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.