Age of Religious Wars

Struggle for Power

Religion or Politics ?

Protestants vs. Catholics

Reformation caused a series of wars. Europe was trying to RE-Discovery itself. Wars are both national and international conflicts.
1555: Peace of Augsberg -> cuius regio, eius religio 1563: Council of Trent ended 1564: Calvin dies in Geneva

Religion into Political Structure

Catholics stressed the episcopal church system where obedience to the person at the top was emphasized.
Calvinists adopted a presbyterian church system where local churches maintained individual control.

Cultural Developments
Baroque Art: Three-dimensional display of life and energy. Grandiose and elegant landscapes and portraits. Differences in Catholic vs. Protestant
Peter Paul Rubens: 1571-1640 Rembrandt van Rijn: 1606-1669

Intellectual Developments
Skepticism, Relativism, & Individualism
To kill a man is not to defend a doctrine, but to kill a man

Politiques: Rulers who urged tolerance and moderation for political unity.

French Wars of Religion

1562-1598 French Protestants- Huguenots Edict of Fontainebleu 1540 Edict of Chateaubriand 1551 For the most part, France remained a staunch foe of Protestants.

Internal Conflicts
Henry II accidentally dies and breaks Habsburg-Valois peace. Francis II becomes KING. Families vie for power:
- Bourbons - Montmorency-Chatillons - Guises

Catherine de Medicis
Ascends to power, as the regency of her son, Francis II and then Charles IX Guise sympathies War with the Huguenots Machiavellian

Factors of War
Peace of Saint-Germain-en-Laye - In 1570, Granted religious freedom to the Huguenots. 1571 Battle of Lepanto Spain crushes the Turks Saint Bartholomews Day Massacre - August 24, 1572 over 20,000 Protestants were killed.

St. Bartholomews Day Massacre

A Nominal Peace
In 1589, Henry III was stabbed and Henry (IV) Navarre, a Huguenot Protestant, came to power. A true politique Edict of Nantes 1598: Granted the religious freedom of worship.

Henry IV
1589-1610 Bourbon Dynasty A true politique who ended the Wars of Religion in France Treaty of Vervins Assassinated in 1610 by a Catholic Monk

Pillars of Spanish Power

Philip II: Ruler of the Eastern Habsburg Dynasty, a true Machiavellian ruler Extremely Catholic Wealth and Power come from the New World. Wanted complete control over Europe

Philip II: 1556-1598

New World Riches
Silver and Gold

Increased Population
Subjugated Poor

Efficient Bureaucracy
Controlled Lesser Nobles

Supremacy in the Mediterranean

The Netherlands
Philips first attempt to seize northern Europe was in the Netherlands His efforts, however, were to no avail 1550s - Calvinism makes its way into the Netherlands

Protestant Opposition
William of Orange - Calvinist who opposed Philip II. Compromise of 1564: pledge to resist the decrees of Trent and the Inquisition. Philip sends the Duke Alba to the Netherlands.

Duke of Alba
Arrives in Rotterdam 1567 10,000 soldiers Reign of Terror Tenth Penny Sales Tax

Resistance & Unification

William of Orange joined forces with Sea Beggars In 1572, capture the city of Brill Pacification of Ghent: 1576 - Splits the Netherlands. - North: Protestant - South: Catholic

Towards Independence
Union of Arras: supported the CounterReformation -> Trent Union of Utrecht: supported Calvinism. 1581 - Wm of Orange declares Independence from Spain 1584 - He was assassinated! Independence not recognized until 1648

Englands Religious Wars

Mary Tudor: reinstates Catholicism Married to Philip II her cousin Bloody Mary killed thousands of Protestants Died 1558 supposedly giving birth no heir so Elizabeth I became the Regent

Thomas Cranmers Execution

Elizabeth I: 1558-1603
A true politique Political unity in England Re-established the Church of England Never marries

Internal Problems
Catholicism vs. Protestantism in England. Elizabeth sought the middle road Protestants split in England: - Presbyterians - Congregationalists

External Problems
Problems stem from Spain Elizabeth I was the only support and hope for the Protestants in northern Europe 1585 - Treaty of Nonsuch 1587 - executes Mary Scots

Tilbury Speech

Spanish Armada: 1588

Political or Religious ?
The Thirty Years War was the last and most destructive wars of religion. It established the map of Europe and brought the world into modernity. BUT was it a political struggle or a religious crusade?

Religious Divisions
Lutherans were established in the north and protected by the Peace of Augsburg. Catholics had established a stronghold in France, Spain, and HRE. Calvinist took over the Palatine under elector Frederick III

Four Periods of War

Bohemian - 1618-1625 Danish - 1625-1629 Swedish - 1630-1635 Swedish-French - 1635-1648

Bohemian Period
Ferdinand a Habsburg Catholic makes an entrance in 1618. May 1618 - Defenestration of Prague Calvinists protest and elect Frederick V to the Palatine. Ferdinand finds allies in Spain and the Catholic League.

Danish Period
King of Denmark - Christian IV was a Lutheran with BIG goals. The Catholic League and Albrecht of Wallenstein, a Catholic mercenary. Edict of Restitution 1629

Swedish Period
Gustavos Adolphus wanted to maximize his interests in the mainland. Backed by the French and the Dutch Killed in 1632 by Wallenstein in the Battle of Lutzen. Wallenstein assassinated by Ferdinand

Swedish-French Period
French moved directly into the war. The mostly deadly phase of the war, with over a third of the German population being wiped out. Resulted in a politically fragmented and weak German region.

Treaty of Westphalia
Clearly this peace treaty is a secular document, but what exactly does it establish? How did it significantly bring about the entrance into the modern era?

Interpretations
What was the motivating factor behind the Thirty Years War? - Religion - Politics - Greed

Next Week
Briefly trace the paths to power of England and France in 17th century and define what the differences were in the two distinct formations.