WEBVTT 1 00:00:21.920 --> 00:00:25.719 Hello, and welcome to Western SIV, episode four hundred and 2 00:00:25.719 --> 00:00:29.359 forty six Louis the Thirteenth. Now, don't let the title 3 00:00:29.399 --> 00:00:31.719 of the episode fool you. I'm actually going to talk 4 00:00:31.760 --> 00:00:35.159 about a variety of rising kingdom and nation states in 5 00:00:35.159 --> 00:00:39.399 this episode. Louis the Thirteenth, however, is the first monarch 6 00:00:39.439 --> 00:00:41.560 that we're going to discuss as we start to bring 7 00:00:41.799 --> 00:00:44.520 the other parts of Europe up to speed as the 8 00:00:44.560 --> 00:00:48.119 Thirty Years War has been raging. Now, as you may recall, 9 00:00:48.399 --> 00:00:52.479 back in sixteen ten, Henri the fourth Henry of Navarre 10 00:00:52.719 --> 00:00:58.600 had won the protracted civil war and begun the Bourbon dynasty. Unfortunately, 11 00:00:58.679 --> 00:01:03.119 the quote unquote good King Henry was assassinated by a monk. 12 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:07.400 His young son, Louis the thirteenth, barely a child, quite frankly, 13 00:01:07.920 --> 00:01:11.799 was thrust onto the throne. The reigns of power, however, 14 00:01:11.959 --> 00:01:16.799 clearly didn't go to this child king. Instead, they fell 15 00:01:16.840 --> 00:01:20.760 to his mother, Marie de Medici. She was a woman 16 00:01:20.799 --> 00:01:24.560 of Italian temperament, She was ambitious, She was related, of course, 17 00:01:24.599 --> 00:01:28.359 to Catherine de Medici, and her regency proved to be 18 00:01:28.560 --> 00:01:34.920 a whirlwind of shifting alliances and treacherous intrigue. Powerful nobles 19 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:40.359 accustomed to wielding influence, tended to feel uncomfortable under the 20 00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.920 period of her rule. The Duke of Sully, Henry the 21 00:01:43.959 --> 00:01:48.840 Fourth's trusted advisor, a man of stern integrity, found himself 22 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:54.920 increasingly sidelined at court, his voice muted. Now foreign power, 23 00:01:55.040 --> 00:01:58.840 sensing weakness, started to circle. Chief among them, of course, 24 00:01:59.120 --> 00:02:03.120 was Spain. Spain was the great rival of the Kingdom 25 00:02:03.159 --> 00:02:06.239 of France throughout the early modern period, and it saw 26 00:02:06.280 --> 00:02:09.599 an opportunity to exploit the internal divisions that were now 27 00:02:09.639 --> 00:02:14.120 gripping the kingdom. This happens typically anytime a child is 28 00:02:14.159 --> 00:02:19.000 on the throne. Amidst all these chaos, however, a young 29 00:02:19.039 --> 00:02:23.400 cleric that we've already talked about, Cardinal Richelieu, began to rise. 30 00:02:24.199 --> 00:02:29.199 Cardinal Richelieu was an extremely intelligent young man and a 31 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:34.199 young man of unwavering ambition. He was able to very 32 00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:38.680 quickly climb the ladder and become essentially the chief adviser 33 00:02:38.759 --> 00:02:42.800 to both Marie de Medici, but then also the young 34 00:02:42.879 --> 00:02:48.919 king Louis the thirteenth. As Louis the thirteenth matured, he 35 00:02:49.039 --> 00:02:52.400 began to assert his authority. He was a man who 36 00:02:52.840 --> 00:02:56.560 say somewhat reserved temperament, and it was often just simply 37 00:02:56.599 --> 00:03:00.319 overshadowed by some of the bigger personalities that surround him 38 00:03:00.319 --> 00:03:05.080 at court. But he was a calm and capable leader, 39 00:03:05.639 --> 00:03:09.319 and he keenly understood the dangers which were currently besetting 40 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:13.439 the kingdom. More and more throughout his reign, he turned 41 00:03:13.479 --> 00:03:17.439 to Cardinal Richelieu for council and to help him manage 42 00:03:17.439 --> 00:03:22.400 the affairs of state. Rieselieu, who quickly became the king's 43 00:03:22.479 --> 00:03:26.319 chief minister, embarked on a mission to restore order to 44 00:03:26.360 --> 00:03:31.319 the kingdom and strengthen the crown. Remember, France had exited 45 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:35.560 the sixteenth century in early seventeenth centuries, coming through a 46 00:03:35.599 --> 00:03:39.719 period of protracted civil war between the Catholic majority and 47 