Thirty Years' War - the first military conflict that engulfed all of Europe.It was attended by two large groups: Habsburg unit (Austro-German and Spanish Habsburgs, the Catholic principality in Germany, Poland) and the anti-Habsburg coalition (Denmark, Sweden, France, the Principality of Protestant Germany, England, Holland, Russia).Deployment of the conflict contributed to both religious and political reasons.
Religious reasons
«War ver" - is the second name of a large-scale military conflict, which lasted from 1618 to 1648.Indeed, the Thirty Years' War was the most terrible period of confrontation between Catholics and Protestants in the 17th century.Many people took up arms to establish the rule of "right belief".On the religious nature of the war and indicate the name of the opposing alliances.In particular, the Evangelical Protestants created a union (1608) and Catholics - Catholic League (1609).
intensity of the relationship Protestants and Catholics took place when in 1617 the Czech Republic was proclaimed King Ferdinand Styria, who was also heir to the entire Holy Roman Empire.He was a Catholic and was not going to take the interests of Protestants.This is clearly evident in its policies.For Catholics, he gave various privileges and rights of Protestants strongly limited.Key government positions occupied by Catholics and Protestants, on the contrary, were persecuted.It was banned the execution of Protestant worship.Due to the violence of the protesters went to the Catholics.Religious clashes again become commonplace.
All of the above resulted in an uprising in Prague Protestant May 23, 1618.Then there was "The Second Defenestration of Prague": the rebellious Protestants thrown from the windows of one of the fortresses of Prague Habsburg officials.Recent survived only thanks to the fact that the fall in the manure.Later, the Catholic Church explains their salvation by means of angels.After these events the Catholic army moved on the rebels.Thus began the Thirty Years War.
Political reasons
But the causes of the Thirty Years War not only associated with religion.The political nature of the conflict clearly emerged in subsequent periods of war (Swedish, Danish, and French and Swedish).At its heart was the fight against the hegemony of the Habsburgs.For example, Denmark and Sweden, defended the interests of Protestants, would gain political leadership in Central Europe.In addition, these countries eat to get rid of competitors in the northern sea routes.
Thirty Years War contributed to the fragmentation of the Habsburg Empire, so even Catholic France sided with the Protestants.The latter feared excessive strengthening of the Empire and had territorial claims in the South Netherlands, Alsace, Lorraine and northern Italy.England also struggled with the Habsburgs to the sea.Thirty Years' War, the causes of which lay in religion, quickly turned into one of the largest European political conflicts.
