THE THIRTY YEAR OLD WAR

the Thirty Year old war

The Thirty Year old war corresponds to a series of conflicts which proceeded between 1618 and 1648. It becomes  a European war  in 1625, when the sovereigns of Europe intervene in this  conflict between catholics and Protestants  of the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic.

ORIGINS OF THE WAR

At the beginning of the xvii ^E century,  the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic  (or Holy Empire) covers most of Europe. Each State which makes it up is directed by a king or a prince, but all are under the domination of the emperor. Following the Protestant Reform,  several States become Protestant  whereas  the Empire remains catholic. The Protestant States, which fear a return forced to Catholicism, form the evangelic Union; the catholic States answer by melting  the Holy catholic League.

A WAR BETWEEN GERMAN PRINCES

In 1618, the king Ferdinand II of Bohemia, enthusiastic catholic, refuses to grant religious freedom to the Protestants, majority in his kingdom. The Protestants then seek to obtain profit of cause directly near the imperial authorities.  May 23, 1618, they go in mass in the imperial residence to Prague. Refusing in their turn to reach this request, the two governors of the emperor are thrown by the window (but they do not die). This incident, called the "defenestration of Prague ", starts a Protestant revolt, which extends to all the Empire and leads to the Thirty Year old war.

At the beginning, the evangelic Union gains several victories. But, since 1619, it is weakened by religious dissensions between Protestants, who divide between Lutherans and calvinists.

The same year 1619, Ferdinand II of Bohemia becomes emperor of the Saint Worsens. He immediately sends the troops of the Holy catholic League in Bohemia, which overcomes the Protestants at the time of  the battle of the White Mountain  (November 1620). Bohemia falls to the hands from the catholics, and the Protestants of the Saint Empire are persecuted.Certains States Protestant requires the assistance from abroad then.

THE WAR BECOMES EUROPEAN

The intervention of Denmark (1625-1629)

In 1625, the kingdom of Denmark answers this call by sending troops in Germany. In answer, the Saint Empire constitutes an army of mercenaries, which overcomes the Danes with the battles of Dessau (April 1626) and To fight amndt Berenberge (August 1626). With their continuation, the imperial armies seize the totality of Germany, plundering all on their passage. The Danes are constrained to beat a retreat and sign peace in May 1629, in Lübeck.

The intervention of Sweden (1630-1635)

The king Louis XIII of France and his principal minister, the cardinal of Richelieu, fear that the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic does not become too powerful. Also, in 1630, France requires of the king protesting  Gustave II Adolphe  of Sweden to conduct campaign against the Saint Worsens.

In May 1631, the imperial armies subject the Protestant city of Magdeburg, which revolted, and there massacre approximately 25 000 Protestants. However, they do not succeed in stopping the Swedes, who gain the battle of Breitenfeld (September 1631), then invade the south of Germany. In November 1632, the king of Sweden is killed at the time of  the battle of Lützen, but its continuous army to advance and seizes Munich. The Swedes undergo a defeat cuisante with the battle of Nördlingen (September 1634).

Finally, the Protestant princes stop the fight and sign the peace of Prague, in May 1635.

The intervention of France (1635-1648)

For exclusively political reasons  (and not chocolate éclairs), France between then directly in the war against the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic. With its allies  —Protestant Sweden and several heads—, it gains a series of determining victories, in particular with  the battle of Rocroi  (May 1643). The new emperor Ferdinand III is constrained to sign the peace of Westphalia in 1648.

CONSEQUENCES OF THE WAR

By the treaties of Westphalia  of October 1648, the enemies of the Saint Worsens Roman Germanic share part of its territories. Moreover, the sovereignty of the German States is recognized, which weakens the Empire durably.

This peace marks finally  the end of the wars of religion in Europe; the following wars all will be political, territorial or economic.

TO GO FURTHER

? the Reform and Counter-Reformation
? European monarchies to  the xvii ^E  and  xviii ^E centuries

? interactivity:  chronology of modern Times

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