New Monarchs

The New Monarchs was a concept developed by European historians during the first half of the 20th century to characterize 15th century European rulers who unified their respective nations, creating stable and centralized governments. This centralization allowed for an era of worldwide colonization and conquest in the 16th century, and paved the way for rapid economic growth in Europe. Many historians argue the Military Revolution made possible, and indeed made necessary, formation of strong central governments in order to maximize military strength that could enable conquest and prevent being conquered.

The best examples of New Monarchs are, chronologically:

• John I of Portugal — terminated the political anarchy and began the Portuguese period of discoveries
• Charles VII of France — ended civil disputes
• Louis XI of France — united France, reorganized the economy, and weakened the power of the nobility
• Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon — They never combined their territory. They always ruled their own land independently, weakened the power of the nobility, completed the Reconquista, reformed the state finances, the law, the church, the army and began the age of Spanish exploration. They also outlawed all religions except Catholicism.
• Henry VII of England — ended the War of the Roses, brought England from bankruptcy to prosperity, built up the Royal Navy, and unified England politically by eliminating potential competitors to the throne, pacifying Yorkist resistance by marrying Elizabeth of York, and checking the power of the nobility.

The Achievements of the New Monarchs:

• Limiting the power of the feudal aristocracy
• Creating efficient, centralized systems of taxation
• Maintaining a standing army loyal to the monarch
• Encouraging some sense of national identity (but by no means nationalism yet)
• Fostering trade, both internally and externally
• Enforcing religious unity within their countries

While Peter I of Russia ruled two centuries after the New Monarchs, he is sometimes considered the New Monarch of Russia, accomplishing for his country very much what the New Monarchs did for theirs.

After the New Monarchs, the Absolutist Monarchs gained sway, to be followed by the Enlightened Absolutism.