Chapter Overview

With the ruin of the Holy Roman Empire and the decline of Spain, the Dutch, English, and French soon came to dominate European politics, economics, and culture. The Dutch experienced a period of artistic and intellectual achievement. Their economic fortunes flourished as a result of their shipping and innovative banking practices. England underwent the civil struggles that produced a workable form of government under Parliamentary control. Issues of religion and taxation fueled the conflicts, which culminated in the Glorious Revolution toward the end of the seventeenth century. Yet Louis XIV's absolutist rule overshadowed both England and the Dutch republic. Louis XIV promoted French culture, cultivated the loyalty of the bourgeoisie and the peasantry against the power of the aristocracy, and transformed the army into a national, unified force. Furthermore, his minister Colbert made great strides in increasing revenues and encouraging France's economic growth. Louis XIV's expansionist ambitions proved costly to the French people and the king's own reputation. The Dutch and English allied against French incursions with some success. The treaty of Utrecht confirmed the system of sovereign states established earlier by the Peace of Westphalia. France and Britain remained the most vigorous powers in Europe.