Rise of Austria and Prussia Chapter 17.4

1. Rise of Austria and PrussiaChapter 17.4

2. The Thirty Years’ War • By the early 1600s the Holy Roman Empire has fallen into several hundred small, separate states. • The Holy Roman Emperor became an elected position and had very little power over the states princes • Regional conflict also fuelled the Thirty Years’ War • North – Protestants (mainly Lutheran) • South - Catholics

3. The Thirty Years’ War Cont’ • The war was both Political and Religious • It began in Bohemia (present day Czech Republic) • When King Ferdinand of Bohemia (Hapsburg) sought to suppress Protestants and assert royal power over local nobles • Ferdinand was elected Holy Roman Empire in 1619 and with the support of Spain and Poland there was a fight to push back the Reformation

4. The Thirty Years’ War • When Protestant states like Sweden and the Netherlands heard of what was going on in Bohemia Protestant troops were sent to fight the Catholics • However both Catholic and Protestant rulers shifted sides when they would benefit the most • EX: Catholic France joined Lutheran Sweden against the Catholic Hapsburgs • Hapsburgs controlled Spain as well as Austria

5. The Thirty Years’ War Cont’ • Many roving armies of mercenaries destroyed all things in their way • Murder and torture were followed by famine and disease which lead to depopulation in much of central Europe. • In 1648 the Treaty of Westphalia was signed ending the Thirty Year’s War

6. Treaty of Westphalia • France comes out smelling like a rose • France gained land on both the Spanish front and German Front • Hapsburgs lose big • Accept almost total independence of all Princes in the Holy Roman Empire • Leaves Germany divided into 360 separate states • Netherlands and the Swiss Federation won recognition as independent states

7. Hapsburg Austria • Even after the Thirty Years’ War the Hapsburgs still wanted a strong nation under them • By the early 1700s the Hapsburg empire included Germans, Slavs and others • Hapsburgs allowed each to practice and live as they did before. But the Hapsburgs would step in when they saw fit

8. Maria Theresa • Charles VI had no son and no women has every controlled Hapsburg land by herself • Charles convinced many European families into recognizing Maria right to the throne. Many ignored that promise after his death • In 1740 the largest threat came from Frederick II of Prussia • This will become the 8 years war of Austrian Succession

9. Rise of Prussia • As Austria emerged as a strong Catholic State, Prussia emerged as an equally strong Protestant State. • Under the leadership of the Hohenzollern (HOH uhn tsahl ern) family. Prussia began to build a large and very strong army. • Also the Hohenzollern families set up a system of bureaucracy to reduce the power of the local nobles known as Junkers

10. Frederick William I • “Prussia is not a state which possesses an army, but an army which possesses a state.” • By 1740 Prussia was strong enough to challenge Austria • Frederick II – Frederick William trained him as a military leader • Frederick preferred to play the flute and write poetry

11. Frederick II • Frederick with the help of a friend were going to flee the country. Frederick William discovered these plans. • Frederick William forced his son to watch the beheading of his own friend. • Fredericks military training was not lost because in in 1740 the War of Austrian Succession was started by him

12. Balance of Power • As Austria and Prussia became more powerful in just added two more powers to Europe • Many wars broke out across Europe • The largest was the 7 Years’ War 1756-1763 • (we know it better as the French and Indian War) • Was fought on 4 different continents • Prussia, Austria, Russia, France and Britain fought in Europe • Britain and France fought in India, Africa and North America • Treaty of Paris ends the war and gives England a huge Empire