the thirty years war let’s contextualize the war in the face of the other religious wars that we...
TRANSCRIPT
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War
• Let’s contextualize the War in the face of the other religious wars that we saw in the 16th Century.
• We have the Calvinist and Catholic conflict, but there is also a curious break between the Lutherans and the Calvinists sparked by the Transubstantiation issue.
• Other issues that precipitated the conflict are particular to this geographic area.
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• Under the Peace of Augsburg in 1555 Lutheranism had been given official recognition in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Lands of the Roman Catholic Church which had previously been taken by secular powers were retained by them. Land was lost. Power was lost.
• German rulers could also impose their religion on their subjects.
• “Cuius Regio”, “Eius religio”
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Yet, 1555 provided no real peace, and there were cases of Princes converting to Calvinism, and then confiscating lands previously controlled by the church.
This was particularly common in Northern German states, and most of the locals still were Roman Catholic, and this caused tensions.
So, the Peace was really a way to stop one conflict, but as is often the case, it precipitated another.
Problems in the German States
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We will see an extension of sorts of the Catholic League. (remember that from our study of the French Wars of Religion?)
Keep in mind as well that, at the turn of 1600, Spain has not exactly collapsed, but their plans for a Roman Catholic Empire would now be re-directed to the influence and hopeful expansion of the Habsburg States in the Holy Roman Empire.
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• We will see Bavaria as a Roman Catholic stronghold, and the Palatinate and the Calvinist bastion in Central Europe.
• Let’s go back to Spain for a moment, and consider what role they will play on this seemingly central European conflict.
• Remember Phillip II?• His son, Phillip III (clever, no?) wanted to
continue his father’s vision of a Catholic Empire.
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• Remember the whole Spanish/Netherlands battle?
• It ended in a sort of a draw, with Spain retaining the southern provinces, the so-called “Obedient Provinces.”
• So, from a Spanish perspective, the next logical step, (since the Armada failed, and they couldn't get those pesky Protestants in the Netherlands under control) would be to expand their holdings in the Habsburg territories in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Got is so far?• Spain looked to re-establish control over the HRE
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• But...it was a very different HRE Empire than when Phillip III’s grandfather (Charles V) was the Holy Roman Emperor.
• This is nearly 1600, and much territory has changed hands, into Protestant hands.
• So, we can see a great deal of interest by the Spanish Crown, who will support Catholic States in the upcoming War.
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• Further, any renewed attacks against the Netherlands could not be done by sailing there, because the English would not tolerate it, and after the debacle of the Spanish Armada, it just wasn’t possible.
• So, Spain had to rely on a land based expansion if they were to re-gain a foothold in the northern Netherlands Provinces.
• Go around France, rather than sailing through the English Channel?
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War• Now, remember France and the Wars of
Religion?• OHHH! This is all coming together now!• If Spain was going to continue their Catholic
crusade, they would have to go around the border of France.
• But wait,” you ask, “I thought Henry IV was “converted” in 1593, so why would Spanish Troops marching be a problem?”
• Religion and politics make strange bedfellows!
• Remember that France saw Spain as an enemy, regardless of their religious affiliation.
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War• Of course, we remember that Religion can take
a back seat to monarchical power and stability.• As a result, when the Thirty years War begins,
France will take a decidedly anti-Spanish, seemingly “anti-Catholic” stance,
• And, by the time of the third phase of the War, Cardinal Richelieu, (advisor to Louis XIII), (son of the assassinated Henry IV) will aid the Protestant cause because it was wisest for the French Crown.
• A Catholic Cardinal supports Protestants, because a weak Spain meant for a stronger France.
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So, Spain will have a big dog in this fight.Remember as well one of the provisions of the
Treaty of Westphalia (which ends the 30 years war) will be the unification of the provinces of the Netherlands.
This means that Spain lost out in its quest to unify them under a Catholic crown.
It is the beginning of a long slide for Spain which will see their royal treasury dwindle and their colonial empire begin to shrink.
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War• Now, your saying to yourself, (self) what about
those Calvinists and Catholics in the Holy Roman Empire.
• Let’s look at the factions in some of the territorial states, and see what gets us to that magic day when the Catholic regents fall in ****
• The precedent was set in the HRE when Frederick III becomes the elector of Palatine, and converted the entire territory to Calvinism.
• Here we have the establishment of the principal of what 1555 was about, and also the seeds of the conflict to be called the Thirty Years War.
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• The capital city of the Palatine, Heidelberg, was now the northern version of Calvin’s Geneva.
• So, if there was an expansion of the Calvinist forces of the Palatine, this, particularly for the Lutherans, would seem to be a violation of 1555.
• Got it?• Expansion can be looked at through
the eye of the beholder!
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• It doesn‘t’help that the Elector Frederick II took the Eucharist, the very foundation of transubstantiation, and mocked it as a “fine God.”
• Lutherans and Catholics alike were outraged!
