AP EURO

Unit #1 – Age of Absolutism

Lesson #2Thirty Years War

Essential Questions

1. What changed by the Thirty Years War?2. What caused the flair up of the Thirty Years

War?

Return of Serfdom in the East1. In the West

1. Population ravaged2. Fewer people meant more freedom of

movement

2. In the East1. Lords way more powerful2. Lords able to restrict movement of the serfs3. Serfs treated like slaves instead of peasants4. Lords could demand as many as six days work

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Why will these differences matter as Europe develops?

Thirty Years War

• Most important war of the 17th Century• Shattered the Peace of Augsburg (1555)• Reshaped national hegemony• Destroyed trust and commerce• Ended Wars of Religion• Leaders made and destroyed• Killed MILLIONS• In a way… The first “World War”

(1618-1648)

Questions to ponder

• Why would they call this a “World War?

• What makes the two wars we call “the World Wars” get to be called “world”?

• Do you think WWI and WWII will one day be taught as one big conflict?

The Thirty Years War1. War of religion

1. Last and most destructive of the Wars of Religion2. Catholic vs. Protestant

2. War of hegemony1. Included nearly every major

power in Europe2. Reshaped the map of Europe3. Spain lost leadership position4. Replaced by France

3. Fought in The Empire, much in Bohemia1. Result: the Empire would be left in shambles2. Far too many German dead to count

Basics of the War• Four phases• Started in Bohemia• Empire tried to slaughter Protestant rebels• Spain immediately joined to support Empire– And protect the Spanish Netherlands

• Other nations joined in– Denmark – Sweden – France

Why would Spain care?

They are the regional superpower Support their Hapsburg brethren

Perhaps gain some cheap land

Why would others care?

Opposing Sides• Protestant Alliance (1609)– Formed by Frederick of the Palatinate– Prepared to defend against Emperors

• Catholic League (1609)– Formed by Maximillian of Bavaria – Prepared to aggression from Protestants– Under command of Count Tilly

Palatinate

Phase #1: BOHEMIAN PHASE• Defenestration of Prague (1618)– Ferdinand Hapsburg – ascended to King of Bohemia– Ferdinand revoked religious freedoms– Bohemians chose Frederick to be their king– “The Winter King” (1619-1620)– Ferdinand sent envoys to Bohemia– Bohemians threw them out the window– “DEFENESTRATION OF PRAGUE” (50’)

• Ferdinand elected Emperor (1619)– Sent troops to reclaim Bohemia

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(1618-1625)

Phase #1: BOHEMIAN PHASE

• Ferdinand (Hapsburg) asked Spanish Hapsburgs for support

• Spain immediately sent support• Attacked Frederick at BATTLE OF THE

WHITE MOUNTAIN• Catholics (Spain and HRE) defeated

Protestants (Bohemia)• Empire absorbed Bohemia into

Hapsburg domain

Polish-Ottoman War• Hungarians feared Catholic invasion• Made a deal with Ottomans• Ottomans sent 60,000 cavalry, 400,000 troops– Attacked Catholic Poland– Hapsburgs (HRE) sent troops to back Poles– Poland lost

• Poland struck back, and won• War became a stalemate; both stayed out of

religious conflict in the Empire

(1620-1621)

Remind me…Why does Spain care?

1. Spain was humiliated in 15882. Hapsburgs lands split3. By 1600s, bullion from Americas started to

trickle4. Wealthiest section is the Spanish Netherlands

(not officially recognized by Spain as the United Provinces)

Albrecht von Wallenstein

• War profiteer• A great military leader• Hired to replace Maximilian of Bavaria• Maximilian was becoming too powerful• Emperor needed to control military moves• Wallenstein raised over 100,000 men• Broke resistance of Protestants• But then HE started collecting lands and

wealth…

Danish Phase• Dutch, French and English formed a league• Why is this strange?• Christian of Denmark• Lutheran• To support Protestants• Christian invaded – wanted more coastal towns• Quickly defeated by Wallenstein• Emperor feared Wallenstein’s power• Emperor replaced Wallenstein with Tilly

(1625-1629)

Why would France join the Protestants?

Plus…Why not beat up on the “big guy”?

Swedish Phase• Gustavus Adolphus• Invaded with French $$• A whole new kind of warfare• Swift, agile, mobile• Smaller cannon• Loyal soldiers– Most fighters so far are mercenaries– Swedes are led by their king

• France leader: Cardinal Richelieu • (for King Louis XIII)• Destroyed Tilly’s forces at Breitenfeld• Emperor recalled Wallenstein

(1630-1635)

Albrecht von Wallenstein

• Gustavus (Sweden) killed in battle• Wallenstein had no real competition• Started claiming land• Had grown too powerful• Emperor feared his power• Had him assassinated• Protestants struck for peace• Spain stepped up campaign

French Phase• Most sections of Empire signed peace treaties• Spain exhausted• Swedes getting greedy• France saw weakness• France declared war on Spain• Entered war• Now a war on Empire soil of Spain vs. France• Utter destruction and death• France wore down Hapsburgs• Kept fighting until Spanish went home

(1635-1648)

10m

Peace of Westphalia• War grinded to a halt after 30 years of death• Results?• 33% of German population dead• 40% of rural population dead• 50% of Bohemian population dead• Trade in Empire destroyed• France replaced Spain as leader in Europe• Recognition of Calvinism, Swiss Confederation and

United Provinces• Empire reduced to shell around independent states• Back to Peace of Augsburg conditions…

Create a chart:Who fought What

happenedWho won Results

Phase I

Phase II

Phase III

Phase IV