[key123]

What problems were faced by monarchs who wanted to be more enlightened in the 18th century?

[MrJohnDClare]

Hi key123

Firstly, a moan - please say 'please'. Everybody does on this forum. It is rude just to write in demanding without even a 'please' a response from teachers who are basically helping you for free in their spare time.

Secondly, another moan. Have you misunderstood the function of this forum? This looks to me suspiciously like a homework question, and this forum is not here to provide answers for you - there are other websites where you will be able to do that. the motto of this forum is: 'Help, but not done for you'.

Moans over, this is a lovely question, isn't it.
It is really a different way of asking: why did the enlightened despots fail?

The answer, of course, is because lots of people and things got in their way - and these are the 'problems' you can write about.

Start with the easy things which hindered the Benevolent Despots' work:
- The nobles
- The Church
- The peasants
- Their own limitations and illusions
Write each of these headings on the top of a separate piece of paper.

Now go to your textbook, and skim-read about all the Enlightened Despots - start with Joseph II (by far the easiest), then important ones like Frederick the Great and Catherine the Great, then finishing with minor ones like Charles III of Spain, Pombal in Portugal and Tanucci in Naples.
As you read, as you spot an example of any of the above hindering any of the Despots, jot it down on the relevant piece of paper.

As you read, you are bound to find other 'hindering factors'. Jots these down as 'Others' on a fifth bit of paper.

Your essay by this point will be vitually written.
Write it up in five paragraphs: 'Five main problems faced the Enlightened Despots.'
For each paragraph, state the problem, give your examples, and then chunter on a bit about how in general this factor seems to have hindered the despots (i.e. draw the principles from the specifics).

A doddle.