Chapter 14 - Religious Wars

The Crisis of Western States

AP European History

Peace of Augsburg: established the local authorities responsibility to select the religion of the area, one faith one king

Created confusion as princes converted back and forth Left no room for moderates

1. Both sides philosophical outlook was absolute2. Left no room for moderates, attacked by both sides

Extremists dominated European politics

1550-1650 time of internal and external conflict throughout Europe

French Wars of Religion

Civil War, particularly destructive to the development of the nation

Background:

As a result of Reformation France had a Catholic Monarchy, but a divided population between Calvinists and Catholics

1. Both beliefs became highly MILITANT2. Protestants led by the Bourbons (Henry of Navarre)3. Catholics led by the Guise

Huguenots: French Calvinists who were persecuted

Came from all levels of society Mostly tradesmen and artisans, nobility (40-50%) including the Bourbon line (related to

kings) Made them a powerful political threat, despite representing 7% of population Centered in growing towns and cities which also represent a challenge to growth of

Monarchical power

Opposed by Catholic Monarch and rise of “Ultra-Catholic” party

Ultra-Catholics get support from pope and Jesuits

French Monarchy:

King Henry II died (Jousting) Francis II became king

1. House of Guise became influential2. Sought to persecute Henry of Navarre

Charles IX (Catherine de Medicis was Regent)

1. Guise eliminated Protestant influence at Court and began to attack protestant areas

2. Protestants fought a defensive war3. War worsened with the assassination of duc de Guise

Both sides brought in mercenary help (Spain, Swiss)

1. St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre

Guise used arraigned marriage of Henry of Navarre as an opportunity to kill the entire protestant leadership

Impacts:

1. Deepened hatred and divisions2. Prolonged the civil war3. Medici blamed, monarchy seen as on the Catholic side

Theory of Resistance: Lawful to resist a monarchy acting in an unlawful manner

Protestants Politiques: Catholics who joined w/ protestants as a protest against the massacre

1. Catholic League: Collection of Catholic towns that opposed Protestantism2. War of the Three Henry's: King Henry III, Henry Guise & Henry of Navarre3. King Henry III could not control the Ultra-Catholics

1. Assassinated Henry Guise and his Brother2. Henry III driven out of Paris by the Ultra-Catholics

1. King Henry III and Henry of Navarre made a pact to defeat the Ultra-Catholics2. Henry III was assassinated by a priest

3. Henry of Navarre became king (Henry IV 1594)

Drove out the Spanish, united France "Paris is worth a Mass" Edict of Nantes: religious freedom, right to fortify cities

1. Extremists continued to fight, Henry IV eventually assassinated

Restored the place of the monarchy and unity of the French

Spain and Philip II

Charles V of Germany retired:

Left German Empire to Fredrick I Left Spanish Empire to Phillip II Mid 16th Century Spain was the greatest social and econ. Power of Europe

1. Spain, Netherlands, Milan, Naples, Portugal and New World2. Great Naval power (Sp. + Port.)

Phillip II: Militant Catholic, great administrator of government

Spain under Phillip II:

very wealthy (gold / silver from New World) very Catholic (used force and cruelty) very strong control of nobles Netherlands were predominately Protestant (problem) Phillip II was also engaged to Mary Tudor

Problems facing Phillip and Spain:

Wealth was based on money, not production Catholicism brought them into foreign wars with the Ottomans, Netherlands and English The rest of Europe saw Spain as a threat Rebellion in Netherlands over taxation and religion

Philip:

Great Administrative mind: "King of Paper" Stood against Ottoman expansion in the Mediterranean Sea

1. Battle of Lepanto: Coast of Greece, defeated Ottoman Navy (decisive victory)

Devout Catholic

1. Inquisition2. Involvement in the French Wars of Religion3. Marriage to Mary Tudor

Rivalry w/ England

1. Religious2. Personal (Elizabeth said no)3. Economic: English "Sea Dogs" (Francis Drake)4. Military: Netherlands and France (keep others fighting, stay out of conflict)5. Spanish Armada 1588, bad plan

Turning point, people did not know it

Results:

Spain’s heyday as a continental power was over England ensured that it would remain protestant England prepared to become a world power Dutch emerge as an independent group and a commercial center of Europe

Netherlands revolted

1. 17 independent provinces2. Manufacturing / banking center of Europe3. General discontent galvanized around rel. differences4. Spanish rel. policy violated the Peace of Augsburg

