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Annotated Bibliography

Secondary Sources

Battle of Breitenfeld, 1631 - The Thirty Years' War. Hayden Chakra, 1 Aug. 2023,

about-history.com/battle-of-breitenfeld-1631-the-thirty-years-war/.

The Battle of Breitenfeld is one of the major battles of the Thirty Years' War, during

which the Swedes inflicted a crushing defeat on the Catholic League under the command

of the Count of Tilly. This was the greatest contribution to the victory. The artillery was

installed in the center of the first line; and behind were infantry and cavalry reserves.

Tilly began to crush the left wing of the Swedes, and Pappenheim's cavalry attacked their

right flank, but all seven of his attacks were repulsed by the volleys from Swedish

musketeers and counterattacks by their cavalry. Swedish troops had also plundered and

ravaged the local population, and therefore the peasants who first supported the Swedes

began an uprising to the rear of the Swedish army. After the victory from the Swedish

troops, they achieved a decisive victory over the Catholic forces. This battle marked a

turning point in religious and European history as it strengthened the Protestant cause and

expanded the conflict beyond a primarily religious struggle to encompass broader

political and territorial ambitions.

Causes of the Thirty Years' War. Peter H Wilson, 1 June 2008,

academic.oup.com/ehr/article-abstract/CXXIII/502/554/413775?redirectedFrom=fulltext.

Accessed 13 Dec. 2023.

The Thirty Years War (1618-48) was the most destructive conflict in Europe
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before the twentieth-century world wars. There are several explanations of what caused the war,

but these rarely discuss the merits of alternative interpretations, nor do they make their own

underlying assumptions explicit. Anglophone scholarship generally fits the war into a wider

struggle against Spanish Habsburg hegemony, whereas older German writing saw it as a conflict

beginning in the Holy Roman Empire but fusing with wars elsewhere. Others place greater

emphasis on structural causes, interpreting the war as the culmination of a 'General Crisis of the

seventeenth century' attributed to social, economic or environmental factors. As mentioned in the

text, social, economic, and enviormental factors was impacted.

Europe's apocalypse: the Thirty Years' War. The BBC editors, 17 May 2018,

www.historyextra.com/period/stuart/europes-apocalypse-the-thirty-years-war/. Accessed 26 Nov.

2023.

The Thirty Years War is coupled with the Heighty Years War and it leads to the complete

reorganization of the Westphalian Treaties of 1648, although these Treaties concerned France

and Sweden it concerned more countries and conflicts continued until the status of the northern

Low Land Provinces were settled with the Treaty of Utrecht.

Around four-fifths of the city's 25,000 inhabitants were dead, many suffocated in their cellars as

they hid from the shelling, fighting and plundering, but others cruelly murdered or dragged away

by the victors.

It was now much more difficult to polarise opinion along religious lines – as Frederick the Great

found during the Seven Years' War (1756–63) when few believed his claims that it was a

struggle between Protestants and Catholics, rather than between Prussia and Austria.

Duke Maximilian of Bavaria responds in 1609 with the Catholic League as imperial politics

polarise over religious and constitutional issues.

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The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years' War in 1648.

The war led to a reconfiguration of power dynamics in Europe. It weakened the Holy Roman

Empire and the Habsburgs while strengthening other European powers, such as France and

Sweden. This led to a change in religious conflicts (Even in modern day) and European history

of power and religious choices.

The Thirty Years' War. History.com Editors, 9 Nov. 2009,

www.history.com/topics/european-history/thirty-years-war. Accessed 9 Nov. 2023.

This source quotes that the Thirty Years' War was a 17th century religious conflict fought

primarily in central Europe. It remains one of the longest and most brutal wars in human history,

with more than 8 million casualties resulting from military battles as well as from the famine and

disease caused by the conflict. The war lasted from 1618 to 1648, starting as a battle among the

Catholic and Protestant states that formed the Holy Roman Empire. With Spain's emperor,

Ferdinand II's, his ascension to head of state of the Holy Roman Empire in 1619, religious

conflict began to foment. The French, though Catholic, were rivals of the Habsburgs and were

unhappy with the provisions of the Peace of Prague.Thus, the French entered the conflict in

1635. However, at least initially, their armies were unable to make inroads against the forces of

Ferdinand II, even after he died of old age in 1637. In 1640, the Portuguese began to revolt

against their Spanish rulers, which weakened their military efforts on behalf of the Holy Roman

Empire. The source which includes key events that happened during the war such as rebellions

between religious acts and rulers, and conflicts leading to military battles and diseases, all of

these key events from this source all build up to how it was a turning event in history. This

source shows a turning event in religious history.

Thirty Years' War. The Editors of Britannica., 20 July 1998,

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www.britannica.com/event/Thirty-Years-War. Accessed 6 Nov. 2023.

Near the beginning of the Thirty Years' War in 1625, King Christian IV of Denmark saw an

opportunity to gain valuable territory in Germany to balance his earlier loss of Baltic provinces

to Sweden.

The treaty of October 24, 1648, comprehended the Holy Roman emperor Ferdinand III, the other

German princes, France, and Sweden.

