30 years war

• The 30 Years War

  1618 to 1648
• The 30 Years War was the last major war of the Protestant Reformation
• 1648 is a key year to remember in the context of Western Civilization or European history as it marks the end of the Protestant Reformation
• The 30 Years War


  Began in the Holy Roman Empire and was mostly fought there
• The Peace of Augsburg was established in the Holy Roman Empire


  1555
• Cujus regio, ejus religio


  The principle established in the Peace of Augsburg that whoever reigns, his religion
• Calvinists were not allowed under the Peace of Augsburg
• The 4 phases of the 30 Years War


  • Bohemian
  • Danish
  • Swedish
  • French
• Defenestration of Prague


  Protestants throwing Catholic messengers out of a window
• The messengers survived the fall from several stories up
• Ferdinand II revoked the letter of majesty granting Protestants toleration


  Led to the defenestration of Prague
• The Battle of White Mountain was a decisive Catholic victory over the Bohemians
• The Lutheran King of Denmark got involved to help fellow Protestants but was defeated by the Catholic mercenary Wallenstein
• Gustavus Adolphus


  • The Lutheran King of Sweden, a military mastermind considered the father of modern warfare for using mobile artillery
• Gustavus Adolphus fought as the Protestant leader


  Received support from the Catholic country of France
• Politique


  The principle championed by Henry IV of Navarre and Cardinal Richelieu that political interests are more important than religious ones
• The 30 Years War ended in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia
• The Peace of Westphalia weakened the Holy Roman Emperor and the Spanish Habsburgs, strengthened France, and led to the rise of Brandenburg-Prussia
• The Peace of Westphalia accepted Calvinism alongside Catholicism and Lutheranism, and established freedom of private worship
• The 30 Years War marked the end of major religious wars in Europe
• Charles V


  Abdicated the throne of Holy Roman Emperor in 1556, his brother Ferdinand was elected
• Philip II


  Given the Spanish lands, also inherited Portugal in 1580, was titular king of England 1553-1558
• Philip II wanted to return Europe to Catholicism
• Philip II's actions to return Europe to Catholicism

  1. Sent troops to the Netherlands to quiet the Calvinists

  2. The Duke of Alva set up the "Council of Troubles"

  3. Dealt with Catholic revolts in England

  4. Launched an attack against Turks in Lepanto (Greece)

  5. Catholic France killed 3,000 Huguenots in the St. Bartholomew's Eve Massacre
• Protestantism had taken hold in Netherlands early on (Calvinism)
• Philip II's actions against Protestants in the Netherlands


  1. Netherlands petitioned Spain to keep the Inquisition out

  2. Philip's Council of Troubles (AKA Council of Blood) killed thousands, imposed taxes on Protestants, and confiscated estates

  3. People of all classes united against Philip, led by William of Orange
• Elizabeth I quietly funded the Netherlands, fearing the English Catholics might join the opposition
• Mary, Queen of Scots


  Seen by English Catholics as a replacement for Elizabeth I, Elizabeth had her imprisoned (house arrest)
• Don Juan's plan to attack England


  1. Became governor of Netherlands and decided it should be used for an attack on England to overthrow Elizabeth

  2. Planned to marry Mary Stuart, and become king

  3. This pulled Elizabeth into the battle

  4. Don Juan died in 1578
• Prince Parma's actions in the Netherlands

  1. Took control of southern Netherlands, and fights to gain control of the North

  2. Elizabeth sent 6,000 English troops to defend the North
• Dutch were moving into the Indies, with support of England, & Spanish felt they had to dethrone Elizabeth to stop Dutch trade
• The Spanish Armada's attack on England

  1. 130 ships, 30,000 men, 2,400 pieces of artillery

  2. Plan was to sail to Netherlands, join with Parma, & attack across the Channel

  3. England's Sir Francis Drake and Land Howard met the Armada with 200 English vessels (smaller and faster)

  4. Storm blew the Armada up into the North Sea-called the great "Protestant Wind"
• War continued several years; Philip died in 1598
• Effects of the Armada in England

  • Developed nationalism
  • English took control of the seas (after the fall of the Armada)
  • English East India Co. founded in 1600
• Effects of the Armada in the Netherlands

  • "Twelve Years Truce" (1609) partitioned the Netherlands, the North-Dutch & allowed religious freedom, the South-Spanish Netherlands & were in financial ruins (no coastal access)
  • Dutch East India Co. founded in 1602
  • Dutch founded colonies in Virginia (1607) New York (1612)
• Effects of the Armada in Spain

  • Remained a strong military force for another 50 years
  • Began political, economic, social decline
• The Wars of Religion led to almost 40 years of civil war in France (1562-1598)
• Political disunity in France

  Caused by local autonomy, size, and difficulty in travel
• Religious disunity in France

  Caused by lack of papal control and growth of Calvinism
• Francis I and Henry II opposed Calvinism (Huguenots), and in 1550s began burnings at the stake