The Thirty Years War (1618-1648) was a conflict fought primarily in Germany between Catholics and Protestants. While religious differences played a role, the goals of the various powers involved were mainly geopolitical, such as German princes seeking autonomy and France attempting to limit Hapsburg power. The war occurred in phases involving Bohemia, Denmark, Sweden, and finally France and Sweden against Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. It culminated in the Peace of Westphalia, which granted sovereignty to German princes and greater religious tolerance while curbing Hapsburg power. The war devastated Germany and marked the end of the age of religious wars in Europe.

1. The Thirty Years War
(1618-1648)

2. Cuius regio, eius religio
Pope Urban VIII

3. 1. In what ways are the Wars of Religion really
expression of civil war within the Holy Roman Empire?
2. Why is it difficult to pinpoint the end of the Protestant
Reformation?

4. Overview
• 1st continent wide war in Europe, (with many
more to come!), fought mainly in Germany
• The culmination of the religious wars of the
16th century between Catholics and
Protestants

5. Describe the main idea:

6. Goals:
• German Princes want to gain autonomy from
Holy Roman Empire
• France wants to limit Hapsburg power
• Spain wants to expand Hapsburg power into
Germany
• Sweden and Denmark want to strengthen their
control over the Baltic.
• Majority of goals are geopolitical, not
religious!!!!!!!!

8. The Bohemian Phase (1618-1625)
• Bohemians (modern day Czechs and Slovaks)
were mostly Calvinist
• Emperor Matthias I Catholic  Bohemians begin
to fear loss of religious freedoms
•  Defenestration of Prague
• Ferdinand II becomes Holy Roman Emperor and
with support of Spanish Hapsburgs crushes
protestant forces
• Catholics win and take land away from Protestant
nobles

9. The Danish Phase (1625-1630)
• Christian IV of Denmark (Lutheran) wants to
strengthen Protestants in Germany and annex
German lands for his son.
• Ferdinand II has mercenary army raised 
much pillaging and plundering, defeat Danes
in 1626.
• 1629 Ferdinand II passes The Edict of
Restitution restored all of the protestant states
back to Catholicism

10. The Swedish Phase (1625-1630)
• Cardinal Richelieu (Regent to Louis XIII of France) gives
financial aid to Sweden to encourage more war.
• Swedish king Gustavus Adolphus, a Lutheran is eager to
fight to strengthen protestant claims.
• Adolohus wins decisive victory against Catholics, but is
then killed.
• German princes enter into separate peace with
emperor.
• The Peace of Prague revokes Edict of Restitution
• Swede defeated, but Richelieu still hopes to undermine
Hapsburg power in Germany

11. The French-Swedish Phase (1635-1648)
• France, Holland, and Savoy all enter war on
Sweden’s side
• Spain continues to support Holy Roman
Empire
• French defeat Spanish at Rocroi
• 1644 peace talks begin in Westphalia

12. The Peace of Westphalia
Cuius region, eius religio!
• Peace of Augsburg reinstituted, Calvinism added
• Edict of Restitution revoked, land lost by protestant
landlords returned
• Switzerland and Holland gain independence from
Hapsburgs
• France, Sweden, and Brandenburg (eventually
Prussia) gain territory
• German princes were made sovereign rulers limiting
power of HRE.
– Over 300 leaders in Germany, unification will not occur
until 19th century!

14. Effects of Thirty Years War
• Germany devastated
• age of religious wars end, greater religious
tolerance, rise of nation-states, “balance of
power
• Hapsburg power weakened greatly
• Protestant and counter reformations slowed,
Protestantism safely established.