In the early modern period, it was not rare for the ruler to claim the divine right to rule and to proclaim himself above the earthly laws. Absolute monarchy was one of the common political systems and had a lot of sympathizers not only among the rulers and kings but also among political scholars such as Thomas Hobbes. Eventually, people started to protest the abuse of power and demanded democratic reforms and institutions. This article will delve into what absolute monarchy represents and what is a political power without restraints.What Is Absolute Monarchy?Portrait of Peter I, attributed to Jean-Marc Nattier, 1717. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Hermitage Museum, St. PetersburgAbsolute monarchy is a form of political government in which the monarch has absolute authority and is not bound by the limitations of laws, a constitution, or any other political institution. This absolutist political system originated in early modern Europe, when the new nation-states replaced the old medieval order.Some of the main characteristics of absolute monarchy are complete authority and sovereignty. In this system, the monarch has absolute authority, and his government is centralized. Even though certain institutions can exist, they have no authority over the monarch, whose power is not checked or balanced by any other agency. Since absolute monarchs were ruling alone, they needed to establish a complex bureaucracy so they could control the whole state, even the territories far from their residence and the capital city.The frontispiece of the book Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes, engraving by Abraham Bosse, 1651. Source: Wikimedia CommonsAbsolute monarchy had supporters in some of the most prolific political minds and philosophers of the early modern period, such as Jean Bodin (1530-1596) and Thomas Hobbes (1588-1679). Jean Bodin is considered one of the first political theorists to write about sovereignty as a concept. He wrote about the characteristics and importance of the absolute monarchy in his famous work Six Books of the Republic (1576). Bodin was a proponent of absolute monarchy and monarchs having absolute authority. He defended the idea that rulers must have supreme power over their subjects and the state. When challenged, some absolute monarchs referred to Bodins theories to defend their right to rule.Another famous political thinker who defended absolute monarchy was Thomas Hobbes. In his famous work Leviathan (1651), he argued the monarch had to have absolute power since it was the best way to prevent civil wars and keep civil society. According to Hobbes, the opposite state of civil society was the so-called State of Nature, where people lived in chaos and were constantly in danger.Political Institutions in the Absolute MonarchyThomas Hobbes, by John Michael Wright, c. 1669-1670. Source: Wikimedia Commons/National Portrait Gallery, LondonThe monarch is the first and most important political institution in absolute monarchy. His powers extend to the legislative, judicial, and executive branchesan absolute monarch answers to no one. Unlike feudal monarchs, the absolute ruler did not share his authority and power with the nobles and aristocrats.The second important political institution in an absolute monarchy is bureaucracy and administration. They were tools for the absolute monarch to rule his territories. The monarch and his advisors would appoint governors and officials to assist him with various matters, including tax collection, law administration, and keeping order in the kingdom. As the Age of Exploration led to the first wave of colonialism, absolute monarchs began to appoint governors in the newly colonized lands. Absolute monarchs also created a sound legal system to ensure their will and laws were obeyed.Additionally, absolute rulers had to rely on strong military support. They often kept a professional army to help them keep their authority, peace, and control over their territories. To have such an army, the absolute monarch often introduced an extensive taxation system.Absolute monarchy also established a state-managed economic system. During the early modern period, an economic policy known as mercantilism promoted the establishment of trade barriers and colonial domination to achieve national power and glory. Mercantilism played a key role in sustaining absolutism in early modern Europe, allowing rulers to consolidate and finance their power.The Theological Aspect of the Divine Rights of KingsKing Charles I, by anonymous, late 17th/early 18th century. Source: Wikimedia Commons/National Portrait Gallery, LondonAbsolute monarchs defended their right to unchecked power by claiming that it came directly from God. The concept of divine right was based on the idea that the ruler was the representative of God on earth to guide his subjects. According to divine right, defying the monarch was sinful and against the Christian faith. This kind of theological and political doctrine was extremely popular in the Middle Ages and lasted until the Enlightenment, when the idea of individual liberty was born.The Catholic Church initially supported the theory of the divine right of kings. However, the temporal rulers authority started clashing with the papacys power and interests over time. Popes also claimed to have a so-called papal supremacy over the Christian world. Thus, the idea of having supreme power based on divine right became a complicated issue, especially as monarchs started challenging papal power and establishing national churches. The most famous conflict between the pope and a temporal monarch occurred when King Henry VIII established the Anglican Church while keeping his divine right to rule over his subjects.Some of the most famous theologians, such as St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and Jean Bodin, wrote about the divine right of kings. Their works would often be referenced whenever rulers had to defend their divine right to rule.The Decline of Absolute MonarchyStorming of the Bastille and arrest of Governor M. de Launay, by anonymous, July 14, 1789. