THIRTY YEARS’ WAR1618-1648

Prague Castle

Defenestration of Prague

Thirty Years’ War 1618-1648How it started:

• Protestant and Catholic tensions• Protestant nobility refused to accept the new ruler of the Holy Roman Empire

• Protestants not given their right to build a church. The Catholic officials are thrown out of the window of the Castle of Prague

4 Phases, Many Battles & Wars

• Bohemian Revolt (1618-1623)• Danish Intervention (1625-1629)• Swedish Intervention (1630-1635)• French Intervention (1635-1648)

The End… kind of sort of…• 1648 – Peace of Westphalia

• Series of Treaties• Over a period of Years

• Treaty of Muenster, October of 1648• Skirmishes continued…

Results of the Thirty Years’ War• End of military reliance on mercenaries and the beginning of professional standing armies

• Peace of Westphalia helped to establish the boundaries of the European nation state

• The war helped people separate their loyalty to their country from their loyalty to their religion.

• War, Famine, Pestilence, Expulsion led to massive loss of life. In German areas 25-40% of the population lost

Schwedentrunk• Method of torture and

execution• Tortured to confess hidden

valuables

Rothenburg: Meistertrunk• The 'Meistertrunk' story goes that back in 1631, Rothenburg

was attacked by Imperial troops led by Count Tilly. Mayor Nusch offered him a welcome drink of local wine. The Count was so pleasantly surprised that he offered the town a way out. If someone could drink a tankard holding 6 pints in one draught, then the town would be spared. The Mayor accepted the challenge and saved the town.