What factors led to the rise of absolute monarchs?

Ultimately the rise of absolutist monarchs led to the fall of the order of society as it was. The most famous, or rather infamous, absolute monarch is Louis XIV of France, the "Sun King." His opulence and oppression of the French people coupled with the succession of of many weak rulers following the end of his reign led to the French Revolution of 1789 and the execution of Louis XVI and Mary Antoinette. The revolution was mostly caused by the over-taxation of the people because of the massive French national debt and the newly realized possibility of republican democracy as seen in the American Revolution, in which the French military participated. Of course, the weakness of the following republic left a perfect opportunity for Napoleon Bonaparte, an audacious French military commander, to take over the government in a coup d'etat in 1799, overthrowing the elected 5-man Directory.The French revolution of course led the other monarchs of continental Europe to fight against this idea of republicanism for fear it would spread to their countries.

In Russia the tsar Peter the Great attempted to emulate Western absolutism in his building of St. Petersburg, the "Venice of the North." His oppression and the incompetence of the succeeding tsars led to the Russian Revolution of 1905 and, with WWI 1914-1918, the revolution of 1917 and the communist take-over.

FYI this is a very basic interpretation. If you really need more, email me at darkhorsetango@cox.net