Protestants resented Spanish rule Margaret of Parma regent (Philip II's 1/2 sister) Calvinists go of Iconoclasm rampage

1. Put down by Margaret and Protestants alike2. Philip II still sent troops3. Duke of Alba

Massacred protestants, deepened divisions and hatred

1. Open revolt2. William of Orange key figure in resistance3. Spanish army mutinied: "Spanish Fury" at

Antwerp

Pacification of Ghent 1576 12 Years Truce: ended conflict and established a free /

antagonistic Dutch State

Struggles in Eastern Europe

Eastern Europe and the Reformation:

Muscovy: no reformation, remained Eastern Orthodox Christian Poland-Lithuania: Protestantism crept in, but tolerated Will fight as much as the west, difference was that their wars were dynastic

Poland-Lithuania

16th Century: Poland was the preeminent power in Eastern Europe

1. Death of the last Jagiellion monarch threw more power to nobles2. Polish Diet: Parliamentary body3. Sigismund (Swedish) became new king, Diet limited his power

Engaged in a series of dynastic wars

Time of Troubles:

Began with the death of Ivan the Terrible (killed his son)

1. Civil War, Boyars refused to acknowledge a strong Tsar

Attacked by Poland-Lithuania and Sweden

1. Sigismund captured Moscow and sought to make himself Tsar2. Boyars agreed on Michael Romanov as Tsar, repel invaders

Began the Romanov dynasty

Rise of Sweden:

Gustav I Vasa led the independence movement Charles IX next monarch, defended the Swedes from Sigismund claim to the thrown

Danish King Christian IV invaded Sweden, force unfavorable treaty upon Swedes

1. Develop alliances with England and Dutch

Gustavus Adolphus: Raised to be king, very good military tactician

1. Reorganized the military (squadrons and regiments), increased training2. Emphasized mobility in military3. Best military of the day4. Married into Prussian nobility5. Expanded Swedish control over Baltic trade

30 Years War:

Europe was waiting for a major war to break out Tensions b/w Dutch & Spanish, Spanish and French, German Catholics and German

Protestants, England and Spanish, Swedish and everyone in the Baltic Region 30 Years War fought in the HRE by everyone in Europe Spark that started the war: German succession

1. Electors: 3 C, 3 P, one the emperor (as King of Bohemia)2. Kingship of Bohemia would determine the religion of the next HRE

Bohemian Revolt: Mathias (HRE) appointed his cousin Ferdinand as King of Bohemia (ensure next HRE a C)

1. Ferdinand (Hapsburg) violated the rights of the protestants2. March on the royal palace in Prague

Defenestration of Prague Began open revolt against Ferdinand

Mathias died, Ferdinand became Ferdinand II (HRE) Fredrick V (P) claimed the crown of Bohemia Fredrick V also controlled the Palatinate, strategically important link b/w Spanish lands

in Italy and the Netherlands War broke out

1. Catholic v. Protestant (Everyone participated)2. Battle of White Mountain

Catholics under Albrecht von Wallenstein crush the Protestants

1. Ferdinand confiscated Fredrick’s lands and cruelly persecuted the Protestants

Problem: Hapsburgs had become too powerful, posed a threat to Protestantism and the free Dutch state

Philip III + Ferdinand = loss of balance of power Hapsburgs pressed their advantage, Philip III declared war on Dutch

1. England, Holland, German Protestants, Danish (Christian IV) respond2. von Wallenstein won again

Ferdinand pressed his luck, tried to eliminate Protestantism

1. United Lutheran and Calvinist opposition2. Swedes join the battle / France helped pay for war3. Catholic sack Magdeburg

Protestant forces grew under the command of Gustavus

1. Protestants began to win2. Eventually were worn down (could not replace losses as easily)

France v. Spain

Fr. under the leadership of Cardinal Richelieu (Louis XIII) declared war on Spain Fought in the Netherlands, signaled a shift in the war political v. Religious Destructive war in which Spain eventually went bankrupt and forced to settle for peace

Peace of Westphalia

European powers lost their will to fight, the war was incredibly destructive Restored the Peace of Augsburg Settled various wars and conflicts through a series of agreements

Impacts:

War left HRE divided and economically ruined

1. Unification will be delayed

Emergence of Politics over religion in foreign affairs

1. France helped the protestants

End of massive religious wars

1. Europe was worn out, 30 Y.W. was extremely destructive