1. Wars of Religion

2. Why did wars of religion break out, across Europe?
1520s-30s: Protestant religion was spreading, causing concern amongst Catholics
Peasant revolts in HRE, France
Catholic rulers took opportunity to crack down on Protestant subjects, strengthen own power (esp. vs. nobility)

3. Wars of Religion: France
France about 92% Catholic
French Protestants (Huguenots) about 8%, but concentrated in important parts of France
Cities
Merchants, professionals = middle class
Some nobility converted
King was young, weak; nobles families were strong
Queen Catherine de Medici = regent; tried to keep all sides balanced, politically
Huguenots, imprisoned for their faith

4. Wars of Religion: France
War started in 1562 with Catholic-led army attacking Protestant church service, killing everyone they could
Started 40 years of war, bloodshed
Political question of war: Who was going to rule, King or nobles?

5. Wars of Religion: France
St. Bartholomew’s Massacre (1572)
Royal (Catholic) forces hunt down, execute 3000 protestants in one day
Over next 3 days, 20,000 more protestants executed across France

6. Wars of Religion: France
Significance of Massacre
Protestants stop viewing Catholic Church as misguided but instead as force of the Devil
No longer fighting for reformed church; fighting for survival!
Protestants become militant, buying weapons, etc.
Protestants want REVENGE!

7. Wars of Religion: France
Edict of Nantes (1598)
Protestant, Henry of Navarre, becomes King of France (Henry IV)
Converts to Catholicism, saying “Paris is worth the price of a Mass”
Henry IV declared the Edict of Nantes, granting Protestants rights
Worship publicly
Occupy public office
Be admitted to school / university
Administer own towns

8. Wars of Religion: Spain
Philip II
became king, ruled from
Zealous Catholic, defender of the church
Spent his rule trying to stop Protestantism and reverse its gains

9. Wars of Religion: Spain
Spain’s greatest success was against Muslims, at battle of Lepanto (1571)
Netherlands Rebellion
Possession of Spain
Turned Calvinist, rebelled
Rebellion lasted 25 years; Spain eventually lost Netherlands

10. Wars of Religion: Spain
Spain’s Invasion of England ( )
Why did Spain want to attack England?
Elizabeth I authorized attacks on Spanish treasure ships
English alliances with French Protestants (Huguenots) & Netherlands
England sent weapons, troops, money to Netherlands
English executed Mary, Queen of Scots (Catholic)
Elizabeth was Protestant ruler!

11. Wars of Religion: Spain
Spanish Armada (1588)
Philip sent 130 ships, 25k troops to attack England
Dutch, English fleet defeated Spanish, forcing them around England & Ireland
Defeat of Armada was a huge boost in morale for Protestants

12. Thirty Years War, 1618-1648 Causes of war Peace of Augsburg (1555)
Ended fighting in HRE that had started with spread of Lutheranism
HRE rulers could choose religion of state
No recognition of Calvinism
France felt threatened by Hapsburg family
Hapsburg ruler in Spain
Hapsburg ruler of Austria & HRE!
Spain was anti-Protestant
Sweden, Denmark wanted control of German Baltic states

13. The 30 Years’ War ( )
Immediate cause of war: Defenestration of Prague
First “world war” of Europe
Catholic Forces included Austria, Spain, Bavaria, Hungary, Catholic League
Protestant forces included Sweden, Bohemia, Denmark-Norway, Dutch Republic, Saxony, Palatinate, England, Brandenburg-Prussia, Transylvania
France

14. The 30 Years’ War ( )
War fought mainly in HRE, destroying the land & economy
Estimated population loss of HRE was 33%, including 50% of male population
Disease, starvation were greatest killers of non-combatants (peasants)

15. Thirty Years’ War, 1618-1648 Treaty of Westphalia
Ended war
Affirmed that every state’s ruler within HRE could decided his state’s religion
Recognized Calvinism’s right to exist
Other effects of 30 Years’ War
Showed Spain’s weakness
France became dominant European power
Established modern European state, with national armies (not mercenaries)