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Museum of the History of France, Palace of VersaillesThe system of absolute monarchy started to decline with the rise and spread of Enlightenment ideas. Many factors contributed to this process, such as economic and social ones. People began developing ideas of democracy and individual rights. The birth of constitutionalism and the concept of limiting the monarchs powers were extremely influential, with many arguing that rulers should be held accountable and obey laws just like any other man. The concept of constitutional monarchy was explored and finally realized in England in 1689 with the Bill of Rights, which limited the kings unchecked power, making Parliament one of the key institutions in the kingdom.Another significant factor in the decline of absolute monarchy was the fact that some of the most influential political minds started challenging the absolute rights of monarchs. John Locke, for example, promoted the idea that the government was responsible for protecting its citizens, their liberty, and their rights to have property. Another famous Enlightenment philosopher who left a significant mark on the birth of democracy and modern philosophy was Montesquieu. He argued for the separation of powers and against any kind of abuse.Enlightenment ideas were extremely influential in the upcoming revolutions and the abolition of the absolute monarchy. Indeed, enlightenment thinkers and ideologies were prominent during the French Revolution (1789-1799) and the American Revolution (1775-1783). Both events permanently changed the political landscape and peoples view of absolute rulers.Who Were the Most Powerful Absolute Monarchs?Portrait of Louis XIV, by Hyacinthe Rigaud, c. 1700/1701. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Louvre Museum, ParisSome of Europes most influential absolute monarchs left an everlasting impact on world history. They are known not only for their absolute political power but also for building vast empires, military conquest, and strong leadership. Undoubtedly, some of the most powerful absolute monarchs were Philip II of Spain (1556-1598), Louis XIV of France (1643-1715), Peter the Great of Russia (1682-1725), and Catherine the Great of Russia (1762-1796).Portrait of Philip II of Spain, by Sofonisba Anguissola, 1565. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Museo del Prado, MadridPhilip II of Spain was known as the protector and defender of catholicism. He ruled the largest empire of the 16th century that spread across Spain, Portugal, the Kingdom of Naples, the Kingdom of Sicily, the Duchy of Milan, Sardinia, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and the Spanish colonies in America. Philip II intensified colonial expansion and accumulated a lot of gold and silver from his American colonies. During the religious conflicts between Protestants and Catholics, Philip II positioned himself as the fearsome protector of the Roman Catholic Church and prosecuted Protestants. Philip II also strengthened the Spanish Inquisition, which became feared across Europe.King Louis XIV of France, also known as The Sun King, is often portrayed as the embodiment of absolutism. During his reign, he strengthened his authority by centralizing the government and making Versailles his residence. At the same time, he weakened the influence of the nobility and made himself the true symbol of the state. His famous words were: I am the state. A good military leader, Louis XIV expanded French territory during the War of the Spanish Succession (1701-1714). However, because of some of his political and economic decisions, Frances power started to decline after his rule.Peter the Great of Russia was remembered as the ruler who modernized the state and took it from medieval to modern times. He reformed almost every aspect of the Russian state and society. From military, bureaucracy, technology, and church, Peter the Great turned Russia into a true European force. He was also a powerful military leader who defeated the Kingdom of Sweden and brought Russia to the Baltic Sea.Portrait of Catherine II of Russia, after Alexander Roslin, the 1780s. Source: Wikimedia Commons/Kunsthistorisches Museum, ViennaCatherine the Great of Russia was another monarch who embodied absolute power. Through her careful politics, Catherine reformed the education system and the economy. One of the so-called enlightened despot, she was fascinated by Enlightenment ideas. Even though she was an absolute ruler, she revolutionized some aspects of the Russian government and laws based on the Enlightenment ideas found in the works of famous scholars such as Montesquieu, Diderot, and Voltaire. She was also a feared military leader who expanded Russian territory at the expense of the Ottoman Empire and Poland.Absolute monarchy started to decline at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century. However, its legacy and influence left an everlasting impact on world politics and the development of democratic political systems.