What were the goals of the new monarchs?

The new monarchs of the late 15th and early 16th centuries aimed to consolidate power and strengthen their states by reducing the influence of the nobility and increasing centralized authority. They sought to establish a more efficient administration, improve tax collection, and maintain order through a standing army and a professional bureaucracy. Additionally, they aimed to promote national identity and unity, often through the patronage of the arts and exploration, thereby enhancing their legitimacy and control over their realms.