IV. French Civil Wars (at least 9 wars between 1562-1598)
A. After the death of Henry II in 1559 a power struggle between three
noble families for the Crown ensued
1. The throne remained in the fragile control of the Catholic Valois
family.
a. French kings from 1559 to 1589 were
dominated by their mother, Catherine de
Médicis who as regent fought hard to maintain
Catholic control in France throne if the Valois did not produce a male
heir.
2. Between 40-50% of nobles became Calvinists (Huguenots)—many
were Bourbons
a. Many nobles ostensibly converted for religious reasons but sought
independence from the crown.
b. Resulted in resurgence of feudal disorder in France
c. The Bourbons were next in line to inherit the
throne if the Valois did not produce a male heir.
3. The ultra-Catholic Guise family also competed for the throne;
strongly anti-Bourbon
4. Fighting began in 1562 between Catholics & Calvinists
· Atrocities against rival congregations occurred
B. St. Bartholomew Day Massacre (August, 24, 1572)
1. Marriage of Margaret of Valois to Protestant Huguenot Henry of
Navarre on this day was intended to reconcile Catholics and
Huguenots.
2. Rioting occurred when the leader of Catholic
aristocracy, Henry of Guise, had a leader of the
Huguenot party murdered the night before the
wedding.
3. Catherine de Médicis ordered the massacre of Calvinists in
response
· 20,000 Huguenots killed by October 3
4. The massacre initiated the War of the Three Henrys: civil wars
between Valois, Guise, and Bourbons
C. Henry IV (Henry of Navarre) (r. 1589-1610): became the first
Bourbon king
1. One of the most important kings in French history
2. His rise to power ended the French Civil Wars and placed France on
a gradual course towards absolutism
3. Henry was a politique (like Elizabeth I in England)
a. Sought practical political solutions (rather than ideological ones like
Philip II): somewhat
Machiavellian in nature
b. He converted to Catholicism to gain the loyalty of Paris (He
allegedly stated: “Paris is worth a mass”)
c. Privately he remained a Calvinist
4. Edict of Nantes, 1598: Henry IV granted a degree of religious
toleration to Huguenots
a. Permitted Huguenots the right to worship privately
· Public worship, however, was not allowed
· Huguenots not allowed to worship at all in
Paris and other staunchly Catholic cities.
b. Gave Huguenots access to universities, to public office, and the
right to maintain some 200 fortified towns in west and southwestern
France for selfprotection.
c. In reality, the Edict was more like a truce in the religious wars
rather than recognition of religious tolerance.
· Nevertheless, the Edict gave Huguenots more
religious protection than perhaps any other
religious minority in Europe.
D. Spain vs. England
1. Queen Mary Tudor (Philip II’s wife) had tried to reimpose
Catholicism in England
a. came to power after overthrow of Lady Jane Grey
b. lost Calais to French
2.
a.
b.
c.
repealed protestant statues
hundreds die
“Marian Exiles” fled (John Knox)
waited to return/learned
3. Elizabeth I succeeds Mary
1. Sir William Cecil
2. enjoyed great success
4.
a.
b.
c.
Reversed Mary’s laws - Act of Supremacy
creates Anglican church
Act of Uniformity - use of Common Prayer book
Thirty-Nine Articles - Church of England - protestant
5. radicals on both sides
1. Catholics majority
6. Spain helps radical catholics
a. Elizabeth later refused Philip’s request for
marriage.
b. Elizabeth helped the Protestant Netherlands gain independence from
Spain
7. Elizabeth crushed threats
a. killed fewer than Mary
8.
a.
b.
c.
