“Account for the fact that by the end of the 17th Century, France was an absolute monarchy and England was a constitutional monarchy.” While both the French and English empires were growing overseas, the modern system of great powers was evolving in Europe itself. France became Europe’s superpower in the 1600’s. Louis XIV, the “Sun King,” served as a model of absolute royal power. England in the 1600’s, by contrast, provided an early example …showed first 75 words of 954 total…

…showed last 75 words of 954 total…XV was far too weak a king to deal with all the problems in France. He neglected his duties and squandered any hope for a positive tenure as king. He knew reform was needed, but he left that up to a future leader. English rulers still had a lot of power, but they had to deal with Parliament. In the age of absolute monarchy elsewhere in Europe, a limited monarchy in England was radical enough.