mid–late 18th centuryReputable sourceWell documented
Enlightened Absolutism: Reform from the Throne
On the timeline · around mid–late 18th century ·
What happened
Some of Europe's monarchs embraced Enlightenment ideas without surrendering their power, a style of rule later called enlightened absolutism. Catherine the Great of Russia corresponded with Voltaire and Diderot, drafted a reforming legal Instruction (the Nakaz), and ushered in a Russian Enlightenment; Frederick the Great of Prussia and Joseph II of Austria pursued their own reforms in law, education, and religious tolerance — always from the top down.
Why it matters
Enlightened absolutism showed both the reach and the limits of Enlightenment ideals: reason and reform could be adopted by rulers, but genuine liberty and popular sovereignty would come only through revolution, not royal decree.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Catherine the Great · Reputable source