30+year+war

= Introduction =

The Thirty Years War is one of the great conflicts of early modern European history. It consisted of a series of declared and undeclared wars in Europe between 1618 and 1648. The opponents were, on one hand the house of Austria (The Hapsburg Holy Roman Emperors Ferdinand II and Ferdinand the III together with their Spanish Cousin Philip IV). During the war, the Hapsburgs were opposed by various opponents of the House of Austria (Danish, Dutch, France and Sweden). Further, the 30 Years war was also a German civil war and a religious war between Catholics Lutherans and Calvinists. The war can be divided in five phases, the Bohemian phase, the palatinate phase, the Danish phase, the Swedish phase and the French phase.

= Key People = Ferdinand II - Ruler of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire Ferdinand the III - Ruler of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire Philip IV - Ruler of the Hapsburg Holy Roman Empire Maximilian I - lead the Catholic league during the Thirty Years War Frederick V - lead the Protestant league during the Thirty Years War

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Video about the thirty years war witch key events and dates = Background = By the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 Lutherism had been given official recognition in the Holy Roman Empire, but the peace did not provide a permanent framework for religious settlement in Germany. The Catholics and Protestants formed alliances, the Catholics under Maximilian I, the Protestants under Frederick V.

= The Bohemian phase (1618 – 1621) = Because of the increasing pressure from the Hapsburgs, the Bohemians rose in revolt. They deposed the Hapsburgs and made Frederick V their king. But Ferdinand II struck back, and the Bohemians were defeated near Prague at the White Mountain. Also, the Spanish had invaded the lower Palatine, Frederick’s territories on the Rhine. = The Palatinate phase (1621 – 1624) = Frederick V and other Protestant rulers wanted to regain the Rhenish Palatinate from the Spanish; they were also supported by the Dutch. But all of these efforts were dismal failures. = The Danish phase (1625 – 1630) = “The French, English and Dutch formed a league to oppose the Habsburgs. They found their champion in Christian IV of Denmark, who also had extensive possessions in northern Germany.” He invaded but was defeated by the army of the Catholic League. Because of the victory, the Emperor required “the return of all lands expropriated from the Roman church since the 1550’s.” = The Swedish phase (1630 – 1634) = Firstly Sweden invaded northern Germany. Luther’s armies fought against them, but didn’t win. So the Swedish also invaded southwest Germany. = The French phase (1634 – 1648) = The French declared war on Spain. Because of the duration of the war, the imperial forces started to weaken. = The Peace of Westphalia = On 24 October, 1648 the Peace of Westphalia was signed, ending the Thirty Years War. “Within the German portion of the Empire, private exercise of non-conforming religion was permitted and the organs of government were rendered religiously neutral.”