30 Years War
Ahsan Siddiqui, Fezaan Kazi, Andrew Wayne
30 Years War (1618 - 1648)
A war that was fought between Catholics and Protestants and also drew in the national armies of France, Sweden, Spain, Denmark, and the Habsburg dynasty that ruled the Holy Roman Empire. It was fought because the Holy Roman Emperor tried to curtail the religious activities of his subjects, the Protestants, which sparked rebellion.
How the War Spread
The war used to be a local one, but the Protestant princes in the Holy Roman Empire started to rebel which intensified the war into the blood bath it became.
Course of the War
Swedish Military Assistance
The Swedish Military aided the Protestants by sending in an Amy led by Gustavus Adolphus in 1630 which was funded by the French
Swedes Defeated
The Spanish army defeated the main Swedish field army. This drove the protestants our of Southern Germany and this provoked France to declare war on Spain in 1635
Many Losses
Since the Swedes, French, Spanish, and Austrians fought on Germany soil, there were huge population losses. Over 20% of Germany's population perished.
Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus
He saved the Protestant cause by leading his army into Germany in 1630 with assistance from French subsidies. He was defeated 4 years later in 1634 by the Spanish army.
Louis XIII
He was the King of France at the time, he helped to keep France out of the war for the most part until the end. His government remained involved mainly through diplomatic and political pressures, until finally becoming militarily involved in late 1635, in which France decalred war against the Holy Roman Empire and the catholics.
Ferdinand II
The newly elected Holy Roman Emperor in 1619, his plan to unite his subjects under Catholicism is largely attributed to sparking the 30 Years War. He reigned until 1637, up until which time he had remained heavily involved in the war effort. His actions, which continued to project the strength of the Habsburg's, are largely believed to have caused Louis XIII to enter the war on the protestant side.
Outcome of the War
After 30 years of bitter war, the war ended with the wider Peace of Westphalia, which fundamentally shifted the previous european balance of power. The Holy Roman Empire; and the the Habsburgs who ruled it, saw a decline in their influence. The rising geopolitical power of France in the years surrounding the war highlight its emergence as the new dominant european power.
Main Significance of the War
The 30 Years War had many lasting effects on Europe. By far the most important results were the diminishing power of the Habsburgs and Holy Roman Empire, as well as the rise of France. This war also served to change the minds of many Europeans regarding conflict as a means of battling out religious differences; no longer would religious wars in Europe be so widespread or destructive.
Primary Source - Treaty of Westphalia
Link: http://avalon.law.yale.edu/17th_century/westphal.asp
Description: Treaty which ended the 30 Years War. It comprised of a series of multiple treaties drafted and signed over a 6 month period in 1648. The treaty effectively ended religious wars in Europe.