The European Age of Religious The European Age of Religious Wars (1517 -1648)Wars (1517 -1648)

European European Religious Religious

Divisions – 16Divisions – 16thth 1717thth century century

The Thirty Years’ War was a series of conflicts that began early in the

17th century in the Holy Roman Empire and finally involved much of

Europe.

It started as a conflict between Protestants and Roman Catholics but soon became a struggle for political

power between nations.

The 30 Years’ WarThe 30 Years’ War

Four Phases of the Four Phases of the 30 Years’ War30 Years’ War::

1. Bohemian Phase 1. Bohemian Phase (1618-1625)(1618-1625)

2. Danish Phase 2. Danish Phase (1625-1630)(1625-1630)

3. Swedish Phase 3. Swedish Phase (1630-1635)(1630-1635)

4. French Phase 4. French Phase (1635 – 1648)(1635 – 1648)

Historical BackgroundHistorical Background By 1600, Protestants outnumbered Catholics in By 1600, Protestants outnumbered Catholics in

Bohemia but the Protestants were fragmented Bohemia but the Protestants were fragmented into denominations or sects.into denominations or sects.

Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II issued a Holy Roman Emperor Rudolph II issued a Letter of Letter of Majesty Majesty granting some limited freedoms and granting some limited freedoms and tolerance to Protestants but Rudolph died before tolerance to Protestants but Rudolph died before Protestants fully enjoyed the limited freedoms.Protestants fully enjoyed the limited freedoms.

Catholics prohibited Protestants from building Catholics prohibited Protestants from building churches in towns where Protestant churches churches in towns where Protestant churches did not already exist.did not already exist.

Ferdinand II was to be the new King of Bohemia and Ferdinand II was to be the new King of Bohemia and Protestants feared for the worst.Protestants feared for the worst.

Holy Roman Empire 1618Holy Roman Empire 1618

Instead they chose Frederick V,

the Palatine elector. This

brought on a war involving the

member states of the Holy Roman

Empire.Ferdinand the Catholic

The war began in Bohemia. There in

1618 the Protestant nobility refused to

recognize Ferdinand II, soon to be Holy

Roman emperor, as their king.

Defenestration of PragueDefenestration of PragueSome Protestants set up a meeting with Catholic officials in Prague on

May 23, 1618 but the meeting went badly; the Protestants seized two Catholic officials and tossed

them out of the window.This event is known as The

Defenestration of Prague. The word defenestrate comes from Latin

word for “window” and means “out the window.”

They survived the fall, Protestants saying because they landed in a heap of horse manure, and Catholics saying

that angels saved them.This was the spark that ignited the 30

Years’ War.

Battle of White MountainBattle of White Mountain

German and Spanish forces under the count of Tilly defeated the Bohemians in 1620 at White

Mountain. Bohemia became an Austrian crown land, and

Ferdinand was crowned king.

At this point Ferdinand could have made peace, but he insisted that Protestantism be wiped out. This attitude aroused the Protestant rulers of England, Holland, and

Denmark. They sent an invading army under King Christian of

Denmark.

Count of Tilly Christian IV of Denmanrk

Albrecht von WallensteinAlbrecht von Wallenstein

Between 1625 and 1629 the Danish army

suffered a series of losses and was finally

driven out of Germany by a general

called Albrecht von Wallenstein. His men

roved the country, robbing farms and torturing people.

Wallenstein Palace

Neutral Protestant rulers were aroused to

join the battle when Ferdinand signed the Edict of Restitution.

This document forced all Protestants to give

up any Catholic property acquired since

1555.

Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden invaded

Germany in 1630, but was killed in battle

1632.

Edict of RestitutionEdict of Restitution

France tries to defeat the France tries to defeat the HabsburgsHabsburgs

At this point France, under the guidance of Cardinal Richelieu, entered the war on the Protestant side in a political rather than religious move Richelieu saw a chance to defeat the Spanish and Austrian Hapsburgs. He sent troops under Turenne and Condé, and the tide turned against Ferdinand.

Peace of WestphaliaPeace of Westphalia

For the next 14 years fighting by French, Spanish,

Swedish, and German troops went on in Germany,

Italy, Flanders, and the Pyrenees.

In 1648 Ferdinand III, who had succeeded his father, saw that further warfare

was useless and signed the Peace of Westphalia on October 24. Word of the

peace arrived as the French were preparing for the

siege of Prague.

Consequences of the WarConsequences of the War

The Thirty Years’ War marked the end of one era and the beginning of

another. It began an era in which nation-states struggled for territorial

and political power.

It ended the dominance of the powerful Hapsburg family and began

the era in which France was the strongest nation in Europe.

It ended an era of Spanish military domination.

It also ushered in an era in which states completed the long process of

centralizing their governments, becoming what we recognize today as

modern nations.

Les misères et les malheurs Les misères et les malheurs de la guerre de la guerre Jacques Callot (1592 – 1635)Jacques Callot (1592 – 1635)

The war reduced the population of Germany by

more than half in some places. Education and

agriculture were halted. There were not enough

people left to rebuild and to replant. Religious unity

was not established. Inflation was rampant and

trade declined.

Loss of Loss of German German Lives in Lives in

30 30 Years’ Years’ WarWar

Other Wars of Religion

1. German Peasants’ War (1520s)

Europe's largest and most widespread

popular uprising prior to the French Revolution of 1789. The fighting

was at its height in the spring and summer of 1525. Peasants were inspired in part by the

teachings of Martin Luther, although he did

not agree with the uprisings.

2. War of German Princes against Emperor Charles V (1520s-1555)

(Catholic) Charles defeated a group of Protestant princes at Mühlberg in April 1547. Nevertheless, only eight years later he was forced to allow the Peace of Augsburg, which acknowledged the legitimacy of Lutheranism

within the Holy Roman Empire.

3. Civil War In France (1562-1598)

French noble families of the House of Guise and the

House of Bourbons were also involved. Foreign monarchs supported

different sides.

St. Bartholomew ´s Day Massacre 1572

The French Wars of Religion were a series of wars that took place in France over a span of 36 years, between 1562-1598.

They were mainly fought between the French Catholics and the French Protestants or Huguenots.

Finally King Henry IV (who had

converted from Calvinism to

Catholicism to satisfy the

majority of the French people

who were Catholics) signed

the Edict of Nantes, granting religious rights to

Huguenots.