Final answer:
Enlightened absolutism represents a blend of Enlightenment ideals with traditional monarchical power, which makes it both 'enlightened' and 'absolutist', fitting option C) Equally enlightened and absolutism.
Step-by-step explanation:
Enlightened absolutism in the 18th century referred to a form of monarchical government in which rulers embraced Enlightenment principles to a certain extent while maintaining their absolute authority. Though these monarchs, known as enlightened despots, implemented reforms such as promoting education, legalizing religious tolerance, and curbing noble privileges, they did not necessarily cede any of their absolute power.
Therefore, enlightened absolutism was characterized by an attempt to blend the progressive ideas of the Enlightenment with the central authority of absolutism, making it fitting to describe this period as both 'enlightened' in its embrace of new ideas and 'absolutist' in its preservation of monarchical power. The mention of correct option in the final answer is that enlightened absolutism was C) Equally enlightened and absolutism since it represented an amalgamation of progressive intellectual ideals and the supreme autocratic power held by the monarchs.