Germany before and after the Thirty Years' War: From Martin Luther to the French Revolution

By Egon Harings

Emperor Maximilian I is the last knight. With his death the Middle Ages end and modern times begin. Martin Luther publishes his famous theses and the Reformation changes the Christian world. The emergence of two denominations eventually leads to the cruelest war that Germany has experienced until then. It is the Thirty Years' War that devastates entire tracts of land, in which settlements disappear from the map and the population is suffering from terror and hunger. With the end of the horror war Germany is a different country, a country of many independent small states. Thus also the Netherlands and Switzerland separate from Germany and become independent. Austria and Prussia are benefiting from small-scale state-building and are expanding. Prussia becomes next to Austria a German great power.

Germany is repeatedly threatened by the Turks. In the year 1683 Germany should finally fall and become a Turkish Muslim country. The Turks are beaten before Vienna. Thereafter, the reconquest of the Balkans by Austrian troops begins. Austria becomes superpower. During this time, there are also domestic and military conflicts between Prussia and Austria. In these conflicts, Prussia finally comes out victorious.

Poland is divided beween Russia, Prussia and Austria and disappears entirely from the map. French revolutionary troops are threatening Germany, occupy large areas and devastate the country.

This book also covers the Renaissance, the Baroque period, the Rococo style and the Enlightenment, as well as Classicism and Mercantilism. You can also read something about famous personalities of that time, such as Goethe, Schiller and Mozart.

• Language: English
• Publisher: tredition
• Release date: Aug 17, 2018
• ISBN: 9783746961286

Egon Harings

Egon Harings wurde in Düsseldorf geboren. Nach Schulbesuchen in der ehemals französischen und britischen Besatzungszone machte er eine Ausbildung als Industriekaufmann. Später studierte er Betriebswirtschaft und war in der Stahlindustrie beschäftigt. Heute ist er Rentner und lebt mit seiner Frau in der Nähe von Düsseldorf. Mit dem Schreiben von Büchern begann er um 2010. Veröffentlicht wurden bereits Werke von ihm in Großbritannien und in den Vereinigten Staaten. In Deutschland erfolgte im Jahre 2013 die erste Veröffentlichung in deutscher Sprache.

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Egon Harings

Germany before and after the Thirty Years' War

From Martin Luther to the French Revolution

www.tredition.de

(c) 2018 Egon Harings

Verlag und Druck: tredition GmbH, Hamburg

ISBN

Das Werk, einschließlich seiner Teile, ist urheberrechtlich geschützt. Jede Verwertung ist ohne Zustimmung des Verlages und des Autors unzulässig. Dies gilt insbesondere für die elektronische oder sonstige Vervielfältigung, Übersetzung, Verbreitung und öffentliche Zugänglichmachung.

I dedicate this book to my granddaughter Maiya in Australia.

Inhalt

Prologue

Maximilian I, the last knight

Karl V The Turkish Invasion The Peasants’ War

The alliance of Schmalkalden

Maximilian II

The time before the Horror War

The Thirty Years’ War, the Horror War

Kuruzitürken, the Turks again (The second Turkish invasion)

French troops devastate West Germany The new kingdom of Prussia

Friedrich the Great and Maria Theresia

The end of the Kingdom of Poland

Classicism

The last famous German authors of the period of Enlightenment

Mercantilism

The last emperors of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation

Chronology

Important persons

Bibliography

Drawings by Egon Harings

Books about German History by Egon Harings

Prologue

This book begins with Emperor Maximilian I, who is called The Last Knight. The Middle Ages come to an end and it begins the modern time. In 1517, during the lifetime of Maximilian, Martin Luther publishes his famous theses and thus initiates a theological and political upheaval of greatest extent.

This book takes the reader first from the Reformation to the Peace of Augsburg of 1555. It is the time of Charles V (Karl V), the time of the Habsburg emperor, who can say of himself that the sun never goes down in his empire. It is also the time of the first Turkish invasion.

The Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation soon shows the first signs of decay. The confederacies (Swiss) in the western Alpine regions cause unrest. Peasant wars and wars of succession follow. For many there are bad times, but none are as bad as those that Germany has to experience 1618 – 1648. It is the Thirty Years’ War, the war of horror, as it is called in this book, the war in which entire areas are devastated, in which settlements disappear from the map and the population is suffering from terror and hunger. Foreign troops abound on German soil, spreading fear and scare. The armed conflicts finally end in 1648 with the Peace of Westphalia.

The social situation of the population in urban and rural areas immediately after the cruel war is also examined in this book, such as the development of the German territories that still belong to a real federation but lead a life of its own. Here is given attention for two countries especially, Brandenburg-Prussia that experiences its rise to great power by the Great Elector Friedrich-Wilhelm, and Austria that in 1683 once fends off the attack of the Turks and then in the early years of the 18th century the Turkish threat banishes by its great campaigns in the Balkans. In this book is also reported about the clash of Prussia and Austria in the Silesian wars.

In the second half of the 18th century Germany experiences a new and amazing cultural prosperity and political stability despite war damage, loss of population and economic hardship. It is the time of Baroque and absolutism. Visual arts and architecture, literature and music experience in the absolute rule states alike their highlights. So it is also understood that in this book the manifestations of the Baroque to be treated.

This book ends with the French Revolution, thus with the time of Napoleon, whose time is only described in detail, however, in the following volume. In the 18th century a great change takes place in intellectual history, which is triggered by the Enlightenment that you can read in this book too. The man’s emergence from his self-incurred immaturity, so the great philosopher from Königsberg, Immanuel Kant, defines the Enlightenment. He can not express the goals of Enlightenment more precisely. Enshrining these goals in the pan-European intellectual life and its impact not only on the thinking, but also on the political conceptions in Germany, this work tries to show. If that succeeds, the reader decides.

