Brittany Barnwell
May 5, 2008

1618-1648

• A massive civil war in Germany
• b/w Protestants and Roman Catholics
• Started as a religious war with political overtones
• Ended as a political war with religious overtones; the Hapsburg power was threatened; struggle for power b/w Austria and France

• The Hohenzollerns expand their holdings
• The German states
– remain divided
– pose no threat to their neighbors
– they don’t play a highly significant role in
European affairs for the rest of the century

Peace of Augsburg
• Recognized the independent power of the German princes
– The prince determined the religion of his subjects
• Further undermined any authority of the central government
• The Hapsburg ruler in
Vienna had the title of
“emperor” but had no imperial power

• Catholics grew alarmed because
Lutherans were converting several
German bishops
– a violation of the Peace of Augsburg
• Calvinists ignored the Peace of Augsburgconverted several princes
• Lutheran princes formed the Protestant
Union; Catholics formed the Catholic
League

• Charles V abdicated
Charles V in 1556
– Divided possessions b/w his son Philip II
I and brother Ferdinand
– Ferdinand inherited the Hapsburg lands in central Europe
(Austria)
• Matthias’s (Ferdinand’s grandson) heir was his
Catholic cousin
Ferdinand of Styria who became King of
Bohemia

• The Bohemians were Czech and German;
Lutheran, Calvinist, Catholic, and Hussite.
• Ferdinand began to close some Protestant churches; Protestant Estates of Bohemia protested
• May 23, 1618- Protestants threw two of
Ferdinand’s officials from a castle window in Prague
– Called the “Defenestration of Prague”

• Marked the beginning of the Thirty Year’s
War
• Signaled Protestant uprising in Hungary,
Transylvania, and
Bohemia
Defenestration of Prague

(1618-1625)

• Characterized by civil war between…
– Catholic League led by Ferdinand
– Protestant Union led by Prince Frederick of the Palatinate
• The Bohemians fought for religious liberty and independence from Hapsburg rule

Ferdinand
• 1618- the Bohemian Estates deposed
Ferdinand, who inherited the throne; gave crown of Bohemia to Frederick
• Ferdinand II received support from
Maximilian I of Bavaria
– HRE and Bavari troops, commanded by
Baron Tilly, invaded Bohemia
Frederick

• November 8, 1620- Frederick was defeated at the Battle of the White
Mountain
• Frederick fled to Holland
• Ferdinand of Styria (Ferdinand II) gained throne; wiped out Protestantism in
Bohemia
• Within 10 years, Bohemia was completely
Catholic

• Catholic control of Palatinate
• Restoration of Catholicism in Bohemia
• Punishments against Bohemian
Protestants by the Austrian Hapsburgs
• The Hapsburgs and Spanish had an iron grip on Europe
Hapsburg Crest

nd
(1625-1629)

• Was called because of the participation of
King Christian IV of Denmark
– Wanted to maintain Protestantism in Denmark
• Albrecht von Wallerstein, led a Catholic imperial army
– Raised an independent army of 50,000
– Won many victories through Silesia,
Schleswig, Jutland, Pomerania
King Christian

• Made himself essential to Emperor
Ferdinand
• An opportunist who used his riches to build an army loyal only to him
• Seemed more interested in carving out an empire for himself than in helping the
Catholic cause
• Was fired by Ferdinand due to German princes protesting

• Christian defeated in 1626
• The Treaty of Lübeck on May 22, 1629
– Christian IV could keep control over Denmark;
He could not intervene in German affairs
• Hapsburg and Catholic victory
• Ferdinand issues the Edict of Restitution
L übeck Flag

• 1629- the Jesuits persuaded the emperor
Ferdinand to issue the Edict of Restitution
• Signed b/w Holy Roman Empire and
Denmark on March 6, 1629
– All Catholic properties lost to Protestantism since 1552 were to be restored
– Only Catholics and Lutherans were to be allowed to practice their faiths; no Calvinism

“We herewith declare that the Religious Peace
[1555] refers only to the Augsburg confession as it was submitted to our ancestor Emperor
Charles V on 25 June 1530; and that all other doctrines and sects, whatever names they may have, nit included in the Peace are forbidden and cannot be tolerated. We therefore command to all and everybody under punishment of the religious and the land ban that they shall at once cease opposing our ordinance and carry it out in their lands and territories and also assist our commissioners.”

“Such as hold the archbishoprics and bishoprics, prelacies, monasteries, hospitals, etc., shall forthwith return them to our Imperial commissioners with all their appurtenances. Should they not carry out this behest they will not only expose themselves to the Imperial ban and to the immediate loss of all their privileges and rights without any further sentence or condemnation, but to the inevitable real execution of that order and be distrained by force.”

