Balance Of Power In Europe During The 17th And 18th Century

During the 17th and 18th centuries, European monarchs and rulers sought to increase their power both within their own states and by expanding said states. Defined as the principle or practice of a political system in which unrestricted power is vested in a monarch or dictator, absolutism played an important role in Europe during the time. This ideology evolved into a common ideal shared between several European powers and contributed to the development of modern day Europe. European nations considered as Great Powers today include: Great Britain, France, Austria, Prussia, and Russia. In order to successfully build up their empires, internally and externally, rulers employed three elements to achieve a successful powerful state, including control,

The basis of this long standing war stemmed originally from the House of Habsburg’s motive to return the Protestant parts of the empire back to the true faith. Through this war the House of Habsburg lost control of its German territories, thus lessening its hold over other lands. Austria weakened as well with the threat of Ottoman Turks capturing its eastern possessions; they then ceased their role as a key player in European affairs for the time being. One of the most radical changes that occurred due to the Thirty Years War included Spain’s decline which began in part of terrible military losses in Germany and the Netherlands. These transitions of control affected the balance of power in 17th/18th century Europe and highlighted which countries possessed the capacity to succeed based on military control. The Netherlands exemplified this through the gain of its independence from the falling Spanish power. France also rose from the Thirty Years War as one of the most powerful states in Western Europe. Both of these countries evolved into “modern states” through military control as they exited the war on

Stability referenced clear recognition of a goal, or otherwise avoiding confusion in what needed to be achieved. The nations that emerged as Great Powers during the 17th and 18th centuries never or very rarely lost sight of their objectives as doing so would prevent them from moving forward and lead to wasted resources. Sweden did not heed this and overstretched it resources and held high ambitions which greatly hindered its capacity for greatness. Russia came into power as a result of this after Sweden sought revenge on Poland after a success in war. The Russian leader, Peter the Great, focused on strengthening his country through reforms within his power versus foolishly attempting to control an uncontrollable