Though the struggles of the Thirty Years War erupted some years earlier, the war was held to

begin in 1618, when the future Holy Roman emperor Ferdinand II attempted to impose Roman

Catholic ideas on his domains, and the Protestant nobles of both Bohemia and Austria rose up in

rebellion.

Overall, the struggle was between the Holy Roman Empire, which was Roman Catholic and

Habsburg, and a network of Protestant towns and principalities that relied on the chief anti-

Catholic powers of Sweden and the United Netherlands, which had at last thrown off the yoke of

Spain after a struggle lasting 80 years.

The member states of the Holy Roman Empire were granted full sovereignty.

As written in the source, a quote from the text says, "Ferdinand II, in his role as king of

Bohemia, attempted to impose Roman Catholic absolutism on his domains, and the Protestant

nobles of both Bohemia and Austria rose up in rebellion. Ferdinand won after a five-year

struggle." What this shows is an event that started the war between the Protestant states and

Roman Catholics. King Ferdinand II forced the protestant states to convert to catholicism, this

source emphasizes how the Thirty Years' War included major events that impacted Christianity

today.

Thirty Years' War. Joshua J. Mark, 11 Aug. 2022,

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www.worldhistory.org/Thirty_Years'_War/#:~:text=Holy%20Roman%20Empire-,The%20Thirty

%20Years'%20War%20is%20recognized%20as%20the%20%E2%80%9Cofficial%E2%80%9D,

concluded%20by%201648%20%E2%80%93%20though%20this.

The Thirty Years' War (1618-1648) was the last major European conflict informed by religious

divisions and one of the most devastating in European history resulting in a death toll of

approximately 8 million.

The Catholic faction declared this act illegal as Ferdinand II was the rightful king (as well as

Holy Roman Emperor) and hostilities continued until November 1620 when the Catholic

Imperial troops under Johann Tserclaes, Count of Tilly supplied by Maximilian I, defeated the

Bohemians under Thurn and Christian of Anhalt at the Battle of White Mountain.

The Bohemian Revolt then became an international conflict and tensions escalated in 1623 when

Ferdinand II took the lands and titles from Frederick V, ignoring Protestant princes who were

now convinced Ferdinand II would impose Catholicism on the region. Throughout the war thus

far, both sides had difficulties supplying their troops and so the armies took to living off the land,

destroying farms and killing civilians as they marched.

A quote from the text says, "The Thirty Years' War is recognized as the "official" end of the

Protestant Reformation as, by the time it concluded, Calvinism was accepted along with

Lutheranism and Catholicism as a legitimate belief system and so the period of the development

of Protestant sects is thought to have concluded by 1648" These religious tensions between

Catholics and Protestants, which led to the war evolving into a greater conflict involving various

European powers. Although the Thirty Years War put an end to Protestant Reformation, it had

impacted European religion, population, political power, and history.

Thirty Years War. C N Trueman, 25 Mar. 2015,

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www.historylearningsite.co.uk/the-thirty-years-war/thirty-years-war/. Accessed 4 Dec. 2023.

In 1600, Western Europe split into two groups: France and the United Provinces on one side, and

Spain and Austria (Habsburgs) on the other. After the Revolt of the Spanish Netherlands, the

region divided, with Spain wanting back the rebellious part, despite its weakened navy and

political issues with England. Spain planned to regain control using the "Spanish Road," a route

through France. But France, worried about Spanish expansion, interfered in areas like Savoy to

stop this route. Although France felt less encircled after the Dutch rebels' success, tensions

lingered and briefly paused during Louis XIII's rule due to French internal problems.

Northern Italy's stability relied on places like Venice and Savoy. Spain tried different routes, but

Duke Charles Emmanuel's actions disrupted their plans, causing conflicts over Mantua's

leadership.

The Dutch-Spanish conflict reignited in 1621. Both sides mercenaries, and the Dutch stirred

rebellion in Bohemia to distract the Habsburgs. If Spain moved troops through the "Spanish

Road" into Eastern Europe, it could escalate tensions and lead to a VERY VERY destructive war

in Europe.

The events written in the text show the political shifts between the conflicts of Spain and Austria

and shaped the "geopolitical" area of Europe. The regions and trading routes were also impacted

by the war, access to trade routes and wealthy merchant cities like Amsterdam was improved

under the economic growth of nations. The tensions between these regions having conflicts over

power had the potential to dig deeper into larger conflicts that could have drawn in other

European nations. The fear of a widespread war increased which also affected political,

economic, and religious factors. These events from the text each build up the impact of
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Geopolitical power between regions in Europe, economics and wealth, and also impacted

religious beliefs that had spread around the world.

The Thirty Years' War. Lumen learning editors,

courses.lumenlearning.com/tc3-boundless-worldhistory/chapter/the-thirty-years-war/.

The Thirty Years' War was a series of wars in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. It was

one of the longest and most destructive conflicts in European history, resulting in millions of

casualties.

Initially a war between various Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman

Empire, it gradually developed into a more general conflict involving most of the great powers.

