European Transformation: Modern States & Renaissance Culture
The Modern State Emerges
- Monarchs became more powerful, reformed existing institutions, and created new ones.
- Their main objectives:
- Consolidate their authority
- Control the power of the nobility
- Administer the kingdom’s resources
- Maintain a strong position of power in relation to other monarchs
- They formed powerful armies of mercenaries and prohibited the nobles from forming their own armies.
- They strengthened bureaucracy, with officials directly under their control.
- Centralized power by creating new institutions.
Road to World War II: Aggression, Pacts, & Weimar Republic
The Road to World War II: Fascist Aggressions
Key Aggressions Leading to Global Conflict
1931: Japan Invades Manchuria
In 1931, Japan invaded Manchuria (China), establishing the satellite state of Manchukuo the following year. As the most powerful nation in the Far East, this marked a significant act of aggression.
1933: Germany Leaves the League of Nations
A pivotal move by the new German government in 1933 led to Germany’s withdrawal from the League of Nations. This action, following the collapse of
Spanish Civil War: Origins, Divisions, and Global Repercussions
The Spanish Civil War: Origins and Global Impact
Coup to Civil War: The Uprising Begins
On June 17, 1936, Colonel Yagüe, commander of the Legion, took up arms against the Republic. The insurrection quickly spread to the rest of the Moroccan Protectorate. Between July 18 and 19, the majority of military garrisons in the rest of Spain joined the coup, along with civilian sectors and Carlist Falangists (Requetés). From Morocco, on July 18, General Franco went to the Peninsula leading the Army of Africa.
Read MoreRome’s Baroque Transformation: Papal Patronage & Urban Design
The Duchy of Tuscany in Florence and the Republic of Venice. When the Turks and Islam were advancing, the different states united to fight them.
The Patronage of Arts and Sciences
The **Pope** served as the center of the Catholic world monarchy, the Church.
Clients played an important role, often occupying government positions. These were rich and educated people who were suitable for the decoration of palaces.
Among major patrons, we can name:
- Cardinal Francesco del Monte: Galileo’s first patron, marking
European Power Shifts: Louis XIV, Mercantilism, and 17th-Century Conflicts
Louis XIV of France: The Absolute Monarch
Louis XIV of France stands as the best example of an absolute monarch. He took control of the government and ruled according to his own wish, without a Prime Minister and without asking advice from the États-Généraux (Estates-General). He viewed himself as the direct representative of God, awarded with a divine right to exert the absolute power of the monarchy.
To illustrate his status, he chose the sun as his symbol. He cultivated the image of an infallible
Read MoreArgentina’s State Formation: 1862-1880 Era of Consolidation
Consolidation of the Argentine National State (1862-1880)
This period marked the consolidation of the National State’s authority in Argentina, with Bartolomé Mitre, Domingo F. Sarmiento, and Nicolás Avellaneda serving as presidents. The central government progressively assumed and concentrated many functions and powers previously exercised by the provinces. These presidents promoted the centralization of political authority through various actions, including:
- The formation of a national army, which