Download The Thirty Years War

The Thirty Years War
1618-1648
By: Will Fordham and Adrian Crace
Origins

There were numerous problems
and conflicts that contributed to
the Thirty Years War. One was the
conflict between Protestants and
Catholics, which had divided the
population of many European
countries. The war began as a
religious war but there were some
political motives. Some nonreligious contributing factors
were: Spain was interested in
German territory because it
bordered the SpanishNetherlands and it would connect
those lands to Spanish states in
Italy. Another reason is France
wanted to exercise its power over
the weaker German states.
Sweden and Denmark wanted the
German states as well.
Who
►
The thirty years war involved many of the European
powers. They were: Sweden, Bohemia, Denmark-Norway,
Dutch Republic, France, Scotland, England, Saxony,
Transylvania, Holy Roman Empire, and Spain. They were
divided between Protestant and Catholic. Sweden,
Bohemia, Denmark-Norway, Dutch Republic, France,
Scotland, Saxony and Transylvania were mostly protestant.
The Holy Roman Empire and Spain were Catholic.
Where

The war started in Bohemia (modern day Czech
Republic) and quickly spread throughout Europe.
Most of the fighting was in Germany (because it
was a desirable piece of land to other European
countries) and Bohemia.
When
The Thirty years began at a
time when conflict between
Protestants and Catholics was
high. The war began in 1618
and ended thirty years later in
1648. The war was fought in
phases, all of which were in
close periods of time. To
begin the war was the
Bohemian revolt (16181622), followed by the Danish
intervention (1625-1629).
Then came the Swedish
intervention (1630-1635),
which preceded the French
intervention (1636-1648).
Second Defenestration of Prague
Why
►
The Thirty Years war started with the Bohemian
revolt which began with the Second Defenestration
of Prague. This was when Ferdinand II, Holy
Roman Emperor (who was Catholic) became the
King of both Bohemia and Hungary (mostly
Protestant nations). The Protestants were very
angry that a Catholic was ruling them. Ferdinand
sent two Catholic councilors as his representatives
to head the government in his absence to
Hradcany Castle in Prague in May, 1618. When
they arrived, Bohemian Protestants seized them
and threw them out a 50 foot window in the
castle. Amazingly the two survived the fall because
they landed in a pile of manure. This event caused
Protestants in other parts of Bohemia and across
Europe to battle Catholics, which began the Thirty
Years War.
Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor
and King of Bohemia
How

The Thirty Years war ended in 1648 under the term "the
Peace of Westphalia." This term actually was the basis for
the end of two wars: the Thirty Years War and the Eighty
Years War. This peace treaty declared that Ferdinand III lost
all of the power he had illegitimately taken in violation of
the Holy Roman Empire's constitution. This allowed the
German states to determine the religion of their states.
Also, Catholics and Protestants were defined as equals
before law, and Calvinism became legally recognized.
Ferdinand III
Ratification of the Treaty
What

Obviously, the war that went on for 30
years is going to have an effect on the
population, economy, and landscape of
central Europe. Germany had a
decrease in population by approx.
25%. Tens of thousands of soldiers
were killed in action, and many more including civilians- were killed by the
merciless spread of disease and
famine. But the war served some good
outcomes for many countries such as
the Dutch Republic, Switzerland,
Savoy, Milan, Genoa, Mantua, Tuscany,
Lucca, Modena and Parma, who all
gained recognition of their
independence. France, also, gained a
lot of land, allowing them to stretch
their borders rather than shrink them.
The Thirty Years War also marked then
end of widespread use of mercenaries,
because countries started to train
soldiers from their own nations. The
war also marked the end or
widespread use of pikes when armies
started to use guns.