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Period: 1555 to
The Buildup; Following the Peace of Augsburg
On September 25, 1555, Charles V and Lutheran rulers signed a treaty with the aim of ending the religious division between German Lutherans and Catholics, as well as the bloodshed that had erupted as a result of it. Ferdinand II's election as Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia (1617) would be problematic as his intentions did not comply with the treaty. -
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Bohemian Revolt
Nobles of Bohemia sided with the majority Protestant states, while Ferdinand II pursued the patronage of his catholic nephew, King Phillip IV of Spain. Phillip IV accepted that this would enable an opportunity for the Spanish to reconquer the Dutch. The Battle of White Mountain (1620) would mark the start of a significant war between these two groups. It took place near Prague Castle, and the Roman Catholics claimed victory over the Protestant states (Bohemians). -
Defenestration of Prague
There would be a huge rally outside the castle of Prague with the aim of freeing hostages. When the appeal was refused, the Protestants took advantage of the situation by releasing two Catholic councilors and a secretary (Representatives of Ferdinand II) outside the castle's window (Defenestration). -
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Danish Intervention
Since Denmark was immediately north of the Holy Roman Empire, it was only inevitable that neighboring Protestant states would address the conflict. Following the loss of the Bohemians, Christian IV, the Lutheran King of Denmark, worried that his rule would be endangered. The Danish Intervention would be considered another defeat for Protestant states. This is since reinforcements would not arrive on time. The ratio in troops would be about 35,000:100,000 to Ferdinand II's advantage. -
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Swedish Intervention
The Swedish Intervention marks a significant turning point in the war. Until now, the fighting has primarily centered around faith and local conflict. This is the point at which it begins to morph into a European continental political conflict. Gustavus used the opportunity to construct a military force capable of repelling Ferdinand II's 50,000-strong army and reclaiming some of the territory lost to the Catholics, between 1630-1634. -
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French Intervention
Despite being a Catholic nation, France was dissatisfied with the provisions of the Peace of Prague. France joined the Protestant side to counteract the two powerful catholic nations surrounding it. Even before joining the Protestant side, France was the one who arranged the funds for Sweden and other nations to form their armies. They would be trading decisive victories and defeats with the Holy Roman Empire, capturing territory only to lose it in the next campaign. -
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Battle of Prague
The Battle of Prague was the last battle of the Thirty Years' War. The Swedes advanced on Prague Castle, where the war began, in order to reclaim it from the Holy Roman Empire. The action was successful for them. Although they were unable to retake the entire capital of Prague, and the fighting would continue until the signing of the Peace of Westphalia. -
Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia would put an end to the Thirty Years' War (as well as the Eighty Years' War for Dutch independence between the Dutch and the Spanish). The Peace of Westphalia was a series of treaties that practically put an end to a number of political and religious tensions, or at the very least, subdued them. It would play a role in setting certain ground rules that Europe would have to adhere to in order to avoid a repeat of the ordeal. -
Aftermath
The Thirty Years' War was a pivotal incident in European history since it exposed many inconsistencies in the existing World Order. The war is credited with establishing a modern form of civil order in Europe, which would later inspire other continents to follow suit. Most notably, the Peace of Westphalia would be symbolic because it established a basis for separating religion from European politics and would put an end to religious strife.