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Until today Europe and especially Germany is shaped by the events of the Thirty Years' War. With the Defenestration of Prague a war began which lasted for three decades and devastated wide areas of the Holy Roman Empire. It was not until the Peace of Westphalia in 1648 that the German states could slowly recover in a stable environment.

 

Video: Overview of The Thirty Years’ War

 

 

Overview

  • Date: 1618 – 1648
  • Location: Holy Roman Empire
  • Start: Defenestration of Prague
  • End: Peace of Westphalia

 

Parties & Persons Involved

  • Charles Bonaventure de Longueval (1571 – 1621)
  • Johann ’t Serclaes von Tilly (1559 – 1632)
  • Albrecht von Wallenstein (1583 – 1634)
  • Frederick V of Palatine (1596 –1632)
  • Christian IV of Denmark (1577 – 1648)
  • Christian of Brunswick (1599 – 1626)
  • Ernst von Mansfeld (1580 – 1626)
  • Georg Friedrich von Baden-Durlach (1573 – 1638)
  • Gustav II Adolf of Sweden (1594 – 1632)

 

Background

  • Situation in Europe:
    • Denmark & Sweden strive after more influence in Europe
    • Latent conflict between France & the house of Habsburg (emperor & Spain)
    • The Netherlands fight for independence from Habsburg
  • Situation in the Holy Roman Empire:
    • Uncertain legal situation with regards to the Augsburg Settlement
    • Denominational & political conflictsFounding of Protestant Union & Catholic League (military alliances)
    • Intensifying of counter-reformation

 

First Phase: The Bohemian Rebellion

Video about the First Phase of the Thirty Year's War

 

 

History

Bohemian Rebellion

  • 1612-1618: Mathias (king of Bohemia & emperor) oppresses Protestants
  • 23 May 1618: Defenestration of Prague
  • 24 Aug 1619: Bohemian assembly of the estates elects Frederick V of Palatinate as king
  • 1618-1620: Several battles without a decision
  • 08 Nov 1620: Decisive defeat of the Bohemian army in the Battle of the White Mountain
  • 1620-1621: Execution of 27 noblemen & forced migration of 30,000 families / Frederick V flees to the Netherlands

 

The War in Palatinate

  • 23 May 1620: Spanish (imperial) forces occupy Palatinate left of the Rhine
  • From Jun 1620: Imperial forces occupy Palatinate right of the Rhine
  • 27 Apr 1622: Battle of Mingolsheim – Mansfeld defeats Tilly
  • 06 May 1622: Battle of Wimpfen – Tilly defeats Georg Friedrich
  • 20 Jun 1622: Battle of Höchst – Tilly defeats Christian
  • 23 Feb 1623: Bavaria gains Upper Palatinate & the electoral dignity

 

Situation at the End of the First Phase of the War

  • Protestant Union dissolves itself
  • Bohemia & the Palatinate are re-catholised with drastic means
  • Bavaria gains Upper Palatinate & the electoral dignity
  • Emperor & Catholics are strengthened
  • Protestants are weakened
  • Denmark sees an opportunity to increase her influence in Germany

 

Second Phase: The Danish Intervention

Video about the Second Phase of the Thirty Year's War

 

 

History

  • From 1624: France initiates alliances against the emperor
  • Dec 1624: Foundation of the Hauge Alliance, consisting of Denmark, England, Netherlands & territories in Lower Saxony
  • 1625: Danish king & his allies in Lower Saxony muster a relatively small army
  • 1625: Danish king occupies Verden & Nienburg
  • Jun – Jul 1625: Wallenstein becomes Generalissimo
  • 25 Apr 1626: Battle of Dessau Bridge – Wallenstein defeats Ernst von Mansfeld
  • 27 Aug 1626: Battle of Lutter am Barenberge – Tilly defeats Christian of Denmark
  • 1627: Wallenstein & Tilly occupy Jutland & Northern Germany
  • 01 Feb 1628: Wallenstein receives the Duchy of Mecklenburg
  • 22 May 1629: Peace of Lübeck – Denmark leaves the war
  • Wallenstein is the first military enterpriser & establishes the principle "the war feeds the war“ which mean enormous ravages

