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Jan 1, 1555
The Peace of Augsburg
The Peace of Augsburg
A peace established in the Holy Roman Empire because of the religious conflict caused by the Reformation. It claimed that every prince had the freedom to choose whether Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism would be the general religion in his lands. Free cities had to allow both religions, but Calvanists and others were ignored. -
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King Christian IV
Christian IV of Denmark Christian IV was a King of Denmark and Norway who lead the country into the Thirty Years War and brought disaster upon it. He entered the war in order to protect Danish interests in Northern Germany, thus defending the Protestants. In 1625 he began operations against the Catholic League, but was defeated in 1626. He had a temporary alliance with the Swedes but concluded a separate peace with the Holy Roman emperor, ending the Danish participation in the Thirty Years War. -
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Maximilian I of Bavaria
Maximilian I of Bavaria Maximilian I was a duke of Bavaria who was on the side on Roman Catholics. In 1609 he formed the Catholic League and in 1619 he send its army to fight with the protestant rebels of Frederick I. Maximilian was presend at the Battle of White Mountain where his troops defeated Frederick's. In 1623, he and the Holy Roman Emperor took all of northern Germany and most of Denmark. In 1632, Bavaria fell to Swedes and he fled. He was defeated a few more times before the Peace of Westphalia saved him. -
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Cardinal Richelieu
Cardinal Richelieu Richelieu was chief minister of King Louis XIII. France joined the war in 1635 on Protestant's side. He initiated secret peace negotiations with Spain since then and renewed them repeatedly. The Cardinal considered the Dutch Republic as one of the most French allies. Richelier's goal was to counter Habsburg hegemony in Europe, because it threatened France's independence. In the end he succeeded in turning the conflict from Catholicism vs Protestantism into nationalism versus Habsburg hegemony. -
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King Louis XIII
King Louis XIII Louis XIII is a French King whose main goal was to make France leading European power. He joined the war in 1635 when France declared war on Spain. Later, there was a danger of Spanish forces reaching Paris but the King refused to evacuate the city and drove back the enemies. Around 1638, he started doubting the allience with the Protestants but Cardinal Richelieu managed to overcome his doubts. In the end, France won substantial victories in the war and he was one of the most powerful monarchs -
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King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden Gustavus Adolphus was the Swedish King who made the country major European power. He was considered "Protestant Hero" with his participation in the war. He joined it in 1630 and in 1631 he had already invaded big part of Germany. He lay the basis of a new established Protestant league. His success depended on the outcome of his 1632 campaign. He died during the Battle of Lützen, even though Sweden won important victory. His intervention in the war ensured the survival of German Protestantism. -
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Ferdinand of Styria as king of Bohemia
Ferdinand of Styria as king of Bohemia
He is most important in being the leader of the Roman Catholic Counter-Reformation. In addition, he was of absolutist rule during the Thirty Years’ War. Also, as a king of Bohemia, he forcibly catholicized it. -
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Bohemian Period
Bohemian Period The period of the Thirty Years wars when Protestants and Catholics were fighting over the throne of Bohemia. It started with a Protestant revolt, but it ended with the Catholics winning. -
Defenestration of Prague
Defenestration of Prague
The Roman Catholic officials closed the Protestant churches built by the citizens of Hrob and Braumov, which was a violation of the established in 1609 religious liberty in the Letter of Majesty. As a result protestants gathered in Prague and condemned William Slavata and Jaroslav Martinic as guilty and together with their secretary were thrown from the council room of Hradčany (Prague Castle). -
Battle of White Mountain
Battle of White Mountain
A battle fought near Prague in Bohemia, which marked the end of the Bohemian period. The Roman Catholic Habsburgs won, which was their first significant victory over the Protestant Union. Their victory allowed for the house of Habsburg to get rid of constitutional rule in Bohemia and to establish an authoritarian government, which lasted for three centuries. -
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Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV was a king of Spain exactly during its decline as a great world power. He took advantage of the Thirty Years Wars as to help him restore Spanish leadership in Europe. He thought of doing it using the Habsburg dynasty. As a result, Spain won some victories. However, by the end of Philip IV's reign of Spain, it had become a country of second-class power. -
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The Danish Period
Danish Period
It started when the Lutheran king of Denmark supported Protestants against Frederick II. This way Denmark joins the fight against Catholicism. The result, however, is still a victory for the Cathoilcs as the Danish promise to not intervene again in the German affairs. -
Treaty of Lübeck
Treaty of Lübeck
It marked the ending of the Danish period. The treaty was done by the Danish king Christian IV and the imperial general A. Wallenstein. It forced Denmark, which had suffered much from fighting on the side of the anti-Hapsburg coalition, to retire from the conflict. -
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The Swedish Period
Swedish Period In this period Catholic France, ruled by the Bourbons, stepped into an allience with Protestant Sweden against Catholic Hapsburgs. The conflics becam a wide European War. The Swedish forces were once again defeded by the emperor, once again a victory for the Catholics. -
Battle of Lutzen
Battle of Lutzen
the Protestants (Gustavus Adolphus) vs. the Catholics (Albrecht von Wallenstein); The Protestants (Swedes) defeated the Holy Roman Empire (Catholics). Gustavus Adolphus was killed, but rather than collapsing when hearing of their king's death, the Protestants became even more motivated to win because they had one more reason - to avenge their king's death. The battle ended the Catholic threat to Saxony. -
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French Period
French Period Started with France intervening directly nto the war. This was the final stage of the war. Cardinal Richelieu wanted to weaken the Hapsburgs power. French had a success against Spain and was able to send more troops to Germany, where the emperor was currently aided by Catholic Princes and King Maximilian of Bavaria. This French move helped them in winning over Spain. Peace negotiations were started. -
The Treaty of Prague
The Treaty of Prague
The treaty ended the Austro-Prussian War and made the German princes weaker. Because of it Austria lost Venetia, which was given to Italy. The Kingdom of Prussia resulted being the only major power in Germany for the Habsburgs were driven out of the German affairs. Overall, the treaty was very good for whole Europe for it stopped fights between states and ended religion being a cause for conflict. -
The Peace of Westphalia
The Peace of Westphalia
The greatest significance of this peace is that it marked the end of the Thirty Years' Wars. In December 1644 the peace conference that decided to end the war opened in Münster and Osnabrück. The treaty won independence for the Swiss of Austria and for the Netherlands of Spain. Sweden, Brandenburg, Bavaria and France all made gains. Eventually, Protestantism was announced to stay. -
Treaty of the Pyrenees
Treaty of the Pyrenees
a peace treaty between Louis XIV of France and Philip IV of Spain; signed to end the Franco-Spanish War of 1648–59; marks the beginning of the French domination in Europe. Because of the treaty Louis XIV married the Spanish infanta Maria Teresa de Austria. Overall, the treaty and the great marriage established Louis XIV as the most powerful of all European monarchs.
