Answer:
maintaining and consolidating their power. This was a time of great political upheaval and instability, with many monarchs facing threats to their authority from both within and outside their borders. In response, many monarchs took steps to strengthen their hold on power, such as centralizing their governments, establishing absolute rule, and using their armies and navies to assert their dominance. This was a time of intense competition among European monarchs, as they sought to expand their territories and gain greater control over their subjects.