00:03:39.759 --> 00:03:47.960 the Huguenot minority. Richelieu acted decisively, ruthlessly, crushing rebellions both 48 00:03:48.000 --> 00:03:52.280 from the rebellious Huguenots and from powerful nobles who dared 49 00:03:52.319 --> 00:03:56.879 to challenge royal authorities. He was able to recapture the 50 00:03:56.919 --> 00:04:00.960 city of La Rochelle. It was the last Hugo stronghold 51 00:04:01.479 --> 00:04:05.479 and came back under the control of the monarchy thanks 52 00:04:05.520 --> 00:04:09.639 to the iron will of Cardinal Richelieu. Now the thirty 53 00:04:09.680 --> 00:04:12.919 years War, of course, is raging during this time period 54 00:04:13.240 --> 00:04:17.240 and engulfed much of the continent. As we know, thirty 55 00:04:17.279 --> 00:04:22.720 years War also provided Richelieu with an opportunity. He skillfully 56 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:27.120 maneuvered France into the Fray, not as a religious participant, 57 00:04:27.519 --> 00:04:31.920 but more as a pragmatic player on an increasingly complicated 58 00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:36.040 European chessboard. His goal was clear. It had nothing to 59 00:04:36.079 --> 00:04:40.920 do with Protestant or Catholic, Calvinist or Lutheran. He wanted 60 00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:45.319 to weaken the Habsburg dynasty, both in Spain and in Germany, 61 00:04:45.439 --> 00:04:49.279 because that was the eternal enemy of France, and quite frankly, 62 00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:53.480 as we know, he succeeded decisively in that goal, showing 63 00:04:53.519 --> 00:04:58.040 again that pragmatism in Europe had now by and large 64 00:04:58.399 --> 00:05:03.279 replaced religious z deal Now, by the time that Louis 65 00:05:03.319 --> 00:05:08.120 the thirteenth died in sixteen forty three, the French monarchy 66 00:05:08.240 --> 00:05:12.120 had been by and large transformed, and much of that 67 00:05:12.319 --> 00:05:14.920 had to do with Cardinal Richelieu and then his successor 68 00:05:15.000 --> 00:05:20.199 I'll talk more about next time. Cardinal Mazarine critically the 69 00:05:20.279 --> 00:05:25.279 foundation of absolutism, an absolute monarchy, which is going to 70 00:05:25.279 --> 00:05:28.839 be a quarterstone of the balance of French monarchical history 71 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:34.600 had now been laid. However, this period of consolidation came 72 00:05:34.639 --> 00:05:38.759 at a high cost. France had emerged as a formidable 73 00:05:38.800 --> 00:05:42.839 power on the European stage, sure, but there had been 74 00:05:42.879 --> 00:05:47.839 a cost, a lot of human suffering and critically a 75 00:05:48.000 --> 00:05:52.079 massively drained treasury, and that's going to be an issue 76 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:56.000 for France and quite frankly every early modern state going forward. 77 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:00.319 And so the reign of Louis the thirteenth was a 78 00:06:00.360 --> 00:06:04.279 period of transition. It was a time of both triumph 79 00:06:04.439 --> 00:06:07.519 and turmoil. It was an era that's going to shape 80 00:06:08.160 --> 00:06:12.839 the arc of France going forward, laid the groundwork for 81 00:06:12.879 --> 00:06:15.439 a lot of the successes that were to come under 82 00:06:15.480 --> 00:06:19.000 Louis the thirteenth successor, of course, the best known of 83 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:22.480 all of our French monarchs, Louis the fourteenth, the son King, 84 00:06:22.519 --> 00:06:25.720 and will be getting to him in future episodes. But next, 85 00:06:26.000 --> 00:06:29.199 after a few messages, we're going to turn to Spain 86 00:06:29.720 --> 00:06:32.319 and catch up to see how that faction of the 87 00:06:32.360 --> 00:06:36.560 Habsburg monarchy had been functioning while the Thirty Years War 88 00:06:36.879 --> 00:06:51.439 was raging. The death of Philip the Second in fifteen 89 00:06:51.560 --> 00:06:54.279 ninety eight marks the end of an era for Spain. 