The advent of gunpowder, cannons, and professional standing armies rendered the medieval knight and the feudal levy obsolete. Kings were often more akin to first among equals than supreme rulers, facing constant challenges to their authority.
International Rivalry and the Competitive Drive for Absolute Power
This financial dependency created a symbiotic relationship where the monarchy provided stability for commerce, and commerce provided the resources for the monarchy's expansion. Wealth generation from colonial expansion bolstering royal coffers.
By monopolizing the means of warfare—owning the artillery and the paid soldiers—the ruler eliminated the military power base of the nobility. The rise of absolute monarchies across Europe and Asia during the early modern period marked a pivotal shift in the organization of political power.
International Rivalry and the Competitive Drive for Absolute Power
The transition was not merely a political event but a complex response to the challenges of the era, driven by the need for stability, economic consolidation, and military efficiency. The growth of commerce and the emergence of a wealthy merchant class shifted the economic center of gravity away from rural, land-based feudal structures.
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