The Wars of Religion

1560s - 1648

Factors Leading to the Wars of Religion

1. Protestant Reformation

2. Catholic Reformation

3. Prevailing medieval mental linking religion with political issues

The Wars of Religion will start in GERMANY

Round 1: Germany (1521-1555)

HRE Charles V had troubles: Little control over the HRE (Germany)

patchwork of over 300 principalities (resisting his authority)

Size of the HRE border issues from France and the Ottoman Turks

Plagued with money problems can’t fund his armies

This keeps Charles V from dealing with the Lutherans for over 20 years!

Round 1: Germany (1521-1555)

1546 Charles V attacked and defeated an alliance of Lutheran princes (Schmalkaldic League) but he was never able to impose firm control

1555 Charles V agrees to the Peace of Augsburg Compromise giving each German prince the

right to choose the realm's religion as long as it was Catholic or Lutheran

Round 1: Germany (1521-1555)

Peace of Augsburg outlawed Calvinists,

Anabaptists, other non-Lutheran Protestants

This causes problems:

1. Calvinism keeps spreading across Germany

2. Charles V gives up his throne after 30 years

3. Thousands of refugees flee to the Spanish

Netherlands, France, and England spreads

Calvinist and Anabaptist beliefs

Round 1: Germany (1521-1555)

Charles V’s abdication leads to more problems: 1. Lands in Austria and the Imperial title goes

to his brother Ferdinand 2. Charles V’s son Philip II (a staunch Catholic)

inherits Spain, the Netherlands, most of Italy

This spreads the religious violence to other countries!

The Spanish Netherlands (1566-

1648) Philip II abused the Spanish Netherlands

Taxed them heavily to pay for his Spanish wars Tried to impose his Catholic beliefs on them

Brought in the Inquisition to get rid of Calvinists and Anabaptists

Started a cycle of revolts/protests and Spanish repression until 1648 1648 Spain recognized Dutch independence

The French (1562-1598)

Catholic majority against the Huguenot (French Calvinists) minority

Conflict last for over 30 years b/c: Huguenots had a number of leaders who were nobles Concentrated in largely fortified cities Enthusiastic and well organized into local

congregations

This bred a cycle of chaos/destruction where anarchy would steadily weaken the French gov’t power

The French (1562-1598)

A series of assassination after 1588 (defeat of the Spanish Armada) led to a Huguenot duke inheriting the throne Henry IV He “converts” to Catholicism to give his enemies no

reason to kill him Grants the Huguenots religious freedom with the

Edict of Nantes in 1598 – does not grant freedom for all!

The French were will to submit to a stronger rule in order to stop the warfare this would set the stage for Louis XIV

Elizabethan England and the Spanish

Armada Extremely tolerant, excellent leader to her

people a “golden age” for England (1558-1603)

Philip II wants to re-establish Catholicism in England Tries to put Mary Queen of Scots (Catholic) on

the throne in the 1570’s Elizabeth imprisons then executes her

Elizabeth help the Dutch against Spain, raids Spanish shipping

Elizabethan England and the Spanish

Armada Philip’s Plan: Armada and Spanish Army in

Flanders would meet up crush the English crush the Dutch rebels crush the Huguenots

Spain looked like the superior power but England developed new tactics and ship designs that revolutionized naval warfare Sleeker ships powered by sails Relied on cannons (new design)

Elizabethan England and the Spanish

Armada The English attacked when the Spanish stopped

in Calais to get supplies and contact the Army of Flanders

Forced the Spanish out into the open used superior ship speed and power to defeat the Spanish

A “protestant wind” (storm) added to the damage

By the time the Spanish fleet returned home, half of it had been destroyed

Decline of Spain

This did not destroy Spain as a power but did signal the end of Spanish dominance in Europe!

Spain wreaks itself in the Thirty Years War (1618-1648)

France will replace Spain as the main superpower

Dutch Republic and England become the dominant naval and economic powers in Europe

Change in European Mentality

People are tired of religious wars and disputes

People take a more secular (worldly) view

By the late 1600’s these views would develop into the scientific and cultural movement know as the Enlightenment

The Thirty Years War

1618-1648

Characteristics of the Thirty Years War

Holy Roman Empire is the battleground

At the beginning Catholics vs. Protestants

At the end Hapsburg power that was

threatened

Resolved with the Treaty of Westphalia in

1648

Causes of the Thirty Years War

Causes: Religious Wars and fear of Hapsburg Spain and Austria (ruling family dynasty)

Europe is split into two camps: Protestant: German P’s, Denmark, Dutch Republic,

England, Sweden, Catholic Venice, and Catholic France

Catholic: German C’s, Spain, Austria, Spanish Netherlands, Naples, Milan, the Papacy, and Poland

Kings and princes building up armies in preparation

Bohemian Phase: 1618-1622

Ferdinand II inherited Bohemia Bohemians hate him Ferdinand refused to tolerate Protestants

Defenestration of Prague

May 1618

Bohemia named a new king,

Frederick II

Bohemian Phase: 1618-1622

Frederick is a mediocre king

Ferdinand sweeps away Bohemian opposition Confiscated large tracts of land Exile Protestants Reclaimed Bohemia for the Catholic Church

The rebellion in Bohemia inspired others!

Danish Phase: 1625-1629

Ferdi tried to end all resistance Tried to crush Protestant

northern HRE Used Albrecht von

Wallenstein to for the army Bohemian military leader

and politician, offered his services and an army of 30,000 - 100,000 men

Wallenstein defeated the Protestants in the north

Danish Phase: 1625-1629

Edict of Restitution: 1629 Restored to Catholics all lands lost since 1552 Deprived all Protestants, except Lutherans, of

their religious and political rights

However, German princes feared Ferdinand he fired Wallenstein in an effort to calm them

The Swedish Phase: 1630-1635

France & Sweden get involved Both want to stop the Hapsburg power Sweden led the charge, France supported

Gustavus Adolphus invaded the HRE Ferdi II brought back Wallenstein Swedish advance stopped

German princes still fear Ferdi Wallenstein assassinated to appease them

The French Phase: 1635-1648

France and Sweden switch roles

All countries in Europe now participated

This is the most destructive phase! German towns decimated Agriculture collapsed famine resulted 8 million dead 1/3 of population (1618-1648) Caused massive inflation Trade crippled throughout Europe

Loss of German

Lives in the Thirty Years

War

Peace of Westphalia (1648)

Political and Religious Provisions But no one was happy! Many Protestants felt betrayed Pope denounced it Only merit it ended the fighting in a war that

became intolerable

For the next few centuries, this war was blamed for everything that went wrong in Central Europe

Change in European Mentality

People are tired of religious wars and disputes

People take a more secular (worldly) view

By the late 1600’s these views would develop into the scientific and cultural movement know as the Enlightenment