No matter the time period, history has always held religious differences among people. Every once in a while, this resulted in conflict (some minor, some catastrophic). That’s exactly what happened in the 17th century, when Holy Roman Emperor, Ferdinand II, attempted to force Roman Catholicism upon everyone within his domain. Not only was he unsuccessful, he lost favor with his people and caused a slew of repercussions in Europe. The 17th century Wars of Religion (specifically the Thirty Years’ War) represented a period of change in the social divisions in Europe, but of continuity in the ideological divisions. The 30 Years’ War was a direct result of Ferdinand II’s desire to have a completely Roman Catholic nation. As this followed the Protestant
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To rephrase that, the Thirty Years’ War brought about great changes socially, which continued the great religious divisions that already existed. The second aspect of the Peace of Westphalia was religion. It redefined Protestants and Catholics as equal before the law across Europe. While this may have suppressed religious conflict, it did nothing to the division itself. In addition, Calvinism was given legal recognition, solidifying that division in ideology. With the independence of the German Princes, each of them was permitted to determine the religion of his own state, whether Catholic, Lutheran, or Calvinist, strengthening the divisions even further. Overall, the Wars of Religion had a surplus of impacts on European states, politics, society, and religion. Following the fall of Ferdinand II and the Holy Roman Empire, the Peace of Westphalia secured a new look for Europe. With an array of new nations, religion remained constant. Societal change was inevitable with the splitting of the Holy Roman Empire, but that did not cause the three major religions in Europe to change. Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism preserved their identities based on their fundamental ideology and original
To rephrase that, the Thirty Years’ War brought about great changes socially, which continued the great religious divisions that already existed. The second aspect of the Peace of Westphalia was religion. It redefined Protestants and Catholics as equal before the law across Europe. While this may have suppressed religious conflict, it did nothing to the division itself. In addition, Calvinism was given legal recognition, solidifying that division in ideology. With the independence of the German Princes, each of them was permitted to determine the religion of his own state, whether Catholic, Lutheran, or Calvinist, strengthening the divisions even further. Overall, the Wars of Religion had a surplus of impacts on European states, politics, society, and religion. Following the fall of Ferdinand II and the Holy Roman Empire, the Peace of Westphalia secured a new look for Europe. With an array of new nations, religion remained constant. Societal change was inevitable with the splitting of the Holy Roman Empire, but that did not cause the three major religions in Europe to change. Catholicism, Lutheranism, and Calvinism preserved their identities based on their fundamental ideology and original