90 00:06:55.319 --> 00:06:58.360 Under Philip, Spain had risen to the apex of its 91 00:06:58.399 --> 00:07:03.680 global power, rolling a vast empire that spanned Europe, the Americas, 92 00:07:03.680 --> 00:07:09.720 and Asia. Yet his passing also revealed the fragility of 93 00:07:09.759 --> 00:07:15.600 the empire's foundations, burdened by financial strain, military over extension, 94 00:07:16.199 --> 00:07:21.959 and emerging powerful rivals, chief among them France. The subsequent 95 00:07:22.000 --> 00:07:25.399 reigns of his successors, Philip the Third, who reigned from 96 00:07:25.399 --> 00:07:29.639 fifteen ninety eight to sixteen twenty one, then Philip the Fourth, 97 00:07:29.839 --> 00:07:32.600 who reigned from sixteen twenty one to sixteen sixty five, 98 00:07:33.560 --> 00:07:38.079 would be marked by increasingly failing attempts to maintain Spain's 99 00:07:38.120 --> 00:07:43.519 control and dominance in Europe amid mounting challenges. Philip the 100 00:07:43.560 --> 00:07:48.279 Third's reign was characterized by a constant reliance on court favorites, 101 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:52.279 most notably the Duke of Lerma, who tended to dominate 102 00:07:52.360 --> 00:07:58.839 the administration. Seeking to address Spain's increasingly financial state, which 103 00:07:58.920 --> 00:08:04.319 was poor to say least, Lerna implemented a policy of retrenchment. 104 00:08:05.240 --> 00:08:08.519 This included the Peace of London in sixteen oh four 105 00:08:08.600 --> 00:08:11.800 with England and a twelve years truce in sixteen oh 106 00:08:11.920 --> 00:08:18.560 nine with the Dutch temporarily at least pausing costly conflicts. However, 107 00:08:19.240 --> 00:08:23.199 Spain's domestic policy was marred in sixteen oh nine by 108 00:08:23.240 --> 00:08:27.199 the expulsion of the Moriscos. These were Muslims who had 109 00:08:27.240 --> 00:08:33.559 been forcibly converted to Christianity. This caused immediate and significant 110 00:08:33.960 --> 00:08:39.240 economic dislocation, particularly in the regions of Valencia and Aragon, 111 00:08:39.720 --> 00:08:45.159 where Mauriscos had played a vital role in agriculture. In 112 00:08:45.200 --> 00:08:49.840 sixteen twenty one, Philip the Fourth ascended the throne, bringing 113 00:08:49.879 --> 00:08:53.399 with him a renewed ambition for Spain to reclaim its 114 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:58.039 dominance in Europe. His favorite, the Count Duke of Olivarees, 115 00:08:58.559 --> 00:09:04.039 became the driving force now behind Spanish policy. Olivares was 116 00:09:04.120 --> 00:09:07.879 a visionary reformer, advocating for what he called the Union 117 00:09:07.919 --> 00:09:12.919 of Arms, a plan to essentially centralize military contributions from 118 00:09:12.919 --> 00:09:18.759 across Spain's diverse and vast territories. However, this policy did 119 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:23.960 nothing but provoke resistance, particularly in Catalonia and Portugal, and 120 00:09:24.159 --> 00:09:29.000 would have long term consequences for Spanish unities. The renewal 121 00:09:29.039 --> 00:09:32.960 of hostilities at the Dutch in sixteen twenty one marked 122 00:09:32.960 --> 00:09:37.679 the beginning of the Eighty Years War phase. Despite initial successes, 123 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.720 such as the capture of Breta in sixteen twenty five, 124 00:09:41.279 --> 00:09:45.639 the Dutch were simply too resistant. The war drained Spain's 125 00:09:45.679 --> 00:09:51.639 resources and strained its overburdened treasury. As we know, Spain's 126 00:09:51.639 --> 00:09:54.840 involvement in the Thirty Years War, which began as a 127 00:09:54.919 --> 00:10:00.720 dynastic struggle within the Holy Roman Empire, further compounded these challenges. 128 00:10:01.960 --> 00:10:06.240 As a staunch defender of Catholicism, Spain supported the Austrian 129 00:10:06.279 --> 00:10:11.200 Habsburgs and intervened directly in the conflict, dispatching troops to 130 00:10:11.200 --> 00:10:14.399 aid its allies and protect its interest in the Rhineland 131 00:10:14.440 --> 00:10:17.759 and beyond. The early years of the Thirty Years War 132 00:10:17.799 --> 00:10:22.200 saw Spanish forces achieved significant victories such as the Battle 133 00:10:22.240 --> 00:10:25.120 of White Mountain we talked about many episodes ago, and 134 00:10:25.200 --> 00:10:30.000 began the occupation of key territories in northern Germany. However, 135 00:10:30.559 --> 00:10:32.919 as we know, the tide began to turn in the 136 00:10:32.960 --> 00:10:37.879 sixteen thirties. France, under Cardinal Richelieu, entered the war in 137 00:10:37.919 --> 00:10:41.679 sixteen thirty five as an effort to curb Habsburg power. 