Western Civilization I

Why was the Thirty Years War fought ? To what extent did politics determined the outcome of the war ? Discuss the treaty of Westphalia in 1848 . Could matters have been resolved without war

The Thirty Years War is a series of wars fought between 1618 to1648 for reasons that range from religious to territorial . It devastated most of Europe especially Germany and ended with the Treaty of Westphalia in 1648

It began with the resistance of Protestant nobles in Bohemia against the Hapsburgs , the family which headed the Holy Roman Empire . Since its

br beginning , political affiliations among states played a role in the causes and the outcomes of the series of wars . When the war started , the German Protestants allied with Austria . They were defeated by another alliance , that of Brussel and Spain , which was sent by King Ferdinand II . In 1625 , Denmark renewed the war but was defeated by General Wallenstein 's army , also sent by Ferdinand . Wallenstein was a Bohemian but who sided with the Roman Empire in return for the spoils of war . The final phases of the war were initiated by Denmark , Sweden and France all of whom were led to the fray in concern with the increasing Hapsburg power in their territories

The Peace of Westphalia , two treaties which ended the war , returned the German states which were seized by the Holy Roman Empire in the duration of the war to their former rulers . It also allowed them to practice and choose their religions . Countries like Switzerland and Netherland were granted independence . The treaty introduced religious tolerance and ended religious warfare

Matters could have been resolved earlier during the conflict , avoiding the death and destruction that it inflicted upon the affected countries has the Holy Roman Empire been not driven by ambition and greed for more land . The reason why states waged the wars against the empire was their fear of the increasing power of the Hapsburg over Europe threatening their very bs . King Ferdinand could have also appeased the Protestants within Germany that he would leave them alone , way before the war expanded outside Germany

Reference

The Columbia Encyclopia (2001 ) Sixth Edition , 2001-2007 . Columbia University Press . Retrieved on May 21 , 2008 http /www .bartleby .com /65 /th /ThirtyYe .html...