The Bourbon king Louis XIV, the powerful monarch of the early seventeenth century (1661-1715), had been the most successful absolute monarch in history, but his grandiose imperial ambitions led to massive military failure and had left his country in economic ruin. ... As hard as he might have tried, he couldn't exercise the power that divine right absolutism claimed. ... Napoleon proved to not only be a genius at war, but also at politics and domestic reform. ... The Magna Carta was a feudal document that was intended to limit the power of the king. ... One of the main stipulations of ...

• Word Count: 4395
• Approx Pages: 18
• Grade Level: Undergraduate

It has been commentated by many that the system leads to the main body of available wealth and power in the world to be held by an elite minority. ... By the 1500's the monarch was earning over 2 million reis from the slave trade through taxation alone5 and so by royal decree the first major factor that changed the face of the slave trade and the global economy was implemented. ... Their success, however, leads to a "ripple effect" across Europe and Portugal's position and power was soon threatened and diminished by Northern European countries such as the Netherlands and F...

• Word Count: 2679
• Approx Pages: 11
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: Undergraduate