How did European rulers centralize power and control nobility?

European rulers centralized power by consolidating authority and diminishing the influence of the nobility through various means. They established bureaucracies that allowed for more direct control over taxation, law enforcement, and military, reducing nobles' traditional power. Additionally, many monarchs employed strategic marriages, alliances, and patronage to create loyalty among lesser nobles, while also using force when necessary to subdue rebellious factions. This centralization was often legitimized through divine right theories, which positioned the monarchs as God's appointed leaders.