History 321: State and Society in Early Modern Europe:
The Thirty Years War
Reminders What is a primary source?
not editorial introductions, comments, footnotes
Leading class discussion: 10 March Colin, Pasha, Curtis article by David Parrot in The Military
Revolution Debate (on reserve) article by Derek Croxton, Journal of Military
History Leading class discussion: 12 March
Thomas, Mark article by Mortimer in Early Modern Military
History (on reserve)
Maps Pyrenees: http://
www.worldatlas.com/aatlas/infopage/pyrenees.htm
Franco-Spanish War, 1635-1659: http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/franco_spanish_war_1635.htm
Spain’s War with France and the Dutch Republic: http://www.emersonkent.com/map_archive/thirty_years_war_1635.htm
Questions
1. Why did Spain decline after 1635?2. How can we characterize the war in
the Empire after 1635?
Spain’s decline War in Italy, 1635-1642 France’s objective
close Valtellina pass restore control to
Protestants Henri de Rohan
French victory 1635 reverse 1636
Spain’s “alliance with heretics” (p. 647) to regain transit through Valtellina
lack of Protestant support for French conflict with Milan
Spain’s decline War in Italy
civil war in Savoy (1639-1642)
France vs. Spain (1639-1640)
stalemate death of Urban VIII
(1644) Innocent X (1644-1655)
Spain’s decline Attack on Spain
Pyrenees two points of invasion
West: Fuenterrabia East: Perpignan East: Salces
1638: West 1639: East
Salces falls
Spain’s decline Revolt in Catalonia, 1640
French figinting in Rousillon and Lerida Revolt of Portugal, 1640
Defenestration of Lisbon (1 December 1640) in response to demand for 6,000 troops
War of Restoration (1640-1668)
Spain’s decline Fiscal-military burden
“The monarchy remained rich, but it could no longer cope with the mounting cost of war” (p. 655).
silver imports “Spain’s transatlantic trade collapsed in 1638-
41” (p. 659) rising taxes diminishing population The Army of Flanders “was insufficient to fight
both France and the Dutch Republic” (p. 656). casualty and wastage rate: +20,000 per year
after 1635 resistance to military service losses to Dutch in West Indies
Spain’s decline Military defeats
fall of Breda, 1637 “Victory was no longer expected; the aim now
was to leave the war with honour” (p. 661). co-ordinated attacks by France and Dutch
Republic, 1638 irrecoverable attrition rates affect on Empire:
reduction in financial subsidies from Spain “A Spanish success in the Netherlands would
enable Ferdinand III to withdraw his troops from Luxembourg, while a Spanish defeat would free France to reinforce its army in Germany” (p. 659).
Spain’s decline Military defeats
Olivares dismissed (1643)
death of Richelieu (1642) and Louis XIII (1643)
Cardinal Mazarin no quick peace with
Spain territorial gains in the
Empire Battle of Rocroi (1643)
political significance for France
Character of the War after 1635 “universal, anarchic and self-perpetuating
violence” (quoted on p. 622 from Michael Howard, War in European History [1976]) ???
a purposeful myth social, economic, administrative crisis
Swedish plunder of Olmütz, 1642 (pp. 635-36) aftermath of the Battle of Tuttlingen, 1643 (p.
643) capture of French officers & wives attacks of peasants on stragglers
casualties Second Battle of Breitenfeld, 1642 (p. 638) Battle of Jankau, 1645 (p. 695)
Character of the War after 1635 a mobile war
increased proportion of cavalry rapid response to conflicts “in poorly defended
regions” (p. 623) fewer sieges in the Empire (vs. Netherlands)
Character of the War after 1635
a war “firmly controlled and directed” (p. 624) “no marked decline in
the skill of either senior or junior officers” (p. 624)
France: Henri deTurenne
Sweden: Lennart Torstensson
Empire: Franz von Mercy
Character of the War after 1635
a war “firmly controlled and directed” (p. 624) neutrality
Peace of Goslar (1642) Wolfenbüttel exchanged for Hildesheim Guelphs ceased hostilities. France and Sweden lose Lower Saxony as a base for operation
Brandenburg cease-fire (1641), truce (1643)
Saxony Kötzenschenbroda Armistice (1645)
Character of the War after 1635 a war “firmly controlled and directed” (p.
