Wars of Religion

Libertyville HS

Why did wars of religion break out, across Europe?

• 1520s-30s: Protestant religion was spreading, causing concern amongst Catholics

• Peasant revolts in HRE, France

• Catholic rulers took opportunity to crack down on Protestant subjects, strengthen own power (esp. vs. nobility)

Wars of Religion: France• France about 92% Catholic• French Protestants

(Huguenots) about 8%, but concentrated in important parts of France– Cities– Merchants, professionals =

middle class– Some nobility converted

• King was young, weak; nobles families were strong

• Queen Catherine de Medici = regent; tried to keep all sides balanced, politically

Huguenots, imprisoned for their faith

Wars of Religion: France

• War started in 1562 with Catholic-led army attacking Protestant church service, killing everyone they could

• Started 40 years of war, bloodshed

• Political question of war: Who was going to rule, King or nobles?

Wars of Religion: France

• St. Bartholomew’s Massacre (1572)– Royal (Catholic) forces

hunt down, execute 3000 protestants in one day

– Over next 3 days, 20,000 more protestants executed across France

Wars of Religion: France• Significance of

Massacre– Protestants stop viewing

Catholic Church as misguided but instead as force of the Devil

– No longer fighting for reformed church; fighting for survival!

– Protestants become militant, buying weapons, etc.

– Protestants want REVENGE!

Wars of Religion: France• Edict of Nantes (1598)

– Protestant, Henry of Navarre, becomes King of France (Henry IV)

– Converts to Catholicism, saying “Paris is worth the price of a Mass”

– Henry IV declared the Edict of Nantes, granting Protestants rights • Worship publicly• Occupy public office• Be admitted to school /

university• Administer own towns

Wars of Religion: Spain

• Philip II – became king, ruled

from 1556-1598– Zealous Catholic,

defender of the church

– Spent his rule trying to stop Protestantism and reverse its gains

Wars of Religion: Spain

• Spain’s greatest success was against Muslims, at battle of Lepanto (1571)

• Netherlands Rebellion– Possession of Spain– Turned Calvinist,

rebelled– Rebellion lasted 25

years; Spain eventually lost Netherlands

Wars of Religion: Spain• Spain’s Invasion of

England (1587-88)• Why did Spain want to

attack England?– Elizabeth I authorized attacks

on Spanish treasure ships– English alliances with French

Protestants (Huguenots) & Netherlands

– England sent weapons, troops, money to Netherlands

– English executed Mary, Queen of Scots (Catholic)

– Elizabeth was Protestant ruler!

Wars of Religion: Spain

• Spanish Armada (1588)– Philip sent 130 ships,

25k troops to attack England

– Dutch, English fleet defeated Spanish, forcing them around England & Ireland

– Defeat of Armada was a huge boost in morale for Protestants

Thirty Years War, 1618-1648• Causes of war

– Peace of Augsburg (1555)• Ended fighting in HRE that

had started with spread of Lutheranism

• HRE rulers could choose religion of state

• No recognition of Calvinism

– France felt threatened by Hapsburg family• Hapsburg ruler in Spain• Hapsburg ruler of Austria &

HRE!

– Spain was anti-Protestant– Sweden, Denmark wanted

control of German Baltic states

The 30 Years’ War (1618-1648)

• Immediate cause of war: Defenestration of Prague

• First “world war” of Europe– Catholic Forces included

Austria, Spain, Bavaria, Hungary, Catholic League

– Protestant forces included Sweden, Bohemia, Denmark-Norway, Dutch Republic, Saxony, Palatinate, England, Brandenburg-Prussia, Transylvania

– France

The 30 Years’ War (1618-1648)

• War fought mainly in HRE, destroying the land & economy– Estimated population loss of HRE

was 33%, including 50% of male population

– Disease, starvation were greatest killers of non-combatants (peasants)

Thirty Years’ War, 1618-1648• Treaty of Westphalia

– Ended war– Affirmed that every state’s

ruler within HRE could decided his state’s religion

– Recognized Calvinism’s right to exist

• Other effects of 30 Years’ War– Showed Spain’s weakness– France became dominant

European power– Established modern

European state, with national armies (not mercenaries)