Monarchs and Conflict in Central Europe

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Monarchs and Conflict in Central Europe

• 4.4 Part 2

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I. Monarchies in Central Europe

• Never gained absolute control
• Part of the Holy Roman Empire
• Holy Roman Emperor had come from the Hapsburgs
  since 1450s
• Around 1600 one of the Hapsburg rulers started a
  major conflict to assert authority

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II. Thirty Years War

• Began as a religious conflict
• Ferdinand II head of Hapsburg family
• Tried to shut down two protestant churches in
  Prague
• This sparked a revolt
• Rulers of other countries get involved

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• German states of Bavaria and Austria rebelled
• France, Denmark, and Sweden joined on the
  Protestant side
• War was devastating for Germany (HRE), and
  several million Germans died due to starvation,
  disease, and battle
• The war dragged on and came to an end with the
  Peace of Westphalia
• Ended religious war in Europe
• Extended religious toleration
• Reduced the power of the Holy Roman Empire
• Catholics would no longer dominate Europe

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III. Austria and Prussia

• 2 Families gained from the treaty
• Austria Hapsburgs Maria Theresa
• - she was in line for the throne when her
  father, Charles VI, died

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B. Prussia - Hohenzollerns

• William Fredericks son Frederick became
  Frederick the Great

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• War of Austrian Succession 1740
• Frederick invades Silesia (Austrian land), Spain,
  France, and 2 German states ally themselves with
  Prussia
• Maria Theresa had too much stacked against her
• Stopped aggression but gave up the territory
• Prussia would emerge as a military power
• Rivalry would continue between the two powers