Absolutism
A form of monarchy in which the sovereign holds supreme, unrestricted power over all aspects of the state, claiming authority by divine right.
Constitutionalism
A political system where the power of the government is limited by a set of laws or a constitution, which protects the rights of the citizens.
Louis XIV
The "Sun King" of France (reigned 1643–1715) and the preeminent example of an absolute monarch. He famously declared, "L'état, c'est moi" (I am the state).
Revocation of the Edict of Nantes
The 1685 act by Louis XIV that outlawed Protestantism (Huguenots) in France, leading to the emigration of over 200,000 skilled workers and merchants.
Bureaucracy
A system of government in which most of the important decisions are made by non-elected state officials rather than by elected representatives.
Mercantilism
The dominant economic theory of the age, which posited that the nation's power depended on its wealth in gold and silver, advocating for a favorable balance of trade and state regulation of the economy.
Levellers
A political movement during the English Civil War (1640s) advocating for popular sovereignty, extended suffrage (voting rights), equality before the law, and religious tolerance.
William, Prince of Orange
The Dutch Stadtholder who, along with his wife Mary II, was invited by Parliament to take the English throne during the Glorious Revolution of 1688.
Glorious Revolution
The relatively bloodless coup of 1688–1689 in England that overthrew King James II and established the principle that Parliament was superior to the monarch.
Social Contract
A fundamental concept in Enlightenment political philosophy that suggests a voluntary agreement among individuals to form a government, giving up some freedoms in exchange for protection and order.
Frederick William of Hohenzollern
Known as the "Great Elector" of Brandenburg-Prussia (ruled 1640–1688), he built a strong, disciplined army and centralized the state bureaucracy, laying the foundation for modern Prussia.
Stenka Razin
A Cossack leader who led a major peasant and Cossack revolt against the Russian nobility and Tsarist bureaucracy in 1670–1671.
Classicism
An artistic movement, particularly in France, inspired by the art and architecture of ancient Greece and Rome, emphasizing order, balance, and clear reason.
Salon
An informal gathering hosted by wealthy Parisian women, primarily in the 17th and 18th centuries, where philosophes, writers, artists, and political figures debated new ideas.