 

Situation at the End of the Danish Intervention

  • Denmark loses her role as an important Nordic power
  • Zenith of the emperor's might
  • Protestant site loses a substantial amount of territory:
    • Wallenstein receives Mecklenburg
    • Edict of Restitution: The estates of the church are restored at the expense of the Protestant rulers
  • Discrimination & humiliation of the Protestant faith & the Protestant territories
  • Resurrection of the Protestant belief in freedom & resistance
  • Sweden takes over responsibility for the Protestant course

 

Third Phase: The Swedish Intervention

Video about the Third Phase of the Thirty Year's War

 

 

History

  • 06 Jul 1630: Gustav II Adolf arrives in northern Germany – Pomerania, Mecklenburg, Brandenburg & Saxony join his cause
  • 17 Sep 1631: Battle of Breitenfeld – Gustav Adolf defeats Tilly
  • Sep 1631 – Apr 1632: Swedish forces invade southern Germany
  • 15 Apr 1632: Battle of Rain am Lech – Gustav Adolf decisively defeats Tilly ( Tilly killed)
  • Apr 1632: Swedish troops occupy Munich
  • Wallestein is reinstated as Generalissimo
  • 16 Nov 1632: Battle of Lützen – Swedish victory; Gustav Adolf killed
  • 1632-1635: The war continues without a decision; Assassination of Wallenstein (15 Feb 1634)
  • 30 May 1635: Treaty of Prague – Emperor & territorial rulers agree on the status quo ante bellum & the joint defence of the realm

 

Situation at the End of the Swedish Intervention

  • The war so far has exhausted the Holy Roman Empire
  • Sweden is firmly established as the Nordic great power
  • Protestant rulers & the emperor make peace & form an alliance (Treaty of Prague)
  • Status quo ante bellum is restored
  • The Protestant faith is secured
  • Alliance of Sweden (Protestant) & France (Catholic) against the emperor
  • At the latest from now on the war changes from a religious conflict to a political / secular conflict

 

Fourth Phase: Swedish-French Intervention & Peace of Westphalia

Video about the Fourth Phase of the Thirty Year's War

 

 

History

  • 1635: Treaty of Wismar – Sweden & France form an alliance against emperor & empire
  • 1635-1648: Swedish-French campaigns without decisive battles
  • 1635-1648: Massive ravages (please note: ravages are characteristic for the entire war)
  • 1643-1648: Peace negotiations in Münster & Osnabrück
  • 15 May – 24 Oct 1648: Peace of Westphalia

 

Peace of Westphalia

European Dimension

  • Sweden gains Hither Pomerania, Rügen, Oder Esturay, Wismar, Bremen & Verden
  • The Netherlands are independent
  • The Swiss Confederation leaves the empire
  • France gains territories on the western border of the empire

 

Denominational Dimension

  • Reconfirmation of the Augsburg Settlement
  • Equality of the denominations
  • Protestant side has a veto in religious questions

 

Dimension of the Holy Roman Empire

  • Restoration of the denominational estates from 1624 (except Habsburg hereditary land)
  • Restoration of the imperial constitution from before the war

 

Consequences & Impact

  • Holy Roman Empire:
    • Approx. 40% of the population in the empire die & its resources are exhausted
    • The Empire remains a confederation of de facto independent states without proper access to the sea
    • Precondition for its dissolution (1806)
    • Precondition for the rise to power of Prussia
    • Delayed German colonial activities
    • Delayed economic / industrial development in Germany
  • Europe:
    • The Holy Roman Empire in its entirety is no longer a major political factor in Europe
    • France, England, Sweden & the Netherlands strengthen the identities & structures as national states
    • Sweden is the hegemon in the Baltic region
    • France is the hegemon in western Europe
  • Denominations:
    • Long-term establishment of Protestant & Catholic areas until today
    • Denominations lose their importance in European conflicts to come