30 Years War

30 Years War

Thirty Years’ War

The term “Peace of Augsburg” was obviously ignorant of that which it implied: it caused nothing but turmoil. The Holy Roman Empire, Germany, was fragmented. Protestants were taking over its Northern part. There were Lutherans and Calvinists using their influences. The country had 398 divisions, each division with its own king. They used their religious freedoms as impetus and extortion to warfare. The Thirty Years’ War entailed several phases. 1618-21 was the Bohemian phase. The Hapsburgs were giving pressure to the Bohemians, and caused a revolt. The Bohemians, however, were defeated at the White Mountain. At the same time Spain was invading territories in the lower Palatinate to secure land routes from Italy to Belgium. Fredrick V, of the Palatinate, started the Palatinate phase (1621-24). The Spanish presence on the Rhine was a dangerous threat not to be ignored. All attempts to regain this area were failures, however. The Danish Phase (1625-30) was marked by a unification of countries against the Hapsburgs. France, England, and Denmark were the opposition. Unfortunately, their champion, Christian IV, was defeated. The Swedish Phase, (1630-34) was lead by Gustavas Aldolphus. He lead Sweden’s invasion of northern Germany. His fellow Lutherans weren’t happy to see him, however, since he had ally with France. However, the infamous Elector of Saxony came to arms when the Imperial Forces got pushy, and joined the Swedish lot. The Swedish army met the Imperials at Breitenfeld near Leipzig and annihilated them. The Swedes promptly took over most of southwest Germany. The Emperor had no choice but to recall Wallenstein. The Swedes and Wallenstein’s new army met near Leipzig at Lützen. The battle was a draw, but Gustavus was killed.
Fearing Wallenstein’s power, and concerned by his intrigues with hostile powers, the Emperor had him killed. Enter the French Phase: This phase of the Thirty Years War encompassed the years 1634 through 1648. France...

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