Thirty Years' War

Defenestration of Prague

The hurling, by Protestants, of Catholic officials from a castle window in Prague, setting off the Thirty Years' War.

Bohemian Phase (1618-1625)

This was characterized by Civil War in Bohemia between the Catholic League and the Protestant Union. In 1620 catholic forces defeated protestants at the Battle of the White Mountain.

Cardinal Richelieu

(1585-1642) Minister to Louis XIII who ruled France during the 30 YW. Aided the Protestant cause in order to weaken the Habsburgs. Wanted to make the "King supreme in Fr. and Fr. supreme in Europe"

Christian IV of Denmark

(r. 1596-1648) Lutheran King of Denmark who responded to Wallenstein's invasion by invading northern Germany to protect the Protestants; did not have an adequate army and was defeated by Wallenstein

Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

1.) Netherlands gained independence from Spain 2.) Religious toleration (Calvinism recognized) 3.) Holy Roman Empire crushed 4.) France got Alsace and becomes + powerful 5.)Sweden becomes Baltic power (and beyond) 6.)German lands destroyed 7.) Prussia emerges

Danish Phase (1625-1629)

2nd phase of the war. Named because of leadership of Danish Protestant king Christian IV. The Catholics won, sweeping through Silesia, north to the Baltic, and Pomerania.

Battle of Lutzen (1632)

Battle that Sweden won but Gustav Adolphus was killed, thus ending any real hope the protestants had against Emperor Ferdinand.

Swedish Phase (1630-1635)

Catholic regent of France Cardinal Richelieu offered subsidies to encourage Lutheran Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus to enter the war and check Hapsburg power. Decisive victories over Hapsburg forces, Adolphus and Wallenstein dead. Protestant states of Germany made peace with the emperor.

French Phase (1635-1648)

Death of Gustavus Adolphus prompted France to intervene on the Protestant side French, Dutch, and Swedish armies burned farms and destroyed German commerce. Naval combat between Fr. and Spain

Edict of Restitution (1629)

End of Danish Phase; Document issued by the Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II in 1629 that ordered that all Catholic land taken by the Protestants since 1552 must be returned and that only Lutheran and RC religions were legit.

Battle of Rocroi

French phase battle in 1643, during the Thirty Years War in which newly crowned Louis XIV's French forces defeated a Spanish army of "unbeatable" Tercios soldiers. Ended the period of Spanish military dominance.

Albrecht von Wallenstein

He was a Bohemian soldier and politician who gave his services (an army of 30,000 to 100,000 men) during the Danish Period of the Thirty Years' War to Ferdinand II for no charge except the right to plunder the territories that he conquered.

Sack of Magdeburg

In the 30 Years War Holy Roman Empire army sieged Magdeburg lasted from Nov. 1630-May 20, 1631 attacked for plentiful goods after city fell, Imperial soldiers massacred people and lit city on fire 5,000 out of 30,000 survived took 14 days to carry bodies to Elbe River

Gustavus Adolphus

Joins Thirty Years' War in 1629, king of Sweden, Protestant leader, stands up for fellow Protestants, military genius, wins a lot for Protestant side; supported by Richelieu, who wants to end Hapsburg power; killed in 1632 at battle of Luetzen

Battle of White Mountain (1620)

the Habsburgs crushed a rebellion of the Bohemian noble Estates in defense of Protestant rights.