Thirty+Years+War

Joanna Cheng
 * Thirty Years War**


 * Background (Intro Paragraph)**
 * Peace of Hapsburg (1555) —brought end to religious warfare between German Catholics and Lutherans
 * did not recognize the rights of Calvinism
 * German states adopted Calvinism as state religion; religious balance in Germany was threatened
 * Protestant Union—league of German Protestant states organized by Elector Palatine Frederick IV
 * supported by Dutch, English and French
 * Catholic League—organized by Duke Maximilian of Bavaria
 * supported by Spain and Holy Roman Emperor
 * Divided into hostile camps and ready for war
 * Interests of Hapsburg emperors vs. German princes fighting for "German liberties"
 * Spain vs. France


 * Bohemian Phase (First Body)**
 * Bohemian Estates (nobles), accepted Hapsburg Archduke Ferdinand II as their king—soon became unhappy with their choice
 * nobles Calvinists vs. Catholic king—re-Catholicizing Bohemia & strengthening royal power
 * Protestant nobles rebelled against Ferdinand II
 * threw two of the Hapsburg governors and a secretary out of window of royal castle in Prague
 * seized Bohemia, disposed Ferdinand II and elected Protestant ruler of the Palatinate, Elector Frederick V (leader of the Protestant Union)
 * Ferdinand II (now Holy Roman Emperor)—fought back
 * Maximilian of Bavarian & Catholic League, imperial forces defeated Frederick V at Battle of White Mountain
 * Frederick, having lost crown of Bohemia and Palatinate, flees into exile
 * Spanish troops took advantage of Frederick; invading & conquering the Palatinate
 * Spanish took control of western Palatinate; gain access route from Italy to Netherlands
 * Duke Maximilian of Bavaria takes rest of Palatinate
 * Emperor Ferdinand declares Bohemia a hereditary Hapsburg possession
 * confiscates lands of Protestant nobles & establishes Catholicism as sole religion


 * Danish Phase (Second Body)**
 * King Christian IV of Denmark, a Lutheran, intervened on behalf of Protestant cause by leading an army into northern Germany
 * also wished to annex territories in northern Germany to gain control of southern Baltic
 * Wallenstein, brilliant commander of imperial forces, marched army north and defeated Danes
 * ended Dane's supremacy in Baltic, trade
 * imperial army occupies Baltic ports
 * Emperor Ferdinand issues Edict of Restitution—prohibits Calvinist worship & restores to the Catholic church all property take by Protestant princes/cities during past 75 years


 * Swedish Phase (Third Body)**
 * Gustavus Adolphus, Sweden's great military leader, enters conflict to revive Protestant cause & secure trade in Baltic
 * responsible for reviving Sweden and making it a great Baltic power
 * French provided financial support to Gustavus because they were disturbed by the Hapsburg consolidation of power
 * brought disciplined & well-equipped Swedish army to northern Germany
 * devout Lutheran & felt obligated to help co-religionists in Germany
 * swept imperial forces out of the north and moves into the heart of Germany
 * Battle of Lutzen—Swedish forces prevail but lose their King, Gustavus Adolphus, in battle
 * Battle of Nordlingen—imperial army decisively defeated Swedish forces and drove them out of southern Germany
 * Southern Germany remained Catholic


 * Franco-Swedish Phase (Fourth Body)**
 * Religious issues were losing their significance
 * Catholic French supporting Protestant Swedes against Catholic Hapsburg of Germany and Sapin
 * War fought by Sweden in northern Germany
 * France in Netherlands and along Rhine in western Germany
 * Battle of Rocroi (1643)—French beat Spanish and brought an end to Spanish military greatness
 * Peace of Westphalia ended conflict
 * France emerged as dominant nation in Europe
 * Spain had become a second-class power

Sources: AP Achiever, []