The Legacy Of The Thirty Years War

The Thirty Years War was an incredibly important event that took place during the 17th century. It caused phenomenally high destruction rates throughout Europe, especially Germany. These battles that make up the Thirty Years Wars were extremely influential towards the European people and governments. The Thirty Years War seemed to have many political factors that fueled its beginning and continuation but the religious factors were more prominent and important to the progression and completion of the war.

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.

The Seven Years’ War, also known as the French and Indian War in the colonies, was the beginning of outward conflict between the British and French over North American colonies. Most Europeans viewed the Indians as a means to get something they wanted; they were pawns during this struggle in North America. During the 18th century, there were many alliances and discord among the Indians and the Europeans. The demise of many alliances was the lack of trust and suspicions of betrayal. The Europeans were a dominating force in the French and Indian War affecting aspects of territory, trade, and government in North America.

Although he absolutely opposed Martin Luther and the entire protestant reformation, his actions were crucial in the spread of the reformation. When Emperor Charles V agreed to a revival of the imperial Supreme Court and the council of regency and promised to consult with a diet of the empire on all major domestic affairs that affected the empire, he helped the development of the reformation by preventing unilateral imperial action against the Germans. Overwhelmed by all the land he controlled and the Habsburg wars he was involved in, Charles V was not able to stop Luther from reforming the church. He eventually gave up and signed the Peace of Augsburg on September 25, 1555. The Peace of Augsburg was the legalization of Catholicism and Lutheranism in the country of Germany. As a result to this peace treaty, the protestant reformation was spread throughout Germany and began to

Throughout the course of mankind, wars were raged on different continents. During this extended period of time, roughly four thousand years, there have been two wars labeled as “World Wars.” However, with research and expanded knowledge, there should at least be three “world wars,” and have the names altered to fit the criteria of such. This added war is known as: The Seven Years War. Despite misguiding evidence, and different historical accounts, the war can either be placed to have originated in 1754 or 1756, but an agreeable ending in the year 1763 can at least help identify this war efficiently. The Seven Years War, also known in the United States as the French and Indian War, should have been more prominently named the First World War because it was fought on a front of four different continents: North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The ability to have a war waged on more than three continents or four continents to be clear, despite not having a set definition, should able to be classified as being a World War.

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.

World War I the first of its kind would mark an entire generation; could what today is known as the lost generation have been avoidable or was President Woodrow Wilson just prolonging the inevitable by his neutrality. The following will guide you through a brief outline of the WWI and how one man 's justifications sent an entire nation to war.

The Peace of Augsburg and Martin Luther were very important in the shift of Europe after the Reformation.

The Church changed with Martin Luther’s returning. The German princes who supported Luther took control of Catholic churches in their own territories. This caused the formation of separate churches under supervision of the government. The Peasant Revolts, in 1524, helped Luther. Peasants thought that social issues should be changed like church issues had been. 100,000 people ended up being killed, leading many to go back to the Catholic Church. In 1555 the Peace of Augsburg was put into effect. The Peace of Augsburg was an agreement to accept the division of Christianity of Germany. The German princes could choose whether they wanted to accept Lutheranism or just stay Catholic. The people of had no choice.

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.

In the end the Triple Entente (England, France and Russia later to be joined by Italy, the United States and Japan) defeated the Triple Alliance (Germany, Austria Hungary and the Ottoman Empire). The conflict which was long and bloody was marked by trench warfare and the use of chemical weapons. It was fought mostly in French territory. At the conclusion of hostilities Germany was still in French territory but it was relatively clear that the combined industrial might of the Triple Entente would prevail. In actuality the influence of the United States is questionable. Germany hoped to negotiate a favorable treaty but as we shall see this was not to be the case. The Treaty of Versailles was signed ending the war and blaming Germany for the entire conflict. This blame and the consequent punishment set the stage for years of resentment and another world war, something American President Woodrow Wilson had hoped to avoid.

was a fight between Catholics and Protestants and is known as one of the longest

    The Thirty Years War brought a lot of devastation to much of Europe during the early seventeenth century. It was an instinctive conflict between religious views in link about political rule that brought most of Europe that began in 1618 and ended in 1648.  The Thirty Years War intrinsically was fought primarily within the Christian community about which denomination that should ruled the Christian empire within Europe; whether Catholics, Lutherans, Protestant, or Calvinists.  The parts of the war known as the Bohemian Phase, Danish Phase, the Swedish Intervention, and the French Intervention. Each foreign intervention exceeded after the Bohemian Phase was an attempt to end the war which no avail occurred until

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.

1. Briefly summarize the four phases of the 30 Years War. How did the war change the economic and political landscape of the Holy Roman Empire?