138 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:46.519 The Franco Spanish War ensued, opening a new front that 139 00:10:46.639 --> 00:10:52.639 overstretched Spain's military and financial capabilities. At the same time, 140 00:10:53.360 --> 00:10:58.360 internal revolts erupted within the Spanish monarchy. The Catalan Revolt, 141 00:10:58.399 --> 00:11:00.919 which lasted from sixteen forty all the way to sixteen 142 00:11:01.000 --> 00:11:05.200 fifty nine, and the Portuguese Restoration War, which lasted from 143 00:11:05.240 --> 00:11:10.559 sixteen forty same year sixteen sixty eight, underscored the fragility 144 00:11:10.919 --> 00:11:16.720 of Olivarre's centralization efforts. Now, despite all of these setbacks 145 00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:21.879 and challenges, Spain remained a formidable power. Its armies continued 146 00:11:21.919 --> 00:11:26.039 to fight valiantly across Europe, and its navy, though challenged 147 00:11:26.080 --> 00:11:30.960 by Dutch and English rivals, maintained a significant presence. Yet, 148 00:11:31.440 --> 00:11:35.559 by the Treaty of Westphalia in sixteen forty eight, Spain's 149 00:11:35.559 --> 00:11:41.440 decline as Europe's pre eminent power was undeniable. The treaty 150 00:11:41.559 --> 00:11:44.720 ended both the Thirty Years War and Spain's war with 151 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:50.879 the Dutch, formally finally recognizing the independence of the Dutch Republic. 152 00:11:52.159 --> 00:11:55.679 The law signified a profound shift in the European balance 153 00:11:55.679 --> 00:11:59.840 of power, with France now emerging as Spain's principal rival 154 00:12:00.120 --> 00:12:04.639 and the more dominant of the two. The period between 155 00:12:04.679 --> 00:12:08.960 Philip the Second's death and the Treaty of Westphalia encapsulates 156 00:12:09.480 --> 00:12:14.159 the complexities of Spain's imperial decline. Faced with the twin 157 00:12:14.279 --> 00:12:20.000 pressures of external conflicts and internal unrest, Spain's leaders struggled 158 00:12:20.000 --> 00:12:24.720 to adapt to the changing geopolitical landscape. While the Empire's 159 00:12:25.000 --> 00:12:29.639 global reach and cultural achievements continued, its position as the 160 00:12:29.679 --> 00:12:33.600 dominant European power faded, giving way to the era of 161 00:12:33.679 --> 00:12:39.879 French ascendancy. Now. While there are reasons for Spain's overall 162 00:12:39.960 --> 00:12:44.519 decline remain complex, I think there are a few major 163 00:12:44.600 --> 00:12:49.559 points worth noting. Domestic policy was marred by the sixteen 164 00:12:49.600 --> 00:12:54.240 to oh nine expulsion of the Mariscos and caused significant 165 00:12:54.399 --> 00:13:01.279 economic dislocation, particularly in the field of agriculture. Vulson made 166 00:13:01.279 --> 00:13:07.639 an already fragile Spanish economy even more wobbly. Then, of course, 167 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:11.320 you have conflict. You have the Thirty Years War, coupled 168 00:13:11.320 --> 00:13:15.840 with the Catalan Revolt and the Portuguese Restoration War, which 169 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:19.879 made it difficult for Spain to continue their centralization efforts 170 00:13:20.200 --> 00:13:25.919 and drained an already depleted treasury. Truly, by the year 171 00:13:26.000 --> 00:13:30.399 sixteen fifty, Spain's time and the sun had come to 172 00:13:30.440 --> 00:13:35.639 an end. Up next, we check back in with southeastern 173 00:13:35.679 --> 00:13:39.480 Europe and the Ottomans, but that will be right after this. 174 00:13:53.399 --> 00:13:57.519 The period between fifteen fifty and sixteen fifty marked a 175 00:13:57.679 --> 00:14:02.960 really transformative century for the Autumncemans. Really, the empire reached 176 00:14:03.039 --> 00:14:07.759 its apex as a global power and frankly started its 177 00:14:07.919 --> 00:14:12.840 downward slope. The empire, ruled by a succession of sultans 178 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:18.240 during this time, rappled with both monumental achievements and significant trials. 179 00:14:19.519 --> 00:14:22.519 As we know, the mid sixteenth century was the period 180 00:14:22.600 --> 00:14:26.559 during which the Ottoman Empire was ruled by probably their 181 00:14:26.559 --> 00:14:32.240 greatest sultan, Suleiman the Magnificent. Though Suleiman died in fifteen 182 00:14:32.279 --> 00:14:36.799 sixty six, his policies and conquests continued to influence the 183 00:14:36.840 --> 00:14:40.559 Empire's fortunes well into the latter half of the century. 