1. Thirty Years War
The Highlights

2. Intro
Originated in the Holy Roman Empire but spread to most of western Europe
Deadliest religious war in Europe
Overarching Causes:
Failure of the Peace of Augsburg of 1555
The decentralization and fragmentation encouraged by the Peace of Augsburg
Had four main phases:
Bohemian Phase ( )
Danish Phase ( )
Swedish Phase ( )
Swedish-French Phase ( )
Cuius regio, eius religio; failure because religious division continued to escalate problems
360 autonomous political entities

5. Bohemian Phase ( )
Ferdinand II became King of Bohemia and tried to restore his lands (Austria, Bohemia, and Hungary) to Catholicism and so impose Catholic uniformity on them
This angered the Protestants whose rights, as guaranteed by the Peace of Augsburg, had been revoked
In response:
The Defenestration of Prague occurred
Bohemia declared the Calvinist elector of Palatine, Frederick V, as their king instead
Will spiral into an int’l event as Catholics and Protestants throughout Europe join the fight
Protestantism is squashed in Bohemia, thanks especially to the Battle of White Mountain in 1620, bringing about a total Catholicization of Bohemia.
Protestant nobility threw the king’s regents out of the window of Palace. If not for the dry moat of manure they landed in, their 50 ft drop would have killed them

7. Danish Phase ( )
Re-Catholicization of HRE becomes a real possibility and scares everyone
Albrecht von Wallenstein is paid by the HRE to fight his battles and is pretty successful
Dutch/Danish (Denmark) get involved at this point and the conflict moves there
Edict of Restitution (1629)- Ferdinand II reasserts Catholic protections, re- affirms that Calvinism is illegal, and that RCC Church lands that Lutherans had seized since 1552 be returned
This creates absolute PANIC
That Calvinism would be illegal at this point is kind of a joke

8. Swedish Phase ( )
Gustavus Adolphus II, devout leader of the unified Lutheran nation of Sweden becomes the new leader of the Protestant forces
He was influenced by Cardinal Richelieu in France who feared Habsburg (German) domination again, and the Dutch, who were still bitter about the Revolt
Adolphus was skilled in new military tactics and had a big victory at Breitenfeld in 1630 which helped push Catholics back to Bohemia
He died at the hands of Wallenstein two years later
Adolphus was successful enough to bring about the annulment of the Edict of Restitution
However, a fear of Catholicism in the HRE still exists
Infantry and cavalry used fire-and-charge tactics; lots of mobility; his defense could easily switch to offense and vice versa

9. Swedish-French Phase (1635-1648)
Most devastating phase
Cardinal Richelieu of France allied with the Protestants forces to defeat the HRE; reflected his status as a politique
Essentially, this phase was 13 years of France, Sweden, and Spain looting Germany extensively
By the end, about ⅓ of the population had been wiped out
Worst catastrophe since Black Death
The first three phases were half the war- this one most deadly and devastating

10. Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
Ended the Catholic Reformation in HRE + all Wars of Religion
Renewed the Peace of Augsburg but included Calvinism this time (still cuius regio, eius religio)
Dissolved the HRE: the Netherlands and Switzerland declare their independence and 300 of the 360+ HRE entities become sovereign
Guaranteed religious and political fragmentation in Germany and the surrounding lands for centuries that would not be solved until the rise of nationalism in the late 19th-early 20th century
France, Sweden, Austria, and Brandenburg-Prussia receive territories and stature (France + Sweden will remain politically involved in Germany for some time)
Habsburgs’ power declines finally; Spain in particular loses power as France, England, and the Dutch rise; return of balance of power
France and Spain will continue to fight until 1659 with the Treaty of Pyrenees and its a devastating loss for Spain; France is dominant now with England and the Dutch moving toward that end