Wars of Religion: 1559-1648The Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)

Most important war of the 17th c Failure of the Peace of Augsburg 1555

First Phase: Bohemian Phase Defenestration of

Prague (1618) Holy Roman Emperor

placed sever restrictions on Protestantism

Two HRE officials thrown out a window and fell 70 feet

The Emperor then sought to annihilate the Calvinist nobility in Bohemia

Protestant forces defeated and Protestantism was eliminated in Bohemia

Second Phase: Danish Phase Height of Catholic power

during the war Albrecht von Wallenstein

(1583-1634) Mercenary general paid by

the emperor Edict of Restitution (1629)

All church territories that had been secularized since 1552 automatically restored to Catholic Church

Deprived all Protestants, except Lutherans, of their religious rights

Third Phase: Swedish Phase Protestants liberated

territory lost in Danish Phase Gustavus Adolphus (King of

Sweden) Led army that pushed

Catholic forces back to Bohemia

Battle of Breitenfeld 163--Ended Hapsburg hopes of reuniting Germany

HREer reluctantly annulled the Edict of Restitution

France feared resurgence of Catholicism in the HRE

Forth Phase: French (International) Phase Cardinal Richelieu

Allied with the Protestant forces to defeat the HRE

Policies reflected Catholic France’s paramount diplomatic concerns as political, not religious; thus politique

Most Destructive Agriculture collapsed 8 million dead Massive inflation Trade crippled throughout

Europe France did not want strong

state on eastern border

Treaty of Westphalia 1648 Ended Catholic Reformation in Germany Renewal of Peace of Augsburg but added Calvinism as a

politically accepted faith Germany remain divided for centuries

Dissolution of HRE confirmed Netherlands and Switzerland gained their independence from

Spain 300+ German states become sovereign Pope denied right to intervene in HRE affairs

France, Sweden, and Brandenburg (future Prussia) received various territories and gained international stature

The two Hapsburg branches were weakened Spanish saw empire dramatically Austrian lost much influence in Germany

Results of the Thirty Years’ War

Germany physically devastated Further divided by decline of the HREEnds the wars of religionBeginning of the Rise of France as the

dominant European power; also accelerated the continued rise of Britain and the Netherlands Balance of power diplomacy emerges in Europe