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... Some of the rulers of the Enlightenment, called Enlightened Despots, heard these calls for social reform. On the whole, the Enlightened Despots sought to rule their subjects in keeping with the principles of the Enlightenment. Influenced by the philosophes, these Enlightened Despots believed that, at least in some ways, rulers should work for the good of their subjects. While the Enlightened Despots increased their authority over their subjects, they were more enlightened than despotic because they used their power to promote social, educational, religious, and governmental reform.
In keeping with the ideals of the Enlightenment, the Enlightened Despots promoted social justice and education. One of the most famous Enlightened Despots, Frederick the Great of Prussia, was influenced by the French philosophe and author, Voltaire. Voltaire, who was a proponent of enlightened despotism, criticized the abuses of the Old Regime and championed human rights and social reform. ... Another Enlightened Despot, Maria Theresa of Austria, also abolished serfdom and ended mistreatment of the serfs by the nobility. ... In other areas, the Enlightened Despots made improvements for the good of their subjects. To lessen the gap between social classes, the Enlightened Despots promoted education. ... Another Enlightened Despot, Catherine the Great, implemented some of the ideas of French philosophes such as Montesquieu, Voltaire and Diderot. Recognizing the importance of education in an enlightened society, Catherine the Great made education more widely available by creating a school for the daughters of the nobility.
Approximate Word count = 1142
Approximate Pages = 4.6
(250 words per page double spaced)
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