184 00:14:41.519 --> 00:14:46.120 By fifteen fifty, the Ottoman Empire controlled a vast swath 185 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:50.399 of territory, stretching from the Balkans and Hungary in the west, 186 00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:54.360 to Iraq and the Arabian Peninsula in the east, and 187 00:14:54.399 --> 00:14:59.399 from North Africa into the Black Sea. This dominance was 188 00:14:59.440 --> 00:15:04.600 bolstered by naval supremacy in the Mediterranean, as demonstrated in 189 00:15:04.679 --> 00:15:07.679 earlier victories like the capture of Rhodes back in fifteen 190 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:12.320 twenty two, and their continuing presence in Algiers and Tripoli. 191 00:15:13.480 --> 00:15:17.679 Suleiman's immediate successors, Selim the Second and Marad the Third, 192 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:23.000 inherited a powerful state, but like any empire, they faced 193 00:15:23.039 --> 00:15:27.519 the challenge of maintaining its fast frontiers. Selim the Second, 194 00:15:27.960 --> 00:15:32.399 often disparaged in Ottoman sources for lack of military ambition, 195 00:15:33.080 --> 00:15:37.080 is notable for overseeing the Battle of Laponto in fifteen 196 00:15:37.120 --> 00:15:41.200 seventy one, a confrontation between the Ottoman fleet and a 197 00:15:41.279 --> 00:15:44.840 Christian coalition led by the Holy League in critically Spain. 198 00:15:45.879 --> 00:15:49.960 While the Ottomans suffered a significant naval defeat, they quickly 199 00:15:50.360 --> 00:15:55.799 reloaded and rebuilt their fleet, demonstrating resilience and continuing honestly 200 00:15:55.879 --> 00:16:00.200 to dominate the eastern Mediterranean. During the later decade of 201 00:16:00.200 --> 00:16:04.320 the sixteenth century, the empire extended its reach further east 202 00:16:04.320 --> 00:16:08.360 into the Caucuses and maintained pressure on the Habsburgs in 203 00:16:08.360 --> 00:16:12.639 Central Europe. The Long Turkish War, which lasted from fifteen 204 00:16:12.720 --> 00:16:15.360 ninety three to sixteen oh six, was a drawn out 205 00:16:15.399 --> 00:16:20.080 conflict with the Habsburg monarchy and ultimately revealed the final 206 00:16:20.120 --> 00:16:24.639 limits of Ottoman expansion. In Europe. Although the Treaty of 207 00:16:24.960 --> 00:16:28.960 Vladistok in sixteen oh six confirmed the Ottoman's control over 208 00:16:29.039 --> 00:16:32.919 much of Hungary, it marked a shift towards a more 209 00:16:32.960 --> 00:16:39.159 defensive posture for the Empire in European affairs. By sixteen hundred, 210 00:16:39.639 --> 00:16:43.039 the Ottoman Empire was no longer the unified juggernaut of 211 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:48.960 earlier decades. Internal political struggles, financial instability, and the strain 212 00:16:49.039 --> 00:16:53.720 of prolonged warfare began to take their toll. The dev 213 00:16:53.759 --> 00:16:57.200 Shermise system, which had supplied the empire with its elite 214 00:16:57.399 --> 00:17:03.399 janissary troops, began to show signs of inefficiency and corruption. Meanwhile, 215 00:17:03.480 --> 00:17:07.279 the central government increasingly relied on tax farming, leading to 216 00:17:07.319 --> 00:17:13.079 abuses that alienated rural populations and weakened state revenues. The 217 00:17:13.119 --> 00:17:15.480 reign of Ahmed the First from sixteen oh three to 218 00:17:15.519 --> 00:17:20.759 sixteen seventeen was emblematic of this transitional period. Ahmed sought 219 00:17:20.759 --> 00:17:25.480 to stabilize the empire through diplomacy and administrative reforms. His 220 00:17:25.559 --> 00:17:29.720 decision to halt the policy of fratricide among princes and 221 00:17:30.039 --> 00:17:35.200 instead confine rival claimants in the cage cafes fundamentally changed 222 00:17:35.240 --> 00:17:39.839 Ottoman succession practices, though it also contributed to the rise 223 00:17:39.920 --> 00:17:44.759 of less experienced sultans in the future. During Ahmed's reign, 224 00:17:45.079 --> 00:17:49.000 the Empire continued to face challenges from Safavid Persia in 225 00:17:49.039 --> 00:17:54.200 the east. The Treaty of Nashu Pasha temporarily ended hostilities 226 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:58.119 in sixteen twelve, but underscored the struggle for dominance in 227 00:17:58.160 --> 00:18:03.599 the region, particularly in the Caucasus. The seventeenth century ushered 228 00:18:03.599 --> 00:18:07.000 in a series of crises that tested the resilience of 229 00:18:07.039 --> 00:18:11.279 the Ottoman state. The earlier decades were marked by political 230 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:15.880 instability and the increasing influence of the janissaries, as well 231 00:18:16.119 --> 00:18:19.759 as pallas factions led by queen mothers and other court figures. 