New Monarchies after 100 Years War
Connor Wilson, Stephen Tower, Winston Udeh
The rise of new monarchs
In the fourteenth century, Europe had faced many problems. Many kings were unable to have sons. So that meant that there would me no future kings in the the blood stream. The founders of new dynasties had to fight for their positions when groups of nobles supported opposing candidates for the kingship. After there fight to power they would be in debt and had financial problems. In the fifteenth century, however, recovery set in as a number of new rulers attempted to reestablish the centralized power of monarchies. Some historians have spoken of these are established states as the new monarchies. This term applies especially to the monarchies of France, England, and Spain at the end of the fifteenth century.
France, Spain, and England's Monarchy
France
They tried to regain economic growth and recover after the brutal 116 years of war. To get out of debt the king raised taxes. King Louis XI, started to build big royal armies and enforced power of the clergy.Spain
Soon Isabella and Ferdinand got married and joined kingdoms together making a very powerful monarchy. There goal was to Christianize Spain and they tried to eliminate Jews from the city, but many Jews pretended to convert to to Christianity but slid back to Judaism.
England
Two noble families after the 100 years of war, had a civil war. They were fighting for the crown. King Henry reduced the influence of nobility in the kingdom. The nobles were no longer able to have personal armies and during the struggle for the crown, Parliament was able to grow more and more power over time. This is where a centralized government came with laws and taxation developed.
Ferdinand and Isabella
Once they join their kingdoms together to Christianize Spain
England
When the civil war was occurring, there was a fight for the crown which led to the parliament gaining almost complete power. Now a days the King and Queen of England are more of figure heads, instead of having absolute power. The Parliament is where England decides laws, taxation, and important decisions.
Royal armies
This is an example of what France's royal armies was like after the 100 years of war.
Main Ideas
Main Ideas/Characteristics of New Monarchies.
- centralized authority
- standing armies replaced the feudal system
- power was taken away from representative bodies
- between England, France, and Spain
- parliament in England
- estates in France
- Cortes in spain
- Diplomacy between states
- taxes on peasants
- created royal courts and made rule heredity
- the new monarchies reduced the power of the nobility through taxation, and the creation of standing armies
- created more efficient bureaucracies
- reduced political party of the clergy
- the discovery of gunpowder
Essential Questions
1. After the 100 years of war, when they established monarchies and borders, why do you think many of those borders and monarchies were so successful? (Because many of these borders and monarchies exist today.)
2. How do you think the new monarchies were different than the old ones? And how do you think these things became to develop?