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Feb 5, 1555
The Peace of Augsburg
Protestants and Catholic Princes were warring with each other for a long time, but this treaty settled the argument by saying that they could not fight based on just religious prejudice. It however only recognized only one Protestant Religion - Lutheranism. It also made it obligatory for free peasants to practice the same religion as their prince, and they could move if they did not fit.
[https://www.britannica.com/event/Peace-of-Augsburg] -
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King Chistian IV of Denmark
Christian IV was the man who lead Denmark into the Thirty Years' War, which resulted in tragic consequences for his country. He also tried his best to defeat Sweden and lead two long campaigns against them, but was unsuccessful both times. Otherwise, he founded a lot of new towns and ports and strengthened the Danish coastal defense. Christian IV ruled Denmark for around half a century and is one of the best-known Scandinavian rulers.
[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Christian-IV] -
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King Louis XIII and Cardinal Richelieu
King Louis XIII was the ruler of France in the beginning of the 17th century and contributed to its improved status with the help of Cardinal Richelieu (a nobleman loyal to him). He even sent his mother into exile because she insisted him to sack the Cardinal. He kept the religious peace all throughout France by giving both Catholics and Protestants approximately equal rights and the opportunity to freely chose their religion.
[http://www.biography.com/people/louis-xiii-9386868#death-and-legacy] -
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King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden
He was the main leader of the Protestant war effort. Credited with impressive tactical genius, his usage of more flexible formations allowed him to achieve an advantage over his opponents. He was allied with Saxony, Pomerania (the Baltic coastline), and the Protestant Princes. He was also the founder and commander of the Corpus Evangelicorum (Protestant League). [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustav-II-Adolf] -
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Bohemian Period
After two royal officers were hurled from a window in Prague by Protestants from Prague's Defenestration in May 1618, Ferdinand was declared deposed. As a result, the throne was offered to Frederick V. Major revolts appeared in Transylvania and Bavaria and Maximilian I helped the imperial forces defeat the Bohemians in the time period between 1620 and 1621.
[http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/thirty-years-war-the-bohemian-period.html] -
Defenestration of Prague
The event that started the whole German infighting. The Protestant Bohemians did not like the overly Catholic Ferdinand Hapsburg. Therefore they saw it fitting to push two of his officials out from a window into a pile of manure bellow as a punishment for disobeying to the Czech authorities. Even though after they fell to the ground they weren't seriously injured, this set the beginning phase of the Thirty Years' War.
[https://www.britannica.com/event/Defenestration-of-Prague-1618] -
Period: to
Ferdinand of Styria (Ferdinand II) of the Holy Roman Empire
Leader of the Counter-Reformation and the one who made the Protestant Princes give back all their seized property, which in turn made them have a disagreement. He was the employer of Wallenstein and the one to promote him to generalissimo. He reached a compromise with the Princes in the Peace of Prague. [https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ferdinand-II-Holy-Roman-emperor] -
Battle of White Mountain
This battle marks the first battle won by the Roman Habsburgs over the Protestant Union in the Thirty Years' War. As a result, the Catholics were in charge of Bohemia and could easily rule it for more than 3 centuries. This battle halted the Rebel Army's initial success and they had to soon return back to Prague. Overall, this was good for everyone, supporting Catholicism, except for Pope Paul V's death during the victory parade.
[https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-White-Mountain] -
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Philip IV of Spain
Philip IV of Spain was the King of Spain during its decline as a major power in the middle of the seventeenth century. He
is best known for his unsuccessful attempt to revive Spain's prominence by participating in the Thirty Years' War and being a patron of the arts, thus, protecting poets, sculptors and musicians throughout his home country and Portugal. Philip IV was unsure of himself and avoid taking crucial decisions by himself.[http://www.biography.com/people/philip-iv-39076#!] -
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Maximilian I
Maximilian I of Bavaria was the leader of the Roman Catholics during the Thirty Years' War. He forced Ferdinand I to dismiss Wallenstein as he wasn't satisfied wih his military actions. He soon had to recall him because the situation for the Habsburgs got worse than expected. Maximilian substantially increased his territories and contributed to the better life quality of his citizens by spending his money wisely.
[https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maximilian-I-duke-of-Bavaria] -
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Danish Period
Even though the war began in Germany, it didn't take long for it to expand into an international conflict. King Christian IV of Denmark joined the Anti-Habsburg Allies as he feared that this dynasty would become too powerful if they win the war. The Danes, however, were not successful and were defeated by the Habsburg forces and
withdrew from the war by signing the Treaty of Lübeck in 1629.
[http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/thirty-years-war-the-danish-period.html] -
Treaty of Lubeck
This treaty marked the official end of the Danish period in the Thirty Years' War. It was signed by King Christian IV and imperial general A. Wallenstein. It was obligatory for the Danes to accept the demands of the Habsburgs because of their huge number of lost battles. This treaty marked the Danish withdrawal from the conflict and as a whole the unsuccessfulness of their campaign against the imperial forces.
[]http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Lubeck+Treaty+of+1629 -
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Swedish Period
King Gustavus Adolphus joined the war because he feared that Ferdinand's potential victory would seriously threaten Sweden's Baltic Sea mastery. His forces marched into Germany and won the Battle of Lech in 1632. Months later the Swedish army won the Battle of Lützen, but Adolphus was killed on the battlefield. Therefore, the anti-Habsburg army's actions were chaotic and their elan was basically stopped.[http://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/history/thirty-years-war-the-swedish-period.html] -
Battle of Lutzen
This major battle marked the tragic death of king Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, who decided to separate from the main Swedish forces during the battle and found his death during it. This fact, however, didn't prevent the Protestant forces from winning the battle. Unfortunately for them, without their main leader their momentum was stopped and they couldn't take serious advantage from this victory.
[http://encyclopedia2.thefreedictionary.com/Lubeck+Treaty+of+1629] -
The Treaty of Prague
The Treaty of Prague marked the end of the Austro-Prussian war, thus weakened the German positions in Central Europe. The Austrian forces only lost Vienna to the Prussians. Alliances between Empire States, including the Catholic and Protestant Leagues, were totally prohibited. This marked the beginning of the Imperial Army for the Holy Roman Empire, which brought religious conflicts throughout Germany to an end.
[http://thirtyyearswar30.weebly.com/treaty-of-prague.html] -
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French Period
France joined the war by signing the Treaty of Compiegne and agreeing to help Sweden against Ferdinand, which meant that France had to fight versus the Imperial forces. Their army, however, wasn't well prepared and they signed alliances with Parma and Savoy. The French were unable to mount a serious campaign versus the Habsburgs because of Cardinal Richelieu's death and the new King's very young age.
[http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/the-thirty-years-war/france-and-the-thirty-years-war/] -
The Peace of Westphalia
This treaty marked the end of the conflict known as The Thirty Years' War.It made the recognition of the Augsburg peace mandatory,meaning that every citizen had the right to freely chose his/her religion. Also,protestants living in Catholic territories (and the opposite) were given the unique for that era chance to practice their faith in public without being chased for this reason. Moreover,the Dutch and Swiss became independent.
[http://www.historytoday.com/richard-cavendish/treaty-westphalia] -
Treaty of the Pyrenees
This signing of this treaty between France and Spain marked the end of the long war between those two sides. Also it basically started the French hegemony in Europe which continued a bit more than a century. After the treaty, the French occupied Alsace and Lorraine, but pulled ther troops back from Catalonia, leaving it to the Spanish forces. Moreover, the proclaimed peace was supported by Louis XIV and Maria Teresa of Spain's marriage.
[https://www.britannica.com/event/Peace-of-the-Pyrenees]