careful with Puritans
wanted end to Catholic ceremony in the church and Royal control
form Presbyterians
allowed as long as it did not threaten Queen’s control
9. Congregationalists wanted complete autonomy
a. Conventicle Act of 1593 forced them convert, leave or die
E. Problems with Spain
1. 1567 Spain attacks Netherlands
a. threat to England
2. Pope excommunicated Queen
a. wanted England attacked
3. England and France sign defense pact
a. fear Spain
4. John Hawkins and Francis Drake pirate Spanish ships
5. Queen backed protestants in England and Spain
6. Execution of Mary Queen of Scots
a. had claim on throne
F. Spanish Armada, 1588
1. Drake’s attack on Cadiz and Portugal hold off Spanish attack
2. 130 ships and 25,000 men set sail for England
a. English and Dutch had faster ships
b. lacked troop barges
3. Spain goes into decline after defeat
a. Philip dies 1598
b. weak successors
4. Elizabeth dies 1603
V. Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648) – most important war of the 17th
century
A. Failure of the Peace of Augsburg, 1555
1. The 1555 agreement had given German princes the right to choose
either Catholicism or Lutheranism as the official religion of their states.
2. The truce in Germany lasted for 60 years until factionalism in the
Holy Roman Empire precipitated a cataclysmic war
a. all parts of Europe somehow involved
b. settles political map
3. 360 autonomous regions of Germany made it hard to govern
a. each had own tolls, tariffs, money, travel hard
4. Germany in center of Europe and highway for trade
5. problems between princes and HR emperor
a. worried about Catholic takeover
b. wanted to protect rights
c. emperor willing to use force
6. Lutherans and Catholics split HRE 50 - 50
a. distrust prevailed due to each side claiming land in others territory
b. Lutherans more successful
c. catholic rulers upset former catholic kept benefits
d. fighting between protestants
e. threat from science
7. Calvinist gain foothold in Palatinate Germany under Frederick III
a. headed defense alliance that received form other Protestant countries
b. missionaries into Lutheran/Catholic areas
c. threat to Lutherans
8. Maximilian duke of Bavaria starts Catholic League
a. backed by Spain and the Jesuits
b. won back some cities
c. fields large army under Johann van Tilly
9. War had four periods
10. Bohemian Phase
a. 1618 Hapsburg Ferdinand comes to power in Bohemia
b. strong Catholic in line for HRE
11. Ferdinand revoked protestant rights in Bohemia
a. protestants responded by throwing regents out the window(they lived) defenestration of Prague
b. kick Ferdinand out and become Calvinist
c. led by Frederick V
12. Ferdinand becomes HRE
a. SPain and other send him troops
b. some fought for land gain
c. catholic army defeats Frederick V at White Mountain 1620
d. Bohemia and Palatinate catholic
13. Danish Period
a. Christian IV of Denmark enters war in 1626
b. wanted Norther Land
c. defeated by Maximilian of Bavaria
14. Albrecht of Wallenstien a mercenary working for Ferdinand II
a. 100,000 army moved into Denmark
b. outside Emperor’s control
15. Edict of Restitution 1629 - unrealistic
a. reaffirmed Catholic safeguards of Augsburg
b. Calvinist illegal
c. land must be returned
16. Swedish Period
a. Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden new leader of Protestant forces
b. backed by Dutch and Cardinal Richelieu
c. wins major battle at Breitenfeld 1630 - turning point in war
17. military changes - new mobility
a. fire and charge tactic
b. smaller squares with muskets and pikes
c. lighter artillery
18. Adolphus dies fighting Wallenstein at battle of Luzen
1. leads to standstill
19. fearing Wallenstein, Ferdiand has him assassinated
a. was willing to work with both sides
b. religion, greed and politics drive war
20. Peace of Prague 1635
a. Protestant states sign deal with Ferdiand
b. Swedes fight on with French and Dutch support
21. Swedish-French Period
a. French enter 1635
b. fighting seemed to have no purpose
c. 1/3 of Germans dead
22. Treaty of Westphalia ended war
a. Edict of Restitution out, Peace of Augsburg in
b. Calvinist get recognition
c. Holland and Swiss get independence
d. Brandenburg-Prussia become strong in Northern Germany
e. Pope did not back
23. France and Spain fought until 1659
a. Treaty of Pyrenees - humiliated Spain
b. France strongest in Europe
