>Thirty Years’ War Introduction

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Though the entire world was not at war, all of Europe most certainly was at some point between 1618 and 1648. From a hindsight standpoint, this war was undoubtedly inevitable. Europe was emerging from a millennium of Catholic domination, and the “Barbarians” were now becoming, or were already, civilized. Much of what was destroyed in Ancient Rome had now resurfaced during the Renaissance. The Reformation, also springing to life during this emergence would prove to be the long, lit wick to massive gunpowder kegs.

Europe was largely governed by the political arm of the Catholic Church, the Holy Roman Empire. This Empire was hardly a true empire. It was more of a collection of regional German States, including various other provinces outside of present day Germany. Each of these kingdoms had rulers known as electors, because they would meet at a Diet, and elect a governing Emperor. Each King was sole ruler of his territory, but owed his allegiance to the Emperor. A close, but not precise example would be Governors of each State in the United States, and the President. Thus, the Holy Roman Empire, was much like a republic, without the people actually electing leaders. Depending on the kingdom, some of the people did have choices, and a voice to make those desires known. The greatest choices made during the 16^th to 17^th centuries centered upon religion. After Martin Luther’s challenge was laid down, many northern kingdoms followed Luther’s point of view. In the Catholic dominated southern states, no challenge was tolerated, therefore creating a split in the Holy Roman Empire. Eventually two kingdoms would emerge. The Habsburg family in Austria championed Catholicism, as Prussia rose to the Protestant cause. Certainly, the Thirty Years’ War is not that simple. Many political, religious, and military maneuvers occurred during this complex age, for instance Catholic France fighting for the Protestants.

Ever since Martin Luther’s stand against Catholic Rome, the Holy Roman Empire had to figure out ways to deal with the Protestants. Initially then Holy Roman Emperor Charles V wanted to destroy all Protestants, but he could not. He instead had to deal with another threat, Islam. For almost two decades Charles was fighting with the Ottoman Turks, eventually halting them at Vienna. Once this threat was satisfactorily stanchioned, Charles returned his attention to the other heretics. During those two decades, Lutheranism spread rapidly, and became organized. Charles may have been able to end all Lutheran hopes in the 1520’s or 1530’s, but by the 1550’s it was too late. Protestantism was a viable foe, and an agreement had to be made. At Augsburg, Germany an agreement was made, and a confession outlined this new Christianity. Lutheranism was now a recognized church in the Holy Roman Empire, much to Catholic ire.

Lutheranism spread northward into Scandinavia, as other newer ideas spawned from the Catholic foundation. John Calvin, the trained Catholic lawyer wrote his philosophical treatise The Institutes a year after he finished Law school in France. This was peppered with much Catholicism from Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, and other prominent Catholic theologians/philosophers. But it did have a few notable differences, which were pulled from Luther’s previous statements. Both Calvin and Luther thought it necessary to read the Bible in common vernacular, something with Catholicism forbade to anyone. Calvin and Luther also, to differing degrees, believed that salvation was not determined by the Church, but by God. (Luther was closer to being correct than Calvin, according to the Bible). Calvin’s ideas, being closer to Catholicism, were more readily acceptable to questioning Catholic churchgoers. However, no provision was made to this Calvinism at Augsburg. The Catholic elite violently rejected Calvinist ideas and establishment, especially in The Netherlands and France (more on this in subsequent posts).

Religion was now overtly mixing with politics throughout Europe. Catholicism was losing control fast, but did not want to vacate such power without a fight. After all, the richest, most powerful families were Catholic, therefore the richest, most powerful countries were also Catholic by monarchical choice. Spain, still the most powerful country in the world during the late 16^th and early 17^th centuries, was involved in many religious/political conflicts that lead to the Thirty Years’ War. She tried to conquer England with the ill-fated Armada in 1588, was involved in a long conflict and ultimately lost The Netherlands (1560’s to 1609), and tried to create many alliances through marriage. France, though Catholic was involved in political/familial battles between the Bourbon and Habsburg families, not to mention the Guise, Stuart, and Medici. Scandinavian powerhouse Sweden was also interested in carving out an empire in Northern Germany. Many skirmishes were fought and subsequent treaties were signed forestalling the larger conflict, but by May 1618 peace was forsaken.

The first of four phases of war resulted from the succession of Holy Roman Emperor Matthias II. Matthias died without an heir to succeed him. Matthias moved to make Ferdinand II heir to the throne. Ferdinand, Jesuit trained, was violently Catholic. Protestants in Bohemia and Hungary knew Ferdinand’s background and intentions, and voiced opposition to Ferdinand’s accession to the Emperorship. Regardless, other Protestants backed Ferdinand, and he was elected to become Emperor once Matthias died. Ferdinand moved to consolidate his power over Bohemia by sending representatives to rule in his absence. These representatives, Vilem Slavata and Jaroslav Borzita, were forced to endure a mock trial upon arrival. After the trial, Slavata and Borzita were, according to legend, thrown from Castle Hradshin. They fell fifty feet into horse dung, but lived. With the attempted murder of the King’s regents, war could not be avoided. Thus, what became known as theSecond Defenstration of Prague brought Europe past the brink, and into war.