232 00:18:20.799 --> 00:18:24.039 The reigns of Mustapha the First and Usman the Second, 233 00:18:24.319 --> 00:18:28.400 who combined ruled from sixteen seventeen to sixteen twenty two, 234 00:18:28.880 --> 00:18:34.720 were particularly tumultuous. Usman the Second, a reform minded ruler, 235 00:18:35.000 --> 00:18:38.519 sought to curtail the power of the janissaries, but as 236 00:18:38.559 --> 00:18:42.920 a result was ultimately overthrown and executed by the same 237 00:18:43.000 --> 00:18:47.559 janissary corps in a coup. The sixteen twenties and sixteen 238 00:18:47.640 --> 00:18:51.599 thirties witnessed the Ottomans embroiled in The Ottoman Safavid War 239 00:18:52.200 --> 00:18:55.839 flasted from sixteen twenty three to sixteen thirty nine, a 240 00:18:55.880 --> 00:19:00.599 grueling conflict centered around what is today much of modern Iraq. 241 00:19:01.559 --> 00:19:04.720 The war ended with the Treaty of Zuhab in sixteen 242 00:19:04.759 --> 00:19:08.319 thirty nine, and that actually establishes today what are the 243 00:19:08.359 --> 00:19:13.599 modern borders between Iraq and Iran and reaffirmed Ottoman control 244 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:19.400 over Baghdad, solidifying its control on the region. Despite these 245 00:19:19.440 --> 00:19:24.480 external challenges, the Empire remained a formidable power. Under Saltan 246 00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:28.400 Marad four, who ruled from sixteen twenty three to sixteen forty, 247 00:19:28.960 --> 00:19:32.759 the Ottomans experienced a brief resurgence. Mirad, known for his 248 00:19:32.839 --> 00:19:38.440 autocratic rule and military campaigns, successfully quelled internal descent and 249 00:19:38.519 --> 00:19:42.359 personally led campaigns to retake Baghdad in sixteen thirty eight. 250 00:19:43.240 --> 00:19:45.839 His reign was also marked by efforts to curb corruption 251 00:19:46.480 --> 00:19:51.000 and restore the authority of the sultanate. However, the final 252 00:19:51.079 --> 00:19:54.400 years of this period highlighted the deep seated structural issues 253 00:19:54.440 --> 00:19:58.279 facing the empire. The Little Ice Age, a period of 254 00:19:58.279 --> 00:20:03.200 climactic cooling up to agriculture and contributed to famines and 255 00:20:03.279 --> 00:20:09.240 rural unrest. Additionally, the growing dependence on foreign trade, coupled 256 00:20:09.240 --> 00:20:12.480 with inflation driven by the influx of New World silver, 257 00:20:13.079 --> 00:20:20.319 destabilized the Ottoman economy Overall. Between fifteen fifty and sixteen fifty, 258 00:20:20.759 --> 00:20:24.640 the Ottoman Empire transitioned from a zenith of territorial and 259 00:20:24.680 --> 00:20:28.599 cultural power to an early modern state grappling with the 260 00:20:28.640 --> 00:20:32.640 realities of managing a vast, multi ethnic empire and in 261 00:20:32.640 --> 00:20:37.279 evolving global context. While the Ottomans remained a pre eminent power, 262 00:20:37.720 --> 00:20:42.559 challenges from within and without increasingly demanded adaptation. The legacy 263 00:20:42.599 --> 00:20:45.720 of this century would be a more defensive and inward 264 00:20:45.720 --> 00:20:50.480 looking empire, laying the groundwork for the struggles and transformations 265 00:20:51.039 --> 00:20:55.359 of the centuries to follow up. Next, we cover the 266 00:20:55.400 --> 00:21:21.599 time of troubles in Russia right after this. As we 267 00:21:21.680 --> 00:21:24.720 know in fifteen eighty four, the death of Czar Ivan 268 00:21:25.240 --> 00:21:27.680 the Fourth, known to history as Ivan the Terrible and 269 00:21:27.960 --> 00:21:31.319 remember he earned that name, left the Russian state in 270 00:21:31.359 --> 00:21:36.920 a precarious position. Ivan's ruthless consolidation of power had created 271 00:21:36.960 --> 00:21:42.279 a centralized but fragile autocracy. His purges and military campaigns 272 00:21:42.680 --> 00:21:46.079 had devastated the nobility and the broader