THE THIRTY YEARS’ WAR
1618-1648
Causes of the War:
• Religious conflict (both Catholic vs. Protestant
and Calvinist vs. Lutheran)
• Divided Germany
• The Defenestration of Prague
The Defenestration of Prague
This starts Phase I: The Bohemian
Period 1618-1625
Phase I: The Bohemian Phase
Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II
AS KING OF BOHEMIA HE CRACKED DOWN
ON PROTESTANTS
King Frederick V
• He was chosen as a leader by the Bohemian
protestants
• 1620 – Battle of White Mountain
• 1622 – Bohemia re-Catholicized
• CATHOLICS WIN THIS PHASE
PHASE 2: THE DANISH PERIOD
1625-1629
King Christian IV
of Denmark picks
up
the Protestant
charge
HRE hires Albrecht of Wallenstein
He’s a Protestant mercenary and a
great leader, but the Catholics get
worried when they can’t control him
1629 – THE EDICT OF RESTITUTION
• Reasserts Catholic rules
• Calvinism is illegal
• Lutherans must return church lands
Phase 3: THE SWEDISH PHASE
1630-35
King Gustavus Adolphus is
the new Protestant leader
They win big at the Battle of
Breitenfeld
Events of Phase 3
• 1632 – Gustavus Adolphus killed at the Battle
of Lutzen
• 1634 – the HR Emperor has Wallenstein
assassinated
• 1635 – The Peace of Prague makes peace
between the German states and the HRE, but
Sweden refuses to join
The murder of Wallenstein
Phase 4: The Swedish-French Period
1635-1648
Cardinal Richelieu leads the French to
openly join the war against the
Habsburgs
This is the most devastating phase of
the war
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Hostilities ended
The Edict of Restitution was rescinded
Each state had the right to choose their religion
Calvinism was recognized
The Swiss Confederacy and the United
Provinces of Holland were recognized as
independent
(The Pope opposed this but was powerless to
stop it)