Thirty Years’ War
(1618-1648)
Based on this
map of the
HRE on the eve
of the 30 Years’
War, what
caused the
war?
Causes
• Violations of Peace of Augsburg (1555) freak
out Catholics and Protestants alike:
– Lutheran acquisition of Catholic bishoprics
– Spread of Calvinism
– Jesuit reconversion of Lutheran princes
The Sides
• Protestant Union (1608)
• Catholic League (1609)
The Goal
• Maintain land and influence … don’t let either
side advance religiously or territorially
• Religious + political motives
4 Phases
1.
2.
3.
4.
Bohemian (1618-1625)
Danish (1625-1629)
Swedish (1630-1635)
French / international (1635-1648)
It all began with my favorite
historical event …
Phase 1: Bohemia
• Civil war in Bohemia:
– Protestant Bohemians vs. Catholic Habsburgs
– Catholic victory  Protestantism eliminated in
Bohemia
Phase 2: Danish
• more Catholic victories
• Albert of Wallenstein – leader of Catholic
forces, but more interested in his own gain
• Edict of Restitution (1629) – reaffirmed
Augsburg; gave Catholics properties lost to
Protestants
Phase 3: Swedish
• Protestant victories under Gustavus Adolphus
Phase 4: French/International
• French (Catholic) aid Protestant forces in HRE
and declare war on Spain to weaken
Habsburgs
• Int’l: German Protestants, Dutch, Swedes,
Scots, Finns, France on Protestant side
Peace of Westphalia (1648)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
***turning point: end of religious wars***
recognized sovereignty of ≈300 German princes
affirmed independence of United Provinces
French land gain (Alsace) + weakened HRE
Swedish $$$ & land gain (German territories in
Baltic)
ended papal participation in central Euro. religious
affairs
affirmed Augsburg, + added Calvinism
Based on the next 2 maps, what can you
conclude about the impact of the 30 Years’
War?
More Consequences
• destroyed agriculture & commerce
• deaths: est. 1/3 urban + 2/5 rural ppl
• nobles gained