A SUMMARY OF THE THIRTY YEARS' WAR (1618-1648)
CAUSES:
Omission of Calvinism from Peace of Augsburg (1555); Calvinists demanded inclusion
Protestants continued to seize Catholic lands (after 1552, defying Peace of Augsburg)
Emperor Ferdinand II wanted to increase power over the German states
Protestant princes and Catholic princes had formed opposing alliances
Bohemians wanted to increase independence in the Empire
Emperor Ferdinand II wanted to destroy Protestantism in the Empire
Emperor Ferdinand II wanted to increase the power of the Austrian Habsburgs
German princes wanted to decrease the power of the Emperor while increasing their own
independence and power
Spanish Habsburgs wanted to link their territories together
Spanish Habsburgs wanted to reclaim the Dutch Netherlands (revolution begun 15??)
France and many other nations wanted to limit the power of the Habsburgs, Spanish and
Austrian, in Europe and the Americas
Denmark and Sweden wanted to protect Lutheranism and gain power in Northern Europe and
on the Baltic Sea
Dutch Netherlands wanted to cement independence and limit Spanish power in Europe and
the Americas
COURSE:
Bohemian Period (1618-1625)
Bohemians rejected Ferdinand II as Emperor in favor of Calvinist Frederick V, prince of
the Palatinate; Ferdinand II was denied the vote needed to become Emperor
Bohemians threw Emperor’s representatives out of a window in Prague – the
“Defenestration of Prague” – to show their rejection
Army of Frederick V was defeated at the Battle of the White Mountain, 1620, by the
combined Habsburg armies
Spain occupied Bohemia
Ferdinand II’s claim as Emperor was upheld by vote of the electors
Bohemia was made Catholic
Danish Period (1625-1629)
Austrian Habsburg army of Ferdinand II invaded north German states to destroy
Protestantism and independence of local Protestant rulers
King Christian IV of Denmark (reigned 1588-1648) led Danish army into northern
German states against the Empire’s army
Habsburg Empire easily defeated Denmark
Emperor Ferdinand II ordered the reclamation of all Catholic lands lost since 1552 and
began to establish a stronger Habsburg Empire in northern German states
Swedish Period (1629-1635)
King Gustavus Adolphus (Gustavus II of Sweden, reigned 1611-1632), led the Swedish
army into northern German states against the Empire’s army and defend
Protestantism and independence of German princes
Money from France under Cardinal Richelieu supported Sweden and Protestant cause
United Provinces (Dutch Netherlands) army supported Sweden
Sweden defeated Empire’s army at the Battle of Breitenfeld, 1530
Sweden pursued the Empire’s army driving it south
Gustavus Adolphus was killed in the Swedish victory at the Battle of Lützen
Swedish army withdrew from the war
French Period (1635-1648)
France, under the leadership of Cardinal Richelieu, entered the war
Thirty Years’ War became an expansion of the war between France and Spain
French army drove Spanish and Austrian armies back across German states
Battle of Rocroi, 1643, was the first defeat of the Spanish army in over a century
War was ended finally by negotiated Peace of Westphalia, setting pattern for the future
CONSEQUENCES:
Peace of Westphalia (1648)
Calvinism was granted equal rights with Catholicism and Lutheranism
German states (365 separate) were each recognized as sovereign and independent
United Provinces of the Dutch Netherlands was recognized as sovereign and independent
Switzerland was recognized as sovereign and independent
France gained territories of Metz, Toulon, and Verdun and the province of Alsace
Sweden gained western Pomerania and the bishopric of Bremen
General overview of results
France emerged is the greatest power in Europe
Sweden emerged as the greatest power on the Baltic
Pope rejected the Treaty; the Pope’s rejection was ignored showing the decline of the
power of the Papacy
Austrian Habsburg power was limited within the Holy Roman Empire
Office of the Holy Roman Emperor was only ceremonial without real power in the
German states of the Empire
Independence of German states would keep German states divided until 1870
Over one-third of the population of the Holy Roman Empire died during the Thirty
Years’ War due to war, famine and disease
Religious toleration began to emerge: rulers were reluctant to force religious beliefs on
people
Other Results and comments
War between France and Spain continued until 1659 ending with French victory
Peace of the Pyrenees (1659) gave France the land in the Pyrenees and in Flanders
Peace of the Pyrenees (1659) brought marriage between Louis XIV of France and Maria
Theresa, the Spanish infanta, initiating French claims to Spanish lands and throne
Habsburg domination of Europe was ended
Austrian Habsburgs would expand southeast in direction of Hungary and the Balkans
against the Ottoman Empire instead of into the states of the Holy Roman Empire
Portugal regained its independence from Spain (lost in 15??) by revolution in 1640
Spanish power was broken and Spain would go into decline
France under Louis XIV was now Europe’s greatest power
Bourbons (ruling house of France) and Habsburgs (ruling house of Austria) would clash over the
succession to the Spanish throne in 1701 causing the next major European War: War of the
Spanish Succession, 1701-1714
England remained out of the Thirty Years’ War due to its conflict between monarchy and
Parliament (English Civil War 1642-1649)