Absolute Monarchy: Philip II Of Spain

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Recommended: Power in the prince machiavelli

Zack Warner
Mr. Swanson
Modern World History
November 16, 2016 Absolute Monarchy Philip II of Spain was called “the Prudent” because he cared about the future of his kingdom. Philip II held many titles. He was King of Spain, King of Naples and Sicily, King of Portugal, and during his marriage to Queen Mary I, he was also King of England and Ireland. In each of these roles Phillip was a form of absolute monarch. Absolute monarchy is a form of government in which the monarch has complete power among their people which was popular around the 16th and 18th centuries in Europe. An absolute monarch has unrestricted political power over their kingdom and it’s people. There are several traits that absolute monarchs must possess. Possessing what …show more content…

Divine right is when a ruler is given the authority to rule by God. In an excerpt from Bishot Jaques Bousset’s Political Treatise he described the god-like powers of the king. He said, “...Kings should tremble then as they use the power God has granted them; and let them think how horrible is the sacrilege if they use for evil a power which comes from God.” (Document 6). Here, Bishot Jaques Bousset is mentioning the importance and power God has granted the ruler, showing the importance of divine right. Divine right separates absolute monarchs from regular Kings and Queens. This is an example of how influential divine right was because it was also a major trait in Spain. “Philip had his advisors but he ruled as an absolute ruler and he was a firm believer in the divine right of kings – that God had appointed him as king and that as God could not make a mistake neither could …show more content…

Nicollo Machiavelli, an Italian philosopher wrote a book about the nature of power during the age. His book served as a guide to princes on how to rule. In an excerpt from The Prince Machiavelli said, “Men have less hesitation in offending a man who is loved than one who is feared, for love is held by a bond of obligation… ,but fear is accompanied by the dread of punishment, which never relaxes” (Document 1). Here, Machiavelli is saying that it is easy for people to not respect or follow someone who is loved, but when the ruler is feared, the man will always respect him for the angst of a punishment. An absolute monarch must be respected by everyone in order to be successful, if they are not respected, they do not have complete control over their people and are not absolute monarchs.
Absolute monarchy, which was popular around the 16th and 18th centuries in Europe, was a form of government in which the monarch has complete power among their people. An absolute monarch has unrestricted political power as well. There are several traits that absolute monarchs must possess. Possessing what absolute monarchs believed was a divine right to rule, absolute monarchs also believed that defense is their most important responsibility, and that they must be respected, even if it means they must be

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