624) financial way out
Heidelberg: Bavaria France bishoprics of Würzburg, Bamberg Sweden
“neutrality in all but name” (p. 640) Significance
moves towards neutrality “dispel the misconception of the war’s later stages as generalized, unlimited destruction” (p. 640)
“reduced the resources avaialable to the imperial war effort and discouraged the emperor’s remaining supporters” (p. 640). electors co-operated with princes and cities
instead of relying on relationship with the Emperor
Peace for War Regensburg
Reichstag, fall 1641 united front against
France and Sweden for German liberty
expansion of amnesty: Hessen-Kassel, Palatinate
an eighth electoral title
War for Peace 25 December 1641:
Ferdinand III’s gesture peace negotiations: France and Catholic
states in Münster Sweden and Protestant
states in Osnabrück local neutrality, safe
passage for envoys background: Guelph
neutrality, Brandenburg-cease fire
Peacemaking during war Westphalian Congress, 1643-1648
“a milestone in global relations” (p. 671) “the ideals and methods of the peace-makers
have profoundly influenced the theory and practice of international relations to the present” (p. 671)
“a ground-breaking event” (p. 672) “the first truly secular international gathering”
(p. 672) challenge to hierarchy move towards “the modern concept of an
order based on sovereign states interacting as equals, regardless of their internal form of government, resources, or military potential” (p. 672)
Peacemaking during war Westphalian Congress, 1643-1648
participation 198 official participants (235 envoys and representatives) 178 participants from the Empire accompanying staff: bodyguards, servants,
cooks, tailors, etc. total cost: ca. 3.2 M thalers
Negotiations Münster, Osnabrück Osnabrück: most Imperial matters settled here Catholics and Protestants in both cities bilateral talks
Peacemaking during war representatives and
objectives Spain: Count
Peñaranda France:
Claude de Mesmes, comte d’Avaux
Abel Servien comprehensive “peace
of Christendom” mutually exclusive
positions Spain: surrender of
some towns in Artois
Peacemaking during war representatives and
objectives Sweden: Johan
Oxenstierna (p. 675) Empire: Maximilian,
Count of Trauttmannsdorff Pomerania
Peacemaking during war conflicting interests of Sweden and
France facade of German liberties Sweden:
restoration of Palatinate Pomerania: how much? money
France: favour of Bavaria interests of Imperial church division between Empire and Spain
Peacemaking during war Westphalian Congress, 1643-1648
phases
1. 1643-1645: Who may participate?
2. 1646-1647: imperial constitution; compensation / territories for France and Sweden
3. 1648: comprehensive treaty, exclusion from peace?
War during peacemaking France and Sweden
renewal of alliance (1641) “division of military labour” (p. 642)
France: west of the Black Forest Sweden: Habsburg lands
Battle of Wolfenbüttel (1641) Imperial victory casualties: 3,000 (Empire); 2,000 (allies)
Battle of Kempen (1642) in Electorate of Cologne Hessen-Kassel in search of a victory for negotiations Allied victory reversal
Swedish invasion of Silesia and Moravia, 1642 fortress of Olmütz
War during peacemaking Sweden at war
Second Battle of Breitenfeld (1642) Swedish victory
War with Denmark (1643-1645) objectives invasion of Holstein (December 1643) fall of Christianpreis fort, Kiel (January 1644) naval war Imperial intervention, 1644 Kiel changes hands fall of Bremen and Verden Peace of Brömsebro, 1645
War during peacemaking Sweden at war
Battle of Jankau, 6 March 1645 “a disaster for the Emperor” (p. 695)
advance on Vienna, April 1645 brief co-operation with Transylvania
diffused by Imperial diplomacy Imperial “resilience and ingenuity” (p. 698) negative strategic consequences
War during peacemaking France at war
Battle of Tuttlingen (1643) Imperial victory vs. France
Battle of Freiburg (1644) Bavarians took Freiburg, 29 July “the longest and one of the toughest battles of
the war” (p. 683): 3 and 5 August stalemate with heavy casualties French gains on middle Rhine
Baden, bishoprics of Speyer and Worms, Philippsburg
War during peacemaking France at war
Battle of Herbsthausen / Mergenthehim, 5 May 1645 Imperial victory
Battle of Allerheim, 3 August 1645 French “strategic success” (p. 704)
Peacemaking during war
Participation of the Imperial estates in the Westphalian congress observers? Amalie Elisabeth, Hessen-
Kassel, champion of aristocratic interests proposal: estates to meet in
confessional groups support from Sweden and
France Emperor: invitation to
estates to participate in traditional three colleges (29 August 1644)
Peacemaking during war Imperial proposals
1. concessions to Sweden Pomerania, Bremen, Verden
2. concessions to Brandenburg
Magdeburg, Halberstadt
3. concessions to France Alsace
4. concession to Protestant estates
abandonment of restitution
5. concession to peace process
abandonment of Spain in a separate peace if absolutely necessary