History 240
The
Thirty Years War
The Thirty Years War
A series of international conflicts that fell between
the revolt in Bohemia in 1618 and the general European Peace of Westphalia in
1648.
Objectives
What were the causes of these conflicts?
What were the results?
What were the longer term consequences?
The Conflicts
A political-religious
rebellion within the Austrian monarchy centred on Bohemia.
Struggle between the
Holy Roman Emperor trying to centralize his power and re-catholize all of Germany
against Princes asserting their independence and Protestants defending their
religion.
A struggle between the
Habsburg empires of Spain and Austria against France with both sides aided by
allies.
The Stages of Conflict
Bohemia War 1618-20:
Austria defeated the Protestant rebels.
Palatinate War 1621-3:
Catholic Bavaria defeated Protestant Upper Palatine and Spain and Holland
renewed the revolt of the Netherlands.
Danish War 1624-9:
Austrians and Bavarians defeated Holland and Denmark.
Swedish War 1630-5:
Sweden financed by France conquered NE Germany and attacked Bavaria.
The Stages of Conflict
Franco-Hapsburg War 1635-48:
French War on Spain in N Italy;
Dutch War on Spain in the S Netherlands;
Swedish-French conquest of SW Germany;
Franco-Swedish attack on Vienna.
The Causes: the Bohemian War
Weakness of Holy Roman
Emperors prior to 1618 allowed nobility in Austria, Bohemia and Hungary to
become powerful.
Bohemia was religiously
diverse, highly urbanized and industrialized.
Ferdinand II of Austria
crowned in 1618 determined to reassert his power and the Catholic Church.
Electors of Bohemia
objecedt to his taking away their privileges. Protestants form a militia,
deposed Ferdinand and elected Protestant Frederick of the Palatine.
Results: the Bohemian War
Ferdinand II was determined to win and had support of
Bavarian who defeated Bohemians in 1620.
Ferdinand II restored to his throne.
Executed 27 rebel leaders and confiscated their
property.
130,000 Protestant Czechs exiled.
Self-governing institutions eliminated and Bohemia
incorporated into Austria.
Palatinate War
Cause: Frederick of Palatine accepting throne of Bohemia provoked an attack
by Spain and Bavaria.
Results: Palatine taken over by Bavaria; Dutch allies of Palatine renew war
with Spain.
The Danish War
Cause: King Chrisian IV of Denmark
(1577-1648) Protestant concerned about Catholic victories in Germany.
Results: Allied with Holland, England and
Saxony; Diverted by opportunity to conquer N German bishoprics and port towns on Baltic.
Danish War
Results: Ferdinand II appointed Albrecht von
Wallenstein (1583-1634) of Bohemia to
lead imperial forces;
Defeated Danes and drove them back to
Denmark;
Peace treaty of 1629 takes Denmark out of
the war.
The Turning Point in Germany
Ferdinand II believed he
was powerful enough to assert power and reverse the religious settlement.
Edict of Restitution
1629 returned to Catholics all lands gained by Protestant since 1552.
Made Wallenstein Duke of
Mecklenburg and leader of Restitutions.
Alienated Catholic as
well as Protestant princes, who insisted on dismissal of Wallenstein.
The Swedish War
Causes: Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
(1594-1632) opposed Ferdinands religious policies but diverted by Baltic Wars
until 1630;
French government paid Swedes to join war in
Germany.
Results: Gustavus landed in Germany in 1530
and won a series of victories.
Swedish War: Results
Conquests in SW Germany
and along Rhine.
Conquered Bavaria 1632,
overran Bohemia and moved on Vienna.
Wallenstein reappointed
but lost to Gustavus at Luzen, Saxony in 1634.
Gustavus killed in
battle and Swedes not as effective without him.
Ferdinand compromised
with Protestant Princes: reversed Edict of Restitution and removed Wallenstein
in return for peace.
Franco-Habsburg War
Cause: Cardinal Armand-Jean du Plesis de
Richelieu (1602-1674) tried to fight war against Spain without involving
France, but forced to declare war 1635.
Results: French and Dutch fought Spain in
the Southern Netherlands;
French fought Spain in N Italy;
Swedish conquest in N Germany.
Peace of Westphalia 1648
France gained territory
on German and Italian border.
Sweden gained territory
in N Germany.
Brandenburg Prussia
gained Eastern Pomerania.
Swiss confederation left
HRE.
Edict of Restitution
repealed - Calvinist and Lutheran rights restored.
Austria incorporated
Bohemia and Hungary.
Treaty of Munster -
United Provinces confirmed independent and retained conquests in Sp Netherlands
and overseas.
Westphalia Settlement 1648
Results - Political
Emperor failed to turn HRE into a monarchy.
Princes recognized as separate monarchs in their own
domain.
Confirmation of independence of United Provinces from Spain
and separation from HRE.
Austria and Spain weaker.
Sweden became a Great Power.
Results-Religious
Emperor failed to impose Counter-Reformation on all of
Germany.
Protestants driven from Austria, Bohemia and Hungary.
All states recognized the separation of politics and
religion.
Thirty Years War - the last religious war.
Results Social and Economic
Great human suffering.
Pillaging, decay of towns.
Stagnation of trade.
En-serfment of more peasants in Eastern Europe.
Fall in population 10-30%.
Longer Term Significance
Territorial changes made
in 1648 remain valid until 1800s with minor alternations.
Stabilization of
Catholic and Protestant states in Germany.
Basis of international
relations and future wars would be secular.
Westphalia settlement
considered a basis of the European state system.
Congress process
established precedent for future.
War and Treaty have
critical influence on international relations for almost 150 years.
Changes in Warfare
Extensive use of canon
castles no longer defensible.
Armed infantry squares
made cavalry obsolete.
Need for increase in
size: more units better placed on battlefield.
Growth in size of
armies:
Spain 1600 60,000
Sweden 1632 175,000
France 1700 400,000.
Changes in Warfare
Problem of finding
enough troops: Sweden used conscription and kept large army permanently
mobilized.
Larger armies required greater
taxation; discipline; drilling; order of command.
Whole towns destroyed.
Battlefields larger with
more killed.
Armies on march would
pillage.
Recognition that future
wars must be more restrained or controlled to prevent this level of
devastation.
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