Austria 17th 18th centuries

A detailed Summary of Austria 17th 18th centuries

In my paper I will examine the absolute monarchy of Austria during the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. I shall focus on the on the power of Austria, its foundation, preservation, and expansion. Lastly I will take into consideration the relationship between the classes, the growth of the power of state institutions, and some of the consequential figures in the evolution of absolute monarchy in Austria.

The foundation of absolutism was the theory of the divine right of kings. This theory maintained that the monarch was God's representative on earth. In reality absolutism was a closer working relationship with the nobles in order to maintain control. Ensuring the power of the nobles meant solidifying his authority. The bureaucracy began to reorganize, making it more effective on the local level. Local and national government began to meet on a regular basis. This was done by dividing the monarchy into ten units, then dividing it further into ten subdistricts. Kreishauptmann were the administrative heads of each district, appointed by the King to work at the local level. All this helped to exte

To the people this basically meant that not only was the king a supreme ruler but he could emphasize his will with armies of unmatched size giving the idea of absolutism an illustration and an authenticity never seen before. With this need for a standing army came the need for new funds. These new funds gave way to a new system of tax collection. Throughout history the war and taxes have gone hand in hand. The goal of every monarch was to have independent power and only economic independence could make that possible. Maria Teresa (r. 1740-1780) won approval of the realm to administer property tax on all subjects. These new funds were used to reform and build up Austria's depleted military. She expanded military academies, increased the size of her standing army, and even created a Hungarian army.

In conclusion Austria saw great changes between the time of Leopold and Joseph II. They saw the rebirth of national Catholicism, a magnificent military build up, political expansion, and many economic strides. The greatest accomplishment I could see during this period was the elimination of serfdom. This led to a rise in economic independence necessary for the economic stability of a future strengthened Austria.

nd the monarch's power to the far reaches of the domain.

Another way that the absolutist monarchs of Austria maintained their power was the creation of a court at Vienna. Beginning with Leopold I (r. 1658-1705), there was a promotion of the court as

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Approximate Word count = 1000
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History