Rise Of Austria and Prussia

1. Rise Of Austria and Prussia Chapter 4 Section 4

2. The Thirty Years’ War • Voltaire, a French philosopher, said that the Holy Roman Empire was a patchwork of several hundred small, separate states. • In theory, these states were under control of the Holy roman Emperor • He was chosen by seven German princes called electors. • In practice, the emperor had little power over the many rival princes. • Religion further divided the German states, and this sparked the Thirty Years’ War.

3. The War Begins • War had both religious and political causes. • Began in Bohemia, presently the Czech Republic • Ferdinand, Hapsburg king of Bohemia, sought to suppress Protestants and assert royal power over local nobles. • In May 1618, a few Protestant nobleman tossed two royal officials out of a castle window. • This started a general conflict, which turned into a general European War.

4. The War Begins • The following year, Ferdinand was named the Holy Roman Emperor. • He tried to roll back the Reformation, with the support of Spain, Poland, and many Catholic States. • Early on in the war, he defeated the Bohemians and their Protestant Allies • Immediately after, Protestant Powers such as Netherlands and Sweden sent troops to Germany. • Political Issues quickly outweighed religious issues, and many rulers shifted their alliances to suit their interests. • Eventually, Catholic France joined Lutheran Sweden against the Catholic Hapsburgs.

5. A Brutal Conflict • Armies of mercenaries, or soldiers for hire, burned villages, destroyed crops, and killed without mercy. • Murder and torture were followed by famine and disease. • The war led to depopulation, or reduction of population. • Historians estimate that one third of the people in German states died from the war.

6. Peace at Last • In 1648, the sides accepted a series of treaties, known as the Peace of Westphalia. • France came out as a clear winner. They gained territory on both it German and Spanish Frontiers. • The Hapsburgs were the losers because they had to accept the total independence of all the princes of the Holy Roman Empire. • Netherlands and Switzerland won recognition as independent states.

7. Peace At Last • Germany ended up divided into 360 separate states. • They still acknowledged leadership of the Holy roman emperor. • Each state had its own coinage, government, armed forces, state church, and foreign policy. • Germany remained fragmented for another 200 years.

8. Hapsburg Austria • Weakened by war, Hapsburgs wanted to create a strong united state. • Kept title of Holy Roman emperors. • Along with Austria, they added Bohemia, Hungary, and parts of Italy and Poland.

9. Unity and Diversity • Uniting the lands were very difficult. • In the Hapsburg Empire, people had their own languages, laws, assemblies, and customs. • The Hapsburgs did exert control over these diverse peoples. • The Hapsburg Empire never developed a centralized government.

10. Maria Theresa • In 1700s, emperor Charles VI had no son to take his place as ruler. • His daughter, Maria Theresa, was capable, but no woman had ever ruled Hapsburg lands. • Charles asked many rulers to recognize his daughter’s right to succeed him, but many ignored their pledge.

11. Maria Theresa • In 1740, Frederick II of Prussia seized control of a Hapsburg province. • Maria asked Hungarians for military help, but they were unfriendly with her. • She eventually got help from Britain and Russia. • Throughout the war, she strengthened Hapsburg power by reorganizing the bureaucracy and improving tax collection.

12. The Rise of Prussia • Prussia emerged as a new Protestant power • In 1600s, the Hohenzollern family ruled parts of north Germany. • They eventually conquered many other states and they set up a central bureaucracy and reduced independence of nobles, called Junkers. • Many Prussian rulers formed one of the best trained armies in Europe. • They won loyalty of Junkers by giving them positions in government or army.

13. Frederick II • Frederick William trained his son Frederick II in the art of war • Frederick II preferred playing the flute and writing poetry. • His dad treated him terribly because of this, and Fred JR. tried to flee the country • Finding out about this, Frederick William put his son in solitary confinement.

14. Military successes • Shortly after becoming king, Fred Jr. used his army to seize Silesia from Austria. • In many other wars, Fred Jr. brilliantly used his army, forcing all to accept Prussia as a great power. • This is how he became Frederick the Great.

15. Keeping the Balance of Power • By 1750, the great powers of Europe were Austria, Russia, Prussia, France, and England. • Formed alliances to maintain balance of power • Sometimes, rivalries caused worldwide conflict.

16. Review • Mercenary- Soldier for hire, only fights for the highest bidder • Depopulation- Loss of population due to war, famine, or disease • What country did the Hapsburg’s rule, actually what country and empire? Austria • What was the group of Princes called that selected the Holy Roman Emperor? Electors • What did the Holy Roman Emperor want to roll back in Europe? Protestant Reformation/Protestant Tide • What was the war called the ended with the Peace of Westphalia? 30 years war • Who was the first female empress of Austria? Maria Theresa