Final answer:
European coffeehouses in the eighteenth century were public places where people could discuss ideas over a cup of coffee for a penny, but contrary to the test option, they were not centers of royal power. Unlike coffeehouses, salons were hosted by elite women and catered to the privileged.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question relates to European coffeehouses during the eighteenth century and their role in the intellectual and social culture of the era. These coffeehouses were notable for being places where people of various social strata could gather to discuss current events, engage in intellectual debates, and participate in the spread of Enlightenment ideas. By paying a penny for a cup of coffee, individuals who could not afford books or education could still take part in the discussions of the day.
The correct option in relation to the question on what was not true of European coffeehouses is 'c. They were centers of royal power and tightly controlled by monarchs.' Coffeehouses were mostly autonomous spaces, often politicized but not under the tight control of monarchy.
Elite women typically hosted salons, not coffeehouses, which were influential settings for the exchange of Enlightenment ideas and tended to cater to more privileged sectors of society.