A major difference between absolute monarchies and earlier feudal monarchies was their emphasis on

A major difference between absolute monarchies and earlier feudal monarchies was their emphasis on

• A. Removing restrictions on commerce.
• B. Maintaining amicable relations with the church.
• C. Curbing the independence of nobles.
• D. Reducing the role of the military in national life.

Answer: (C)

The main idea is the shift toward centralized royal authority and reducing the power of the nobility. In feudal monarchies, kings depended on powerful lords who held lands and military power, so the king’s authority was shared and local rulers had substantial autonomy. Absolute monarchs sought to prevent such independent power by bringing governance under direct royal control: they built centralized bureaucracies, placed loyal administrators in charge of taxes and justice, and maintained a standing army loyal to the crown. This curbing of noble independence meant the nobles could no longer block or undermine royal policy, allowing the monarch to rule more uniformly across the realm. While aspects like economic policy, church relations, or military strength mattered, the defining difference is the monarch’s control over the nobility and the state’s centralized authority.

The main idea is the shift toward centralized royal authority and reducing the power of the nobility. In feudal monarchies, kings depended on powerful lords who held lands and military power, so the king’s authority was shared and local rulers had substantial autonomy. Absolute monarchs sought to prevent such independent power by bringing governance under direct royal control: they built centralized bureaucracies, placed loyal administrators in charge of taxes and justice, and maintained a standing army loyal to the crown. This curbing of noble independence meant the nobles could no longer block or undermine royal policy, allowing the monarch to rule more uniformly across the realm. While aspects like economic policy, church relations, or military strength mattered, the defining difference is the monarch’s control over the nobility and the state’s centralized authority.