The Thirty Years' War
A devastating Central European conflict driven by religion and dynastic rivalry.
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Between 1618 and 1648, a conflict primarily located in Central Europe, known as the Thirty Years' War, occurred, and it ranks among the most destructive in European history.[1] According to Parker 1997, the combined death toll from combat, starvation, and illness for both soldiers and civilians is estimated between 4.5 and 8 million, and in some parts of Germany, population numbers fell by over half.[1]
Key facts and history
The war's origins are traced to religious strife inside the Holy Roman Empire, which was ignited by the Reformation of the 16th century.[2] Thus, religion, together with disputes concerning the extent of imperial power, was a significant element in the war's commencement.[2] A state's official religion, either Lutheran or Catholic, was determined by the faith of its ruler.[1] This arrangement was weakened after 1555 as Protestantism, especially Calvinism—a doctrine disliked by both Lutherans and Catholics—expanded into Catholic regions.[2]
In May 1618, Count Thurn led Protestant nobles in throwing Ferdinand's two Catholic representatives from the windows of Prague Castle, an event called the Third Defenestration of Prague.[3]
What the cited sources add
Parker 1997 is the source for the figure of 4.5 to 8 million total deaths from battle, famine, or disease.[1] Frost 1994 is the source for the fact that after 1640, the imperial position was significantly weakened by the loss of Spanish subsidies.[4][5]
References
- Wikipedia, "Thirty Years' War" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Parker 1997, p. 173 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Thirty Years' War" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Sutherland 1992, p. 589–590 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Thirty Years' War" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Wedgwood 1938, p. 22–24 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Thirty Years' War" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Frost 1994, p. 102; Wedgwood 1938, p. 22–24 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "Thirty Years' War" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Frost 1994, p. 102 (original not read by us) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article Thirty Years' War (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Thirty Years' War (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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