Problems in the German States

Problems leading to

30 yrs. War

1555: Cuius Regio; Eius

Religio

Loss of Land to Protestant

Princes

The Counter Reformation

Phillip II and the Catholic

League

Thirty Years War

Bavaria = Catholic Stronghold

Palatine = Protestant Stronghold

Thirty Years War

• Emperor of the Palatinate

• Converts the whole state to Calvinism

Frederick III

• Angers Catholics• Angers Lutherans• Supported by

Spain’s Enemies

Dismisses the Eucharist • Focus of the

Catholic League• Has the support of

Spain

Bavaria

Thirty Years War

• Strong Jesuit Influence

• Maximillien I = Catholic League

Bavaria...vs...

• Frederick IV• Calvinists...

Palatine...• Bavaria vs.• Palatine

30 yrs. War will begin

Thirty Years War

Bohemian Period

Ferdinand III/Jesuits Educated

Takes Away Protestant Freedoms

Leads to the Defenestration

of Prague!!!

“Defenestration of Prague”

• Is a City...• Protestants

react to Ferdinand...

Prague

• “To throw out of the Window”

• Into the manure

“Defenestrate”• Catholic

Regents• Anti-Catholic

Act

Who got thrown?

Thirty Years War

• The HREmperor at this point...Ferdinand III...is Catholic

• Hence...in Bohemia...we have a Protestant rebellion against a Catholic Majority

• Spain supports Ferdinand.• Bavaria is behind the Catholics...• You will actually have a Lutherans against the

Calvinists• Most of this fight will center on gaining territory, not

necessarily Religious Conversion.

Thirty Years War: Bohemian Period

• Ferdinand’s Army

• Lead by Tilly

Bohemian Period

• Re-Catholicized

Bohemia is...• Supported by

Spain• Round 1 =

Catholics

Maximillien...

Thirty Years War: Danish Period

• We see a dangerous swing as Catholicism re-energizes the HREmpire

• This draws Protestant help from Denmark...• But they are pushed back by the success of

Maximillien...• Remember Ferdinand III...Holy Roman

Emperor...ardent Catholic?• He uses the Mercenary Albrecht of Wallenstein

to crush Denmark...

Thirty Years War: Key Moment...

• Ferdinand Issues it

• Reasserts 1555

Edict of Restitution

• All lands to be returned...

• To the Catholics

Calvinism is Illegal • Lutherans as

well as• Calvinists

Galvanizes Protestants

Thirty Years War: Swedish Period

• Gustavus Adolphus – Lutheran Leader takes up the cause...

• Supported by French Cardinal Richelieu (Remember...anything Pro-French = Anti-Hapsburg = Spain)

• Supported by the Dutch (Remember the Spanish Campaigns in the Netherlands?)

Thirty Years War

• Remember Wallenstein?• He was the one, the mercenary, who fought for

the Catholics...• Very successful...• Ferdinand (Catholic HRE) has him assassinated!!!• Why? Wallenstein was looking out for his own

interests• And, this shows you Ferdinand was focused not

exactly on Religious issues.

Thirty Years War: Treaty of Westphalia

• Rescinds Edict of Restitution• Re-asserts the Peace of Augsburg• Calvinism is made legal• Swiss Confederacy and United Provinces of the

Netherlands are now Independent (both Protestant)

• France and Spain finally stop their fighting by 1559

• Long-Term Impact???

Thirty Years War: Looking Ahead

• These German state remain fragmented.• Central Europe will not have any real “states”

for centuries later...• While, in more Western Europe, centralized

nation States like France and England will dominate the landscape for Centuries.