How Did The Thirty Years War Affect European History

For many, after the dreadful seven years’ war all thought it could only get better. Britain sustained a massive debt leaving them in a hole so deep you could not see light. Britain had sought to acquire all nessary funds to help lessen the debt as much as possible, leaving the people angered, especially people from the colonies. Britain began to impose an abundance of unsanctioned taxes on them. The American colonist were infuriated with such actions, arguing that they it was not consulted. In accordance to all these events many had took it up themselves to express their opinion with action.

The beginning of the 20th century in Europe was a prime time. Europe controlled many empires around the world. Its technology was the greatest it has ever been. In 1914, war broke out lasting four long, dreadful years. The war killed millions of civilians and destroyed the economies leaving Europe broken.

The massive disturbance that the Reformation caused had an enduring impact on European politics. After the Catholic Church considered Martin Luther a “protestant,” Europe became divided along confessional and territorial lines. The religious chaos of the period led to warfare within most states and between many. This warfare, especially the Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648), destroyed Europe. For example, the Lutherans and the Holy Roman Empire ended a war in 1555 with a stalemate to sign the peace of Augsburg. The most crucial part of this treaty was “cuius regio eius religio,” which mean’t whatever political entity controlled an area had the right to decide what religion that area would follow. The Peace of Augsburg was only intended to be temporary, but it caused many unintended issues such as the split of Germany until its unification in the 1860s.

Following many years of strife between Catholics and Protestant Reformers, war broke out in the Holy Roman Empire in 1618. This long lasting conflict, known as the Thirty Years’ War, would not cease until the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648. The political, economic, and social causes had been intensifying since the Protestant Reformation and the Peace of Augsburg. With a nation divided vastly, in massive debt, and in continuous religious conflict, there was only one solution: war. The Thirty Years’ War was a turning point in modern European history because new strong nations emerged, but the war also brought devastation to European populations and economics.

Martin Luther and Jean Calvin were the two of the most influential reformers during the Protestant Reformation. Luther began the Protestant Reformation by nailing his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Chapel in 1517 in response to the corruption and abuses of the Catholic Church. In Switzerland, Calvin also had new ideas about religion, the main being predestination (the belief that people's fates (whether they go to Heaven or Hell) are predetermined when they are born). Their reforms and ideas definitely laid the foundation for capitalism, free government/democracy, religious tolerance, and individualism, but I do not believe that the reformers (people like Luther and Calvin) had the direct intention of doing these things.

The Reformation affected Europe in many ways, leaving many lasting effects on the people, churches, and government.

Richelieu was important for French history as he strengthened the French monarchy through the unification of France, lessening of nobles’ power and boosting economic growth. Richelieu unified France by making French the national language of France. The unification of France made it easier for Louis XIII to achieve an Absolutist government. Richelieu minimised the nobles’ power, which in turn increased the monarch’s power. Richelieu also managed the economic activities of France. These strengthened the French monarchy significantly.

Danish, Swedish and French forces intervene in support of the Protestants while the Spanish intervene in support of the Catholics. The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years War in 1648 and recognizes all states within the Holy Roman Empire as individual, and the concept of sovereignty arises. The states no longer have the right to tell each other what they can and cannot do within their own borders. The Holy Roman Empire slowly started to fall apart as a result of the Protestant reformation. Sovereignty is seen today in western civilization, no states or countries have the right to tell one and other what to do which keeps the world on good terms (McKay). From a political stand point European Expansion gained Europe huge amounts of power. Europe was able to start trading with other nations and getting silver and gold. European Expansion allowed for Europe to become wealthy in both goods and land by exploring into the Americas and forming colonies in those new areas.

The black plague changed European history in many necessary ways in which. Its fatal symptoms took many human lives, and its influence carried over into many areas of society. Economically, Europe flourished as results of condition allowed wealth for plenty of people. But people suffered religiously as a result of the malady brought

During and after World War I, the United States’ economy suffered. Citizens were expected to pay liberty bonds to support the war (Doc.

The Black Death changed European history in many significant ways. Its fatal symptoms took many human lives, and its influence carried over into many areas of society. Economically, Europe flourished because

The four stages of the Thirty Years' War, which was fought mostly in the Holy Roman Empire (modern Germany), involved nearly all of the major powers of Europe, and was a war that used religion as a cover-up for politics. The war caused the demise of the Holy Roman Empire, and the rise of France as the new power in Europe. During the war new technologies also were used. The Thirty Year's War was ended by the peace of Westphalia in 1648.

1500 A.D. is known as the Rise of Europe. Europe took Chinese inventions and developed them to their full potential. They used the new ideas for overseas expansions, in return, this triggered more technological advances and changes. This caused a transition from medieval to modern civilization. The rise of the nation-state also was an important factor in the rise of Europe. European power rose to a new level of effectiveness and for the first time it gave Europeans a clear margin of superiority over the other great world cultures. European's domination was challenged and rejected. Others felt that Europe's domination left little to individual choice and destroys life's richness and diversity. The two historical fault lines that run in Europe are significant because they stand for the lines that show where war and conflict was located.

November 11, 1918, Europe would be left in utter devastation from the effects of World War I. These effects which would have unprecedented effect on the development on European nations into modern nations. However, the immediate impact of the policies and treaties created by the “Big Four” (Great Britain, Italy, France and The United States) would leave devastating irreversible consequences on the Great War’s losers. The most important treaty that the allies would make would be The Treaty of Versailles, signed on June 28th, 1919. This treaty would have the most destructive consequences on Germany, whom would become bitter, nationalistic, and isolated from its effects. As Holborn puts it, “the treaty did not solve the problem of reparations, which was not settled for years to come in a fashion that would have stabilized the social and economic conditions of Europe. The struggle about the economic settlement of World War I kept alive and magnified the national hostilities which the political provinces of the peace produced.”1 The Treaty of Versailles would require Germany to surrender vast amounts of territory in Europe and oversea, diminish its military might significantly, impose insurmountable financial and economic demands, as well as making her accept the ‘War Guilt Clause;’ this in turn would make the Germans feel a national humiliation and cause tremendous resent, this in turn would lead to the rise of authoritarianism, expansionism and the public demand for redemption.

The Church was slow to respond to the threat of Luther and other reformers and so the council of Trent , tried to fix the problems that had triggered the Reformation .“The gathering at Trent found a balanced solution , since it decided to discuss alternately one theological issue and one reform issue.”This lead to the state and the church becoming more organised and systematic , the clergy was better trained and so there was better religious teachings and instructions. The catholic church after the counter- reformation put in more effort because of the protestant threat and so became more spiritual and more educated . The consequences of the reformation and the counter- reformation let to long lasting political and religious wars and rebellions . The thirty year war ( 1618-1648) was one of them . The war was Catholics against protestants and France against the Habsburg's . The Thirty year war was one of the wort conflicts Europe had experienced till then