• Protestants throughout
Europe feared collapse of the balance of power in north-central Europe (fear of a strong Austrian
Empire)
• Unified opposition by
Calvinists and Lutherans
• Resulted in a great transfer of power and property away from
Protestants to Catholics; thousands of Protestants moved to other states that were Protestant

rd
(1630-1635)

• Protestants liberate territories lost in second phase
• Began with the arrival of Swedish King
Gustavus Adolphus in
Germany
– He intervened to support the oppressed
Protestants within the empire
Gustavus Adolphus

• Sweden helped by France and Cardinal Richelieu
• 1631- Gustavus Adolphus and army victorious at
Breitenfeld; 1632- victorious at L ützen, defeated
Wallerstein
• When Gustavus landed in Germany, he had already brought Denmark, Poland, Finland , and the smaller
Baltic states under Swedish influence
• Ended Hapsburg ambition of uniting all German states under imperial rule
• 1632- Gustavus Adolphus died during the Battle of
L üzen
The victory at Breitenfield

" I am the lion of the Midnight sun, I shall fence you with renewed strength, for I fight by the power of God, God helps those of the right faith."
~Gustavus Adolphus

• When Adolphus invades, Ferdinand brought back Albrecht
• The defeat of the Swedes at the Battle of
N ördlingen in 1634
• The French to enter the war on the side of the Protestants
Battle of N ördlingen

th
(1635-1648)

Cardinal Richelieu
• The defeat of the Swedes at the Battle of
N ördlingen prompted the French to enter the war
• May 1635- Cardinal Richelieu declared war on
Spain and sent financial and military assistance to the Swedes and the German Protestant princes
• French, Dutch and Swedes, supported by Scots,
Finns, and German mercenaries, burned, looted, and destroyed German agriculture and commerce

• The French and English help out the
Dutch (Northern Netherlands) in defeating
Spain
• All countries in Europe now participated in the war
• This phase was the most destructive
• 1648- The Swedes and the French defeat the Catholic Imperial army at the Battle of
Zusmarchausen and Lens.
Battle of Zusmarchausen and Lens

The war lasted so long because neither side had the resources to win a quick, decisive victory

• Peace was achieved in October 24, 1648
• The treaties signed at Münster and
Osnabrück (the Peace of Westphalia)
– Marked a turning point in European political, religious, and social history

Treaty of Westphalia-
Primary Source
“When the divisions and disorders which began several years ago in the Roman Empire had grown to a point was fixed for the meeting of the plenipotentiaries at
Osnabr ück and at Munster in Westphalia. In accordance with this the ambassadors plenipotentiary duly appointed by both parties appeared at the said time and places named, to wit . . . After invoking the aid of God and exchanging their credentials, copies of which are inserted word for word in the present treaty, they arranged and agreed upon the articles of peace and amity which follow, to the glory of God and for the welfare of the Christian commonwealth; the electors, princes, and estates of the Holy Roman Empire being present and approving.”

Treaty of Westphalia-
Primary Source
“There shall be a Christian and Universal Peace, and a perpetual, true, and sincere Amity, between his Sacred
Imperial Majesty, and his most Christian Majesty; as also, between all and each of the Allies, and Adherents of his said Imperial Majesty, the House of Austria, and its
Heirs, and Successors; but chiefly between the Electors,
Princes, and States of the Empire on the one side; and all and each of the Allies of his said Christian Majesty, and all their Heirs and Successors, chiefly between the most Serene Queen and Kingdom of Swedeland, the
Electors respectively, the Princes and States of the
Empire, on the other part.”

Treaty of Westphalia-
Primary Source
“That this Peace and Amity be observ'd and cultivated with such a Sincerity and
Zeal, that each Party shall endeavour to procure the Benefit, Honour and
Advantage of the other; that thus on all sides they may see this Peace and
Friendship in the Roman Empire, and the
Kingdom of France flourish, by entertaining a good and faithful
Neighbourhood.”

The Peace Treaties of Westphalia
• Recognized the sovereign, independent authority of the German princes
– Each could govern his particular territory (make peace and war, etc.)
– 300 city states
• Holy Roman Empire was destroyed along with their hope of restoring its power

• International stature of France and
Sweden was improved
– France acquired the province of Alsace;
France allowed to intervene in German affairs
– Sweden received money & jurisdiction over
German territories along Baltic Sea (NE
Germany)
• posed a serious threat to the future kingdom of
Brandenburg-Prussia
The signing of the Treaty

• Independence of the United Provinces of the Netherlands and Switzerland was acknowledged from Spain
– Switzerland was unified into cantons
• Austria emerged separate of HRE; became focus of Hapsburg rule
• Spain and Austria lost power
Signing the Treaty

• France, Sweden, and Brandenburg-
Prussia become superpowers
• Bavaria emerged as leading Catholic power in S. Germany
• Brandenburg-Prussia received important territories on N. Sea & in central Germany; leading Lutheran power in N. Germany
France Sweden

• The Augsburg agreement of 1555 should stay permanent
– Allowed Calvinism, along with Catholicism and Lutheranism
– Catholic claims to Protestant territory abandoned in HRE
• Protestants rights in Hapsburg lands were not protected

• Treaties denied the papacy the right to participate in German religious affairs
– Symbolically reduced the role of the Church in
European politics
• Destroyed the HRE’s hope of restoring the
Catholic faith throughout the empire
• Pope protests

• Germany suffered major loses
– Germany physically destroyed
– Lose large population
• Ended the dominance of the Mediterranean states and economy in European affairs
• Amsterdam emerged as the great financial center
• Diseases re-emerge
– Plague
The Plague

• Ended all wars on religion
• Increase of power of other countries
• What countries fight for after this…
– Balance of power, diplomacy
– Conquering territories
• Regarding religious practices…
– The north German states remained Protestant
– The south German states remained Catholic

Population
Agriculture
Prices
Trade
Finance
Decreased 1600-1650 due to war, famine, and disease
(plague); steady recovery after 1650
Impact on crop prices (prices rose); low production
Price changes and price levels varied throughout Europe;
"There was a rise in real wages from about 1620 and the wage earner was not necessarily in a bad position during the war." opened many avenues for trade; brought in a degree of economic protectionism
The countries fighting in the war had to finance their campaigns