more sympathetic views and responses, though many members of the upper-class still retained the negative outlook on the destitute of the 16th Century.
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With the fall of Rome, the world saw the rise of Christianity, specifically the Roman Catholic Church, which was created when a Roman Emperor named Constantine adopted Christianity as his own personal and the Roman Empire's official religion. From that time through the middle ages, Christianity grew in power and influence, the church enjoying a cozy relationship with the state. By the early fifth century, a mere one hundred years after Constantine issued the Edict of Milan, the church and state's power structure were deeply intertwined.
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In Henry IV, Part One Shakespeare revels in the opportunity to suggest the idiosyncracy of character through his command of a wide range of both verse and prose. As a result the play is full of rich and different character parts (Wells 141). Two in particular, Falstaff and Hotspur, hold diverse beliefs concerning the main theme of the drama, honor. In Shakespeare’s time, honor was defined as the special virtues which distinguish those of the nobility in the exercise of their vocation–gallantry in combat with a worthy foe, adherence to the accepted code of arms, and individual loyalty to friends, family, and comrades in arms (Prior 14). Throughout the play, honor plays an important role in differentiating characters, yet, ultimately the reader ponders what place can honor have in a world in which subjects rebel against a usurper king whom they placed in office, the prince plays at robbery with a dissolute knight, and the contending parties in government seem guided by "policy" rather than "principle"? (Prior 14). The reader is invited to think about the concept of honor in a variety of contexts as it pertains to the different views of Falstaff and Hotspur. The pursuit of honor is Hotspur’s chief motivation and goal, yet his obsessive commitment becomes dangerous as the quest for honor blinds him from all else. Falstaff’s concept of honor directly contrasts that of Hotspur: to Falstaff, honor is rejected due to its limitations of life and seen as empty and valueless. To Hotspur, honor is more important than life itself, and his blind pursuit of honor ultimately drives him to his death. While he stands for images and ideals, Falstaff hacks at the meaning of honor until he has stripped it to almo...
Western Europe suffered numerous hardships through the ninth and tenth centuries and this was the ultimate reason they established a new political organization which was known as feudalism. By providing honor, protection, and a sense of control, this new social system revived peace and order in Western Europe after the fall of the Carolingian Empire. Feudalism was a necessary ingredient to yield stability in during these times of calamity.
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