How did the Enlightenment influence how 18th century monarchs ruled?

Question

anonymous · Answer

Well, I'd have to say the great thinkers of the time (Locke, Voltaire, Rousseau etc...)  influenced the monarchs so that they supported human rights and other enlightened ideas such as democracy etc...

anonymous · Answer

After 1750, European monarchs who were influenced mainly by Voltaire and Montesquieu started trying to modernize their states. They were called enlightened despots. For instance, in Russia we had Catherine II and in Spain we had Charles III. Inspired by ideas of the Enlightenment, they believed that it was possible to organize their states in a rational way, bringing happiness to their people. They even managed to install some reforms, but in the end those were undone due to the opposition of nobility and the objection of the clergy.