Europe and the Thirty Years War

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Europe and the Thirty Years War

• Old Balance of Power Great Britain (Stuarts),
  France (Bourbons), and Spain (Hapsburgs.
• New Powers Prussia (Hohenzollerns) and Austria
  (Hapsburgs)

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The Battleground The Holy Roman Empire

• Philsopher Voltaire It is neither Holy, nor
  Roman, nor an Empire.
• Protestants to the North, Catholics to the South
• Conflict begins with Protestant nobles tossing
  Catholic officials out of a castle window (The
  Defenestration of Prague)
• Ferdinand II starts war in the Holy Roman Empire
  with the help of Spain

Sweden - Lutheran
Denmark - Lutheran
Northern Germany (Protestant Union) Lutheran /
Calvinist
Netherlands - Calvinist
France Mainly Catholic
Catholic League of Germany - Catholic
Spain - Catholic
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Results of the War

• 30 Years of War destroy German cities and towns
• War started over religion, became a war of power
• Last religious war in Europe
• Introduction of professional armies
• Peace of Westphalia
• Establishes the idea of a nation-state
• 1st major international peace conference
• Keeps Germany divided (360 states)
• Decline in power for the divided Hapsburgs
• Gain in power and land for the French

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The Peace of Westphalia 1648
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New National Powers in Europe

• The Peace of Westphalia creates a Europe divided
  by new national boundaries
• Prussia led by Frederick the Great
• Austria led by Marie Theresa

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Austrian Empire

• VERY diverse society
• Austrians, Serbs, Hungarians, Bosnians, Poles,
  Czechs, Ukrainians
• Vienna cultural center
• 1740 Hapsburg ruler passes his throne to his
  daughter, Maria Theresa
• Starts war of Austrian Succession with Prussia
  (1740-1748)
• Loses the war, but keeps Austria united

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Prussian Empire

• Strongest of the German states
• Famous for its strong military
• 1740 Frederick II becomes king
• Trains a professional army
• Invades Austria and seizes the wealthy region of
  Silesia
• Rise of a powerful German state

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New Balance of Power
Prussia
Great Britain
Austria
WAR!!
Spain
France
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