24. left Germany disorganized for years to come
a. Brandenburg-Prussia and Austria powerful
A. Two Models of European Development
1. monarchy’s needed more money for armies and government
a. absolutism and parliamentary government depended on solution
b. British nobles held off the monarchy, France did not
2. France more absolute
a. regional parlements still had power locally
3. religious differneces
a. Puritans in England given a voice
b. protestants in France crushed
4. Parliament in England demanded respect
a. expected to be consulted
b. based on liberty
5. France not the same
a. Estates General not called after 1614
b. monarch did not need them
6. France led be solid leaders/England not
a. France Richelieu, Mazarin, Louis XIV
b. Stuart monarchs weak
7. English nobles fought monarchy to keep power/French nobles work with monarch
to keep theirs
B. Stuart England
1. James I succeed Elizabeth
a. son of Mary Queen of Scots
b. unpopular outsider
c. debts and church problems
d. wanted absolute rule
2. levied impositions - custom duties
a. go around nobles
3. James turned down Puritan efforts to reform church- Millenary Petition
a. would have strife if he did
b. commission create King James Bible
4. James had to rescind Book of Sport
a. allowed sports on Sunday’s
b. Puritans begin to leave country
5. James court was corrupt
a. duke of Buckingham sold court positions and was rumored homosexual lover
b. upset other nobles
6. James a peacemaker to save money
a. peace with Spain
b. tried reduced penalties on Catholics
c. his pro-spain policies ended toward the end of life
d. pressure causes war with Spain
C. Charles I
1. started new taxes and forced loans to fight Spain
a. angered local nobles and commoners
2. upset Parliament meets in 1628
a. agreed to Petition of Right - no taxes without Parliament consent b. no imprisonment without cause
c. no quartering troops
d. would Charles keep his word
3. Buckingham assassinates 1628
4. when parliament accused him of popery, Charles disbanded Parliament until 1640
5. made peace with France and Spain
6. too friendly with Catholics
a. wife catholic
b. supported Arminians - supported high church practices
7. created policy of thorough under Thomas Wentworh
a. make government efficient to save money
b. extended legal taxes which angered many
c. sold positions and elaborate court
8. Scotland rebells after religious changes
a. William Laud wanted uniformity
b. put Common Prayer book in Scottish churches
9. calls parliament(short april-may 1640)
a. disbanded over grievances
10. called back for Long Parliament when Scots defeat British army at Newburn
11. Long Parliament 1640-1660
a. wide support
b. duke of strafford and Laud convicted of treason and executed
c. no more thorough or ship money
d. Parliament would meet no more than three years/ could not dissolve without
consent
12. disagreement over religion
a. puritans wanted Book of Prayer out and decentralized church
b. conservatives liked things the way the were
13. Rebellion in Ireland called for raising an army
a. who should army Parliament or King
14. Charles saw split in Parliament
a. raided Parliament after being presented with grievances
b. leaders escape but begin to raise own army
c. Civil lasted four years
15. main issues
a. absolute or parliamentary
b. who controls the church anglican or presbyterian
16. Cavaliers(King) vs Roundheads(Parliament)
1. Puritans backed roundheads
D. Oliver Cromwell
1. factors that led to victory for Parliament
a. Scots join to form Solemn League
b. Presbyterian system stays
c. Oliver Cromwell takes command
2. Cromwell wins battles of Marston Moor and Naseby
a. Charles tries to win over Presbyterians and Scots but Cromwell bars them from
Parliament
b. Charles executed and monarchy abolished
c. House of Lords and Anglican church also gone
3. Puritan republic from 1649-1660
a. Great Britain formed when Ireland and Scots defeated
4. Cromwell disbands Parliament 1653 after threat to disband army
a. becomes Lord Protector
b. hated due to huge budget and intolerance of Anglicans
c. strict moral rules
d. people ready to go back to tradition when he died in 1658
e. Charles II becomes king 1660
5. Charles II the perfect king but he had Catholic sympathies
a. wanted religious toleration
b. Parliament pass Clarendon Code which outlawed Catholics, Presbyterians, and
Independents