The Age of Enlightenment

Though many monarchs corresponded with the philosophes of this time, the monarchs still found a way to use their political power to rule in a less direct absolutist but enlightened fashion. These monarchs completely defiled the idea of enlightenment, and took advantage of the concept of enlightenment to their own privilege. Even though monarchs, during the eighteenth century were alleged to rule for the good of the people, under God's will, this enlightenment period gave the monarch's an opportunity to influence their political, religious, and authoritative power over their societies.
             Several monarchs of the eighteenth century made attempts to develop a relationship of enlightenment to their reigns. Of such monarchs, Catherine the Great - Empress of Russia, was an "admirer" of the enlightenment age. During the eighteenth century Catherine communicated with two philosophes, Diderot and Voltaire. In a correspondence (1773, 1778) with both Diderot and Voltaire, Catherine has expressed her gratitude to the enlightenment. Although the "enlightened absolutist" such as Catherine the Great, and many despots of this era, still found a way to manipulate the enlightenment to her own personal ruling. Catherine the Great and Joseph II believed that the Enlightenment principles had to coincide with military and social polices because it was impossible for one to exist without the other. Catherine promoted the enlightenment, but only to her own will. Still Catherine the Great executed a censorship for freedom of speech in the papers published in Russia. This is in total contradiction to the "enlightenment" and what it stands for. .
             The Enlightenment and its ideas paved a way for new technologies and knowledge on how to build, construct an efficient and well organized military system. The new technologies gave way to new weapons which in turn in aided the efficient position of armies and navies.