People/Groups:

• Bourbons: The Bourbons [French] were one of Europe’s most powerful ruling families, with heirs descended from Louis IX and Louis I. They reigned from 1589-1793 and 1814-1830.

• Cardinal Richelieu: a French statesman and clergyman, who is known for exploiting greater religious interests in the preference of his own political ones during the Thirty Years’ War.

• Catherine the Great: ruled Russia as Empress from 1762 to 1796. She was a patron of the arts and is recognized for reorganizing Russian law. She was one of Russia’s longest rulers.

• Cavaliers: a rude term used during the English Civil Wars to identify loyal supporters [Royalists] of King Charles I.

• Charles I: The son of James I, ruled England and Scotland. Was an extremely divisive ruler and not super successful. Believed in divine right.

• Charles II: King of Scotland from 1649-1651 and ruled England, Scotland and Ireland from 1660-1685. Had more than a dozen illegitimate children with many women but left no legit heirs. The “Merry Monarch” for the lively atmosphere of his court

• Elizabeth I: Queen of the British Commonwealth from 1558-1603. She was responsible for defeating the Spanish Armada and bringing Protestantism back to England.

• Ferdinand and Isabella: rulers of Spain. Their marriage unified Spain, and they sponsored Christopher Columbus’ journey across the sea. They powered the Spanish Inquisition and were very religiously discriminatory.

• Frederick the Great: ruled Prussia as King from 1740-1786. He established Prussia as a military force and was a famous patron of the arts.

• Hapsburgs: a group of wealthy aristocrats who ruled Austria from 1282-1918. they obtained a great wealth and expansive territories.

• Hohenzollerns: a ruling family from Germany. they obtained territory from Romania and other countries around Germany.

• Huguenots: A group of religious French Protestants who followed John Calvin. They were extremely persecuted and fled around the world.

• James I: the king of Scotland (1567-1625) and the king of england [first stuart] from 1603 to 1625. strongly believed in royal absolutism

• Louis XIV: the longest ruling European monarch in history; Elizabeth II ruled 70 years, while Louis ruled 72. He opened France to an increase in art and literature and is known for establishing France as a key contender in European politics.

• Maria Theresa: An extremely valuable ruler during the Habsburg monarchy. she reformed public health systems, education. was a liberal leader who is now described as an “Enlightened Absolutist”.

• Miguel de Cervantes: author and celebrated writer in Spanish literature; wrote “Don Quixote” and “Novelas exemplares”, a book of short stories.

• Oliver Cromwell, “Lord Protector”: an English military leader in the 17th century. one of the most prominent people to sign Charles I’s death warrant. after Charles’s death, Cromwell led England.

• Phillip II: a Habsburg. led Spanish (1556-1598) and Portuguese (1580-1598). wanted to expand Spain’s political reign, increase economy and military.

• Romanov: the last Russian imperial dynasty. Catherine the Great, Peter the Great and Alexander I were all Romanovs.

• Roundheads: supporters of the English Parliament were called Roundheads or Parliamentarians.

• Stuarts: from 1603 to 1714, the Stuart dynasty led England and Scotland. lots of court turnover, plague, conflict, etc.

• Tudors: from 1485-1603, began with Henry VII and ended with Elizabeth I. lots of social upheaval: new religious views, different political outlooks, etc.

• William and Mary: co-rulers of England (William from 1689-1702, Mary from 1689-1694). moved government towards a parliamentary system.

Terms:

• 30 Years War: the last religious war fought in Europe. 8 million+ deaths, famine and disease were an effect

• Absolutism: a political system where one person/group/party has total control over the rulings of a country

• Bureaucracy: a complicated adminstrative political system with layered rules and regulations that makes policy.

• Centralization: when separate organizations become dependent on a central organization

• Common law: unwritten laws that are determined by judicial decisions rather than written law.

• Divine right: the philosophy that monarchs got their authority from God and therefore were above the law

• Edict of Nantes: a law passed by Henry IV that prohibited persecution and granted religious freedom of Huguenots. was later overturned by Louis XIV

• English Bill of Rights (1689): act signed by William and Mary that outlined rights for citizens and moved England into a period of Parliamentary power over the monarchy.

• English Civil War: 17th century war, Charles I vs Oliver Cromwell. they fought over religious freedom.

• Glorious Revolution: also called the Bloodless Revolution bc there was very minimal bloodshed. ended in the overthrowing of King James I and the placement of William and Mary.

• Habeas Corpus: the fundamental right that grants individual freedoms to citizens, within it cruel and unusual punishment.

• Limited (constitutional) monarchy: a political system where a monarch shares power with a constitutional government.

• Magna Carta: the document that establishes the principle where monarchs are not above the law. it restricts the power of the monarch as well.

• Netherlands: a country in Europe. primarily Dutch, capital is Amsterdam.

• Restoration: the English monarchy being reestablished after King Charles II came back to power.

• Spanish Armada: a gigantic naval power from Spain that attempted to invade England but failed in 1558.

• St. Petersburg: the capital of Russia at the time of Peter the Great.

• Versailles: the French palace owned and built by Louis XIV.

• Westernization: the absorption of practices from Western Europe brought to Eastern Europe and Asia. (cultural diffusion and movement)