• We move from the Palatine to Bavaria, which will be a stronghold for the pro-catholic forces, pushed by the Jesuits and supported by the Spanish crown.
• Bavaria is where Jan Hus, an early influence on martin Luther, was burned alive by Catholics in 1415.
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Maximilian I would be the founder of the Catholic League in Bavaria, and here would be the hot bed of conflict which would bring all of these various forces together for the first modern war in Europe, both in scope and execution.
Frederick IV, successor to Frederick III of the Palatine had formed his own alliance of Calvinist forces, and it was centered again in the Palatine.
Sides and Territory
• Palatine• Hard Core Calvinists• Frederick III – makes
Heidelberg like another Geneva (succeeded by Frederick IV)
• Supported by England, France and Netherlands
• Bavaria• Hard Core Catholics• Maximilian I –
supported by the Catholic League, Spain and Rome. (Later Ferdinand I)
• Jesuits are active here as well.
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• Bohemian Phase- Phase 1• Bohemia, right next to the Calvinist
Palatine, was controlled in 1618 by a very Catholic Ferdinand I, who wanted to restore these eastern territories to Catholicism.
• Once he gets a hold of the crown in Bohemia, he revokes the religious freedoms of the Bohemian Protestants, and this does not go well.
• And this brings us to one of the great moments of our course, the “Defenestration of Prague.”
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• The Protestants storm the palace in Prague, and throw the Catholic regents out of a window.
• Horse manure breaks their fall, but they are still in deep…ah…water. (See, the moat usually holds water, and…well…never mind!)
• Ferdinand , remember him? Well, he is elected now as Holy Roman Emperor, (Ferdinand II) which means that he will try and impose his Catholic views on all of the provinces within the HRE.
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Of course this is not going to go well with the Bohemians, and they throw their allegiance to the Calvinist Palatine and the elector Frederick V.
So, what was seemingly a local war is now made international because of all of the allegiances.
Here is an easy way to remember the initial sides: sing your alphabet song:◦Bohemia comes before Palatine◦Ferdinand comes before Frederick◦Catholic comes before Protestant
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• What do you need to know about the phases of the War?
• Bohemian Phase – Big victory for the catholic forces of Ferdinand II. Frederick V’s forces are roundly defeated.
• Danish Period – Now, if we look at the title of this, we can see why the name is significant.
• Denmark is looking, as a Lutheran kingdom, to expand, and they also feared an expansion of Catholic forces under the leadership of Ferdinand, supported by those pesky Spanish.
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Further, the Danes are supported by the English, no surprise given their history with Spain.
The French, who we have established are willing to cross religious lines to effect a defeat of the Spanish.
Still round two goes to the Catholic forces, and this brings us to the Edict of Restitution, 1629.
Mucho Importante!!!
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War• Ferdinand, with help from Albrecht Wallenstein,
who, though a Protestant, was using the war as a way to carve out territory in his name. (he was, essentially free agent, as we shall see)
• Ferdinand is so emboldened by Wallenstein's victories that he declares a re-establishment of the Peace of Augsburg, mandating that all lands lost by Catholics to the Protestants must be turned back over.
• Further, he “re-declare the illegality of Calvinism.
• Very strong words that provoke an equally strong response.
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• Think of it this way: at least twenty eight major cities would have to be turned over, lock stock and barrel to the Catholics.
• Does it seem realistic to try and reverse the clock and make believe that the Reformation never occurred?
• Of course not!• Third Phase: Swedish Phase. • Oh, that’s right: Sweden is a bastion of
Protestantism! (Lutheranism)
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• Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden supported by the French, (remember Cardinal Richelieu, and the anti-Habsburg sentiment) and the Dutch, ( we know they wanted the Spanish to fail) becomes the man who turns the tide of the Catholic momentum.
• And, though Wallenstein kills Gustavus, we also know that Ferdinand II, fearful of the power of Wallenstein, had him assassinated.
• Apparently, there is a lack of the whole “loyalty thing” here.
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• Both France and Netherlands refuse to join the Peace of Prague in 1635, which prolongs the war for another decade, and more.
• The Swedish-French Period – chaos, looting, rape, and pillaging.
• Which brings us to Westphalia:1648.• Let’s look again at the provisions, and
consider what this means long term.
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years WarThe Edict of Restitution was rescindedThe primary focus of the peace of Augsburg,
which was religious self-determination was clearly enforced
Calvinists were finally recognized as a legal religion
Both the Swiss Confederacy and the United Provinces of Holland were now proclaimed independent by law.
What does this mean?
The Thirty Years WarThe Thirty Years War• Spain’s goal of a Roman Catholic Empire is
now ended.• Calvinists are now legitimized, but that does
not mean that persecution will end.• The Netherlands begins an arc of economic
hegemony based on their unified status.• Autonomy within in the German states will
ensure a fragmented political climate, while Western European states centralize and thrive. (France and England)
• We will begin to see the rise of the state of Prussia, which will be the driving force of ultimate German unification.