Thirty Years' War

The Thirty Years' War was a conflict fought between the years 1618 and 1648, principally in the Central European territory of the Holy Roman Empire, but also involving most of the major continental powers. It occurred for a number of reasons. Although it was from its outset a religious conflict between Protestants and Catholics, the self-preservation of the Habsburg dynasty was also a central motive.

Swedish intervention

Period: 1630-1635

Related Topics:
1630 - 1635

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Some within Ferdinand II's court believed that Wallenstein wanted to take control of the German Princes and thus gain influence over the Emperor. Ferdinand II dismissed Wallenstein in 1630. He was to later recall him after the Swedes, led by Gustavus Adolphus, attacked the Empire and prevailed in a number of significant battles.

Related Topics:
1630 - Gustavus Adolphus

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Gustavus Adolphus, like Christian IV before him, came to aid the German Lutherans, to forestall Catholic aggression against their homeland and to obtain economic influence in the German states around the Baltic Sea. In addition to those reasons, Gustavus was also concerned about the growing power of the Holy Roman Empire. Also like Christian IV, Adolphus was subsidized by Richelieu, the Chief Minister of King Louis XIII of France, and by the Dutch. From 1630-1634, they drove the Catholic forces back and regained much of the occupied Protestant lands.

Related Topics:
1630 - 1634

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After he dismissed Albrecht von Wallenstein, Ferdinand II depended on the Catholic League. At the Battle of Breitenfeld (1631), Adolphus defeated the Catholic League led by General Tilly. A year later, they met again, and this time General Tilly was killed (1632). The upper hand had now switched from the leage to the union, led by Sweden.

Related Topics:
Albrecht von Wallenstein - Battle of Breitenfeld (1631) - 1632

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In 1630, Sweden had paid at least 2,368,022 daler for its army at 42,000 men.

Related Topics:
Sweden - Daler

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In 1632, they paid only one-fifth of that (476,439 daler) for an army three times as large (149,000 men). The main explanation was economic aid from France, and that prisoners (mainly from Breitenfeld) were recruited into the swedish army.

Related Topics:
Daler - France - Breitenfeld

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With General Tilly dead, Ferdinand II turned to the aid of Wallenstein and his large army.

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Wallenstein marched up to the south, threatening Gustavus Adolphus' supply chain. Adolphus knew that Wallenstein was waiting for the attack and was prepared, but there was no other option. Wallenstein and Adolphus clashed in the Battle of Lützen (1632), where the Swedes prevailed, but Adolphus was killed. In 1634 the Protestant forces, minus the leadership of Adolphus, were defeated at the First Battle of Nördlingen.

Related Topics:
Battle of Lützen (1632) - 1634 - First Battle of Nördlingen

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Ferdinand II's suspicions of Wallenstein flared up again in 1633, when Wallenstein attempted to arbitrate the differences between the Catholic and Protestant sides. Ferdinand II may have feared that Wallenstein would switch sides and arranged for his arrest after removing him from command. One of Wallenstein's soldiers, Captain Devereux, killed him as he attempted to contact the Swedes in the townhouse in Cheb (Eger in German) (February 25,1634).

Related Topics:
1633 - Cheb - Eger - February 25 - 1634

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After that, the two sides met for negotiations, and they ended the Swedish Period with the Peace of Prague (1635), which:

Related Topics:
Peace of Prague - 1635

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• Reestablished the date that the Peace of Augsburg established (1552) from which the landholdings of the Protestants (Lutherans) and Catholics were to remain the same from 1552 to 1627, effectively nullifying the Edict of Restitution.
• United army of the emperor and armies of German states to one army of the Holy Roman Empire.
• Forbade German princes to have alliances between them.
• Legalised Calvinism.
• Effectively resolved the religious issues of the Thirty Years' War.

This treaty failed, however, to satisfy France, because of the renewed strength it granted the Habsburgs. France then launched the last period of the Thirty Years' War.

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