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The Thirty Years War (1618-1648). 1618-1648. Characteristics of the Thirty Years War. The Holy Roman Empire was the battleground. At beginning Catholics vs. the Protestants. At end Habsburg power was threatened. Resolved by the Treaty of Westphalia. Background.
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TheThirty Years War (1618-1648)
Characteristics of the Thirty Years War • The Holy Roman Empire was the battleground. • At beginning Catholics vs. the Protestants. • At end Habsburg power was threatened. • Resolved by the Treaty of Westphalia
Background • Execution of Jan Hus = Bohemia hotbed of contention b/w Protestants and Catholics. • Protestants outnumbered Catholics in Bohemia • but Protestants fragmented into sects • Catholics forbade Protestants to build churches in towns where churches did not already exist • Ferdinand II was to be the new King of Bohemia and Protestants feared for the worst
The Bohemian Phase: 1618-1622 • Ferdinand II inherited Bohemia. • The Bohemians hated him. • Ferdinand refused to tolerate Protestants. • Defenestration of Prague May, 1618 • Bohemia named a new king, Frederick II.
The Defenestration of Prague • Protestants mtg w/Catholics in Prague. • Mtg went badly, Protestants seized 2 Catholic officials & tossed them out the window • for kicks: tossed a secretary, too. • Defenestrate: Latin for “window” & means “out the window” • Survived fall b/c landed in dung-heap; Catholics claimed angels saved them • Spark that ignited 30 Years’ War
The Bohemian Phase: 1618-1622 • The Protestants: deposed Ferdinand, King of Bohemia; chose Frederick V to take place • The Catholic forces crushed the Protestants • The defeat and the propaganda had a different effect than intended • Ferdinand II becomes HRE. • Frederick lost lands in the fighting. • The rebellion in Bohemia inspired others.
The Danish Phase: 1625-1629 • Ferdinand II tried to end all resistance. • Tried to crush Protestant northern HREmpire. • Edict of Restitution: • Restored to Catholics all lands lost. • Deprived all Protestants, except Lutherans, of religious & political rights.
The Swedish Phase: 1630-1635 • France & Sweden now get involved. • Both want to stop Habsburg power. • Sweden led the charge. • Fr provided support. • Gustavus Adolphus invaded the HREmpire. • Swedish advance was stopped. • German princes still feared Ferdinand II.
The French Phase: 1635-1648 • France & Sweden switched roles. • All countries in Europe now participated. • This phase was most destructive! • German towns decimated. • Agriculture collapsed famine resulted. • 8 mil dead 1/3 of the population [from 21 mil in 1618 to 13.5 mil in 1648] • Caused massive inflation. • Trade was crippled throughout Europe.
The Peace of Westphalia (1648) • Political Provisions: • Ger. princes free from any kind of control by HRE. • Fr. rcvd. most of the Ger-speaking province of Alsace. WWII • Sweden got lands in No. Ger. on the Baltic & Black Sea coasts. Peter the Great • Religious Provisions: • Calvinists would have the same privileges as Lutherans had in the Peace of Augsburg. • The ruler of each state could determine its official religion, BUT [except in the hereditary lands of the Habsburgs], he must permit freedom of private worship.
Political Fallout from the 30 Years’ War • Spain lost territory / France gained territory • Fr stood alone as most powerful nation on continent • Fr benefited from fragmentation of the HREmpire & weakening of the Habsburg family influence • Habsburg family remained wealthy and strong, though, and would go on to rule the Austro-Hungarian Empire later
Aftermath in Germ • Germans seemed to win politically & religiously, but lost in other ways • homes, businesses & farms were destroyed • Germ population took a major hit • Millions dead: battle, disease & starvation • Germ pop decreased by as much as 20% according to some sources • Food shortages plagued Germ & worsened the suffering • Inflation crushed Germ econ; • food shortages & rising prices coincided w/ massive influx of gold & silver into Spain • Trade routes in & around Germ virt. disappear
Must Remember • 30 Years War began as war of religion -developed into international war of politics • the war healed no religious wounds • Fr proved that international politics would be more important in the coming centuries than religion • No participant in the 30 Years War possessed a large enough army to knock out its opponents; Louis XIV would learn from this • Because the vast majority of the fighting took place in Germany, the German states suffered more than any other participants