These states employed relatively large mercenary armies, and the war became less about religion

and more of a continuation of the France-Habsburg rivalry for European political pre-eminence.

In the 17th century, religious beliefs and practices were a much larger influence on an average

European. In that era, almost everyone was vested on one side of the dispute or another.

The war began when the newly elected Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II, tried to impose

religious uniformity on his domains, forcing Roman Catholicism on its peoples. The northern

Protestant states, angered by the violation of their rights to choose granted in the Peace of

Augsburg, banded together to form the Protestant Union. Ferdinand II was a devout Roman

Catholic and relatively intolerant when compared to his predecessor, Rudolf II.

His policies were considered heavily pro-Catholic.

Thirty Years' War. Christopher Brooks, 3 May 2018,

human.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/History/World_History/Western_Civilization_-

_A_Concise_History_II_(Brooks)/09%3A_Religious_Wars/9.06%3A_The_Thirty_Years'_War.

Accessed 18 Dec. 2023.

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The Thirty Years' War, the most devastating religious conflict in European history, took place in

the Holy Roman Empire and lasted for decades, leading to a drastic reduction in the population

of the German Lands. The war was triggered by the Defenestration of Prague, where Protestant

nobles in Bohemia rejected Emperor Ferdinand II's demand for Bohemia to renounce

Protestantism and convert to Catholicism, resulting in the expulsion of two Catholic officials

from a window. This incident shattered the fragile compromise that had previously maintained

peace between Catholic and Protestant territories within the empire. The conflict witnessed

extreme violence, massive loss of life, and immense suffering among soldiers and civilians,

making it one of the most destructive religious wars of that era.

An event in the war led to the compromise between the Catholic and Protestant territories in the

empire being broken. The war had shifted Catholics history which also affected its religion today

due to the many religious wars that occured.

Thirty Years' War. Encylopedia Editors, 8 May 2018,

www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/thirty-years-war. Accessed 18

Dec. 2023.

The Thirty Years' War, spanning three decades from the Defenestration of Prague in 1618 to the

signing of the Westphalian peace treaties in 1648, was a significant and prolonged armed

conflict. While some historians view it as a series of separate wars occurring concurrently across

Europe, others argue that in central Europe, especially within the Holy Roman Empire, the

events formed a continuous conflict perceived as such by most people living through it.

Empires and territories had multiple conflicts, peace treaties, and political struggles. These led to

a significant impact into how politics are structured today.

Thirty Years' War | Causes, Effects and Summary. Nate Sullivan, 21 Nov. 2023,
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study.com/academy/lesson/the-30-years-war-the-birth-of-the-enlightenment.html#:~:text=The%2

0Thirty%20Years'%20War%20aimed,losing%20their%20rights%20to%20worship. Accessed 13

Dec. 2023.

The Thirty Years' War aimed to establish freedom of religion, which was at times at stake. The

leading cause was that Emperor Ferdinand forced Catholicism throughout the region, which

made Protestants fear losing their rights to worship. The war resolved this issue through the

Peace of Westphalia and ensured territorial recognition and peace throughout Europe. The Thirty

Years' War affected Catholicism, a large religion that many people follow nowadays.

Catholicism was a huge belief back then, and the Thirty Years' War changed many different

perspectives.

THIRTY YEARS' WAR (1618–1648). John Cannon, 8 May 2018,

www.encyclopedia.com/history/modern-europe/wars-and-battles/thirty-years-war. Accessed 4

Dec. 2023.

The Thirty Years' War, spanning 1618 to 1648, was a major and protracted conflict in early

modern history. While some historians view it as a series of separate overlapping wars rather

than a unified sequence, in Central Europe, particularly the Holy Roman Empire, it was seen as a

continuous conflict. Its roots lay in the deepening crisis within the Holy Roman Empire, where

constitutional, political, and religious issues simmered, exacerbated by the weak authority of

Emperor Rudolf II and the antagonism between Catholics and Protestants.

The conflict erupted due to the confrontation between the emperor and Bohemian Estates over

religious and monarchial control. The struggle between Protestants and Catholics further

escalated with alliances forming across Europe. After early successes by Catholic forces, notably

at the Battle of the White Mountain, France, and Sweden entered the unraveling against
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Habsburg ascendancy. The Edict of Restitution, aiming to restore property to the Catholic

Church, incited further opposition, leading to the involvement of France and Sweden in the

conflict. The Peace of Prague in 1635, though appearing to resolve some issues, failed to satisfy

all parties and was rejected by Sweden and France, prolonging the conflict.

This war had far-reaching consequences, shaped by religious, political, and territorial disputes

within the Holy Roman Empire, ultimately involving various European powers in a complex and

protracted struggle for dominance.

The Thirty Years' War had a lasting impact, shaping the political, social, and religious landscape

of Europe for centuries. The war's conclusion with the Peace of Westphalia altered European

politics and religious growth. The recognition of state sovereignty and the principle of allowing

rulers to determine the religion of their territories marked a significant departure from previous

religious conflicts, contributing to the foundation of modern nation states. Its legacy influenced

conflicts, religious and political relations, and the development of modern NATION STATES,

leaving a great mark on global history.