population, leaving a 273 00:21:46.119 --> 00:21:49.880 power vacuum that his son and successor, Fyodor the First, 274 00:21:50.039 --> 00:21:55.119 was not very well equipped to fill Fyodor, a gentle 275 00:21:55.279 --> 00:21:59.559 and pious man, lacked the capacity to govern effectively. As 276 00:21:59.599 --> 00:22:02.519 a result, real power fell into the hands of his 277 00:22:02.559 --> 00:22:08.599 brother in law, chief adviser Boris Gudanov. Bordis Gutanov ruled 278 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:12.160 as regent and all but name during Fyodor's reign. When 279 00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:15.960 Fyodor died in fifteen ninety eight, without an heir, the 280 00:22:15.960 --> 00:22:20.480 centuries old Rurik dynasty came to an end. Gutanov managed 281 00:22:20.480 --> 00:22:24.680 to have himself elected Czar by the National Assembly, becoming 282 00:22:24.720 --> 00:22:31.359 the first non Rurkid ruler of Russia. Despite his initial popularity, 283 00:22:31.480 --> 00:22:35.799 his reign was plagued by disaster. In sixteen oh one, 284 00:22:36.319 --> 00:22:40.480 Russia was struck by a catastrophic famine caused by unusually 285 00:22:40.519 --> 00:22:44.759 cold summers. Part of the broader climactic anomaly known as 286 00:22:44.799 --> 00:22:50.119 the Little Ice Age. Crops failed, leading to mass starvation, disease, 287 00:22:50.720 --> 00:22:56.519 and social unrest. The famine killed hundreds of thousands, further 288 00:22:56.640 --> 00:23:02.960 undermining Boris's authority. Dnov's attempts to maintain control were met 289 00:23:02.960 --> 00:23:06.880 with resistance from the boyars. Those are again the nobles 290 00:23:07.079 --> 00:23:12.279 in Russia and peasants alike. His harsh policies and use 291 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:17.880 of state force alienated many, while rumor circulated blaming him 292 00:23:17.880 --> 00:23:21.559 for the mysterious death of Ivan the Terrible's youngest son, 293 00:23:21.640 --> 00:23:25.160 Dmitri Ivanovitch, who had died as a child in fifteen 294 00:23:25.240 --> 00:23:32.319 ninety one under suspicious circumstances. Amid all this discontent, in 295 00:23:32.400 --> 00:23:36.200 sixteen oh four, a pretender to the throne emerged, claiming 296 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:41.759 to be said deceased Dmitri. This figure, known to history 297 00:23:41.759 --> 00:23:45.839 as the first False Dmitri, gained backing from Poland and 298 00:23:45.880 --> 00:23:51.839 other Catholic factions. Eager to exploit Russia's instability, he promised 299 00:23:52.240 --> 00:23:55.680 to restore Dmitri's rightful claim to the throne and convert 300 00:23:55.759 --> 00:24:00.319 Russia to Catholicism. With Polish mercenaries and the support of 301 00:24:00.359 --> 00:24:06.680 discontented Russians, the False Dmitri marched on Moscow. When Boris 302 00:24:06.680 --> 00:24:09.960 Gudenov suddenly died in sixteen oh four, his son in 303 00:24:10.039 --> 00:24:14.119 Airfiodor the Second, briefly inherited the throne, but was quickly 304 00:24:14.160 --> 00:24:18.839 overthrown and murdered. The False Dmitri entered Moscow and was 305 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:22.720 crowned Tzar, marking the first time that the pretender had 306 00:24:22.759 --> 00:24:28.039 successfully claimed the Russian throne. However, the new Tsar's rule 307 00:24:28.119 --> 00:24:34.440 quickly unraveled. His Polish allies and foreign Catholic advisors, alienated 308 00:24:34.480 --> 00:24:40.279 the Orthodox population, and his reliance on unorthodox practices further 309 00:24:40.319 --> 00:24:45.480 eroded his legitimacy. In sixteen o six, he was overthrown 310 00:24:45.839 --> 00:24:49.799 and killed in a coup led by the Boyar Balisi Shuski, 311 00:24:50.039 --> 00:24:55.720 who proclaimed himself Czar Tzar Baliski. The fourth Shushki's reign 312 00:24:56.119 --> 00:24:59.920 from sixteen oh six to sixteen ten was no less tumultuous. 313 00:25:00.799 --> 00:25:03.519 His power was weak, and his rule was contested by 314 00:25:03.559 --> 00:25:07.319 another wave of impostors and rebels. Chief among them was 315 00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:10.640 the now second Faults Dmitri Because why would I have 316 00:25:10.720 --> 00:25:12.440 said there was a first if there wasn't a second? 