This book deals with the time that is called the heyday of the Habsburgs. Who does not know Maria Theresia. She is not empress, but her husband, Emperor Franz I, she is allowed to stand politically in the shade. Franz I is more devoted to science and his collecting passion than to the state. – This book also deals with the time of Friedrich II, Friedrich the Great of Prussia. He is actually the one who makes Prussia a great power. His first government actions find anywhere applause. He abolishes the torture as a means of finding the truth in criminal processes, mitigates the punishment for female child killers and grants for a certain time, the freedom of the press.

Famous are his words regarding religious tolerance: All religions must be tolerated, because everyone has to be saved in his own way. In this conception of the ruling authority, Friedrich II follows the enlightened doctrine according to which rule is not founded on divine order, but on the social contract, tacit, voluntary subjection of the people under a sovereign, from whom they expect in return peace and welfare. Theoretically power is exercised on behalf of the governed. The ruler is, as Friedrich II himself formulates it, the first servant of the state.

Friedrich II drains large wetlands in his kingdom during his time as ruler. He is also known for eliminating the famine in Prussia by introducing potato mining. The potatoes are now grown in large quantities by the rural population. About much more is still reported in this book, like the coffee bean. Almost everyone drinks coffee in Germany, but hardly anyone knows where this bean originally comes from. And, who knows the place from which coffee drinking in Germany becomes popular and who is the one who causes it? This book provides information.

The wildlife a few million years ago.

Darwin, the naturalist, has recognized that all life in the world is changing. He established a new doctrine of the transformation of species: the development of new species by selecting the forms suitable for their respective living conditions. It is not different with German history.

Maximilian I, the last knight

We write the year 1494

Maximilian I had taken over the reign over the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after the death of his father. He was a handsome and well-shaped man with considerably physical power, kindly and successful with women. He had by storm taken the heart of the spoiled princess of Burgundy; he was popular with the people in the towns and in the country as no German ruler before and after him. He took the hearts of the citizens by his affability, his martial recklessness and his interest in art and literature, but that only as long as he didn’t turn to them for money matters. He was also popular and respected as great huntsman with the farmers of his „Hereditary Countries". But he hadn’t a real understanding for the care and plights of the man in the street indeed.

The establishment of Landshut by Duke Ludwig of Kelheim (1183 – 1231) was confirmed by Abbot Hermann of Niederaltaich. Hermann wrote in 1204: Ludovicus dux bavariae castrum et oppidum in Landshuet construere cepit. Accordingly, Ludwig was the second man in the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation: He was the deputy of the emperor in the crusade of 1221, then regent for the young king, the son of Friedrich II. 1231 Ludwig was murdered in Kelheim. In the same year his wife Ludmilla of Bohemia founded the Cistercian convent on the outskirts of the town. – In Landshut, the famous wedding was held, as reported. In 1475 Georg, the son of Ludwig the Rich, married Jadwiga, daughter of the Polish king.

Maximilian I went down in history as „the last knight", because with his death the time of the knights finally came to an end. But Maximilian I also was the man of the period of transition from mediaeval-knightly ideals to modern and sober reality. He liked to show his knightly skill in tournaments himself. Also his plans of crusade, which he had never abandoned, thoroughly appeared in a mediaeval way. He was on the other hand a realist to trust in the modern foot-troops of the „Landsknechts" ( = Knechte des Landes/armed farmhands or country warriors). He even looked after the details of the arming himself, the tactical movement in the battle and the filling of officer’s posts. He showed his good nose for military ability, when he knighted the Swabian George Frundsberg and made him commander of the Landsknechts and later „field captain". Frundsberg fought the battles for his emperor in the Lower Lands and Italy after that. Another modern weapon, which was further developed with success by Maximilian I, was the Austrian artillery. Maximilian’s I pride were the foundries of gun and a well-filled arsenal close to Innsbruck.

Maximilian I had artistic interests and also a marked talent of writer. So there are several literary works by him, for example the prose novel „Weißkunig („The White King according to his white armour but also „The Wise King") and the verse epic poem „Theuerdank" (Thanks Dear), both autobiographical writings, which were committed to the mediaeval-courtly literature.

Castle Burghausen – This castle on the Salzach River in Bavaria is one of the greatest achievements of medieval castles and military constructions in Germany. The expansion of the castle is closely associated with the phase of the Bavarian partitions 1255 – 1505. In 1255, in the first partition, Burghausen was annexed by the Lower Bavarian Dukedom. During the comprehensive construction period under Duke Heinrich XIII of Bavaria-Landshut (1255 – 1290) were created large parts of the main castle.

During the 13th and 14th Century Burghausen took over, as second residence of the Lower Bavarian dynasty of Wittelsbach, important functions of the Landshut (main-)household: as women’s and widow’s seat, education’s place of children, as treasury and state prison. Influenced by the threat of a Turkish invasion from East, Duke Georg the Rich (1479 – 1503) expanded the castle; then it was a vast, seemingly impregnable fortress. The expansion should clarify not only the military role, but also the feeling of power and representation will of the prince. The defensive system was improved in the outdoor area, reinforced the castle walls and gun turrets built. The first courtyard secured from 1494 the Georg Gate.

Humanistic liking, but also strong financial reasons, led to the fact that Maximilian I more and more turned his eyes on the native country of humanism, Italy. Because he knew since the peace with France, that Charles VIII made plans of the occupation of Upper Italy (Lombardia/Lombardy), he above all wanted to bind Milan tightly. This rich dukedom, which dominated Upper Italy, was still a part of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, even though the relation to the empire had become loose in the meantime. Now Maximilian I saw to it that the different points of view narrowed again