Thirty Years War

https://worldhistoryedu.com/the-thirty-years-war-origin-story-key-battles-events/

cuius regio eius religio

this means “whose realm, their religion”

The Habsburgs

They held the imperial throne and were one of europe’s most powerful dynasties. They faced opposition from other significant powers, including France, Sweden, and Denmark

1. Bohemian

2. Danish

3. Swedish

4. French

These are the four phases of the Thirty Years War

Bohemia (Bohemia Phase)

This was were the war began in 1618 where protestant nobles in Prague rebelled against the Catholic King Ferdinand the II, who was also the Holy Roman Emperor

Defenestration of Prague

This was an event that saw protestant nobles throwing two of the Emperor’s representatives out of a castle window.

Frederick V of Palatinate, a protestant prince

The rebels established a provincial government. To whom did they offered the crown?

Battle of White Mountain

This early battle crushed the Bohemian revolt and solidified Habsburg control over Bohemia, leading to severe repercussions for the local Protestant population (1620)

Battle of White Mountain

In this battlle, Ferdinand II’s forces, aided by the Catholic League and Spanish Habsburgs, crushed the Protestant army, leading to the re-Catholicization of Bohemia and the exile of Frederick V.

Danish Phase

This phase of the war saw King Christian IV of Denmark, a Lutheran, intervening in support of the Protestant cause. Christian IV invaded northern Germany but faced a formidable opponent in Albrecht von Wallenstein, a general who commanded the Emperor’s armies.

Albrecht von Wallenstein

A talented and controversial military leader for the Habsburgs, He commanded imperial forces with significant success but was assassinated in 1634 under orders from Ferdinand II, fearing his growing power and influence.

Treaty of Lubeck

Wallenstein’s forces defeated the Danish at the Battle of Lutter in 1626, and by 1629, Christian IV was forced to withdraw from the war. Under what treaty?

King Gustavus Adolphus

• During the Swedish phase, he was supported by French subsidies, aimed to protect Protestantism, and curb Habsburg power.

• The King of Sweden, known as the “Lion of the North,” was a brilliant military strategist whose intervention turned the tide in favor of the Protestant forces. His reforms in military tactics had a lasting influence on European warfare.

French Phase

This phase involved direct intervention by Catholic France against the Catholic Habsburgs, a testament to the complex interplay of religious and political motives. Cardinal Richelieu, the chief minister of King Louis XIII, saw Habsburg dominance as a threat to French interests.

Battle of Breitenfeld

A major victory for Gustavus Adolphus and the Protestant forces, this battle marked the turning point in favor of the anti-Habsburg coalition.

Battle of Lutzen

Another significant battle where Gustavus Adolphus was killed. Despite his death, the battle was a tactical victory for the Swedes, maintaining their position in the war.

Siege of Magdeburg

A horrific event where Imperial forces sacked the Protestant city of Magdeburg, resulting in widespread slaughter and the destruction of the city, which became a symbol of the war’s brutality.

The Peace of Westphalia

• The Thirty Years’ War ended with this treaty in 1648, a series of treaties that had a profound impact on the political landscape of Europe.

• It also include calvinism as a recognized religion

• Reinforced the principle of cuius regio, eius religio, but with greater protections for religious minorities.

Significant territorial adjustments

What was the result of the treaties

1. Weakened the Holy Roman Empire

2. Diminished Habsburg influence

3. Rise of state sovereignty and concept of a balance of power in eu

4. Marked the beginning of the modern state system and laid the groundwork for the nation-state

What was the political implications of the Peace of Westphalia

Ferdinand II

Holy Roman Emperor and a staunch Catholic, his policies and actions were central to the conflict’s outbreak and continuation. His efforts to centralize power and enforce Catholicism were major triggers of the war.

Cardinal Richelieu

As the chief minister of France, his decision to support Protestant forces and later intervene directly against the Habsburgs was crucial. His actions were driven by realpolitik, prioritizing state interest over religious affiliation.

1. millions of soldiers and civilians died

2. The economy of many regions was shattered, leading to a long period of recovery

What were the human and economic costs of the war

1. communities were displaced and may towns and cities were destroyed

2. influenced art and literature with a focus on themes of suffering and devastation

what were the social and cultural effects of the war?

1. shift from mercenary armies to more professionalized standing armies

2. Gustavus Adolphus’s innovations in the use of infantry, artillery, and cavalry influenced future military strategies

what were the military innovations during the war?

negotiation of disputes through diplomatic means

what were the benefit of the war in terms of diplomatic practices?

defenestration of Prague

What event in 1618 marked the beginning of the Thirty Years’ War?

to compensate for his earlier territorial losses to Sweden

What were King Christian IV of Denmark’s motivations for entering the Thirty Years’ War in 1625?

Wolf-strategy

employed by mercenary armies, which involved plundering the German countryside for sustenance.

1. paved the way for the rise of absolute monarchies

2. later, more democratic forms of governance

How did the Thirty Years’ War contribute to the decline of feudalism in Europe?