317 00:25:13.359 --> 00:25:18.039 He emerged in southern Russia, rallying support among the Cossacks, peasants, 318 00:25:18.119 --> 00:25:23.200 and disgruntled nobles. Meanwhile, Belissi faced the wrath of the 319 00:25:23.240 --> 00:25:27.799 Polish Lithuanian Commonwealth, which saw chaos in Russia as an 320 00:25:27.839 --> 00:25:33.759 opportunity to expand its influence. In sixteen oh nine, Poland 321 00:25:33.839 --> 00:25:38.160 formally intervened, laying siege to the city of Smolensk and 322 00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:44.039 eventually occupying Moscow in sixteen ten. The Poles then installed 323 00:25:44.039 --> 00:25:47.960 their own puppet ruler, Ladysaw of the Fourth, a Prince 324 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:52.400 of Poland, onto the Russian throne. This foreign occupation was 325 00:25:52.480 --> 00:25:57.240 deeply resented by the Russian population and the Russian Orthodox Church, 326 00:25:57.920 --> 00:26:03.799 fueling widespread uprisings. The Boyars, divided and weakened by years 327 00:26:03.839 --> 00:26:09.279 of infighting, were unable to mount a unified response. Then, 328 00:26:09.640 --> 00:26:14.240 by sixteen eleven, Russian resistance coalesced around a movement led 329 00:26:14.319 --> 00:26:20.079 by two really unlikely leaders, Kuzmon Mini, a merchant from Novgorod, 330 00:26:20.440 --> 00:26:26.119 and Prince Dmitri Praski, a noble military commander. Together they 331 00:26:26.200 --> 00:26:29.240 raised what was in effect a volunteer army to liberate 332 00:26:29.319 --> 00:26:34.400 Moscow from Polish control. In sixteen twelve, their forces stormed 333 00:26:34.400 --> 00:26:39.359 into the Krenlin and expelled Polish garrisons. This victory, though 334 00:26:39.400 --> 00:26:44.640 hard won, did not immediately restore stability. In the wake 335 00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:49.599 of these events, another assembly was convened in sixteen thirteen 336 00:26:49.960 --> 00:26:54.200 to restore order and select a Newzar. The assembly elected 337 00:26:54.799 --> 00:26:59.480 Michael Romanov, a young Boyar with ties to the former 338 00:26:59.559 --> 00:27:03.759 ruling Defy dynasty and a reputation untainted by the chaos 339 00:27:03.799 --> 00:27:06.799 of the previous decades, which are referred to in the 340 00:27:06.880 --> 00:27:09.400 history books, by the way, as the Time of Troubles. 341 00:27:10.400 --> 00:27:12.720 Now his election, I'm sure many of you recognized the 342 00:27:12.799 --> 00:27:17.160 last name marked the beginning of the Romanov dynasty, the 343 00:27:17.240 --> 00:27:21.079 Romanov dynasty which is going to rule Russia for over 344 00:27:21.160 --> 00:27:27.240 three hundred years until we get to World War One. 345 00:27:27.440 --> 00:27:32.000 The Time of Troubles left a deep scar on Russian society. 346 00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:37.880 The period was marked by widespread suffering, a dramatic population 347 00:27:38.119 --> 00:27:44.039 decline due to Faminine War, and the erosion of central authority. However, 348 00:27:44.279 --> 00:27:47.960 it also highlighted the resilience of the Russian state and 349 00:27:48.039 --> 00:27:52.519 its people. The events of this era underscored the need 350 00:27:52.880 --> 00:27:57.200 for a strong, centralized monarchy to maintain order in such 351 00:27:57.240 --> 00:28:02.240 a vast and diverse empire. The Romanovs, learning from the 352 00:28:02.279 --> 00:28:07.160 failures of their predecessors, gradually rebuilt the state, laying the 353 00:28:07.200 --> 00:28:11.640 groundwork for Russia's emergence as a major European power in 354 00:28:11.680 --> 00:28:17.640 the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries. And this, my friends, brings 355 00:28:17.680 --> 00:28:20.680 the rest of Europe up to date circa the year 356 00:28:20.720 --> 00:28:25.160 sixteen fifty, with the exception of England and the British Isles. 357 00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:27.119 Will be turning to that in a couple of episodes 358 00:28:27.200 --> 00:28:30.319 time here. I have a large episode coming on that one. However, 359 00:28:30.359 --> 00:28:32.920 in the interim, what we're going to do now is 360 00:28:33.200 --> 00:28:38.960 actually shift across the Atlantic, because you see, throughout this 361 00:28:39.119 --> 00:28:43.400 time period there has been developing a whole new patchworks 362 00:28:43.400 --> 00:28:47.920 of civilizations across the Americas, and I think it's high 363 00:28:47.960 --> 00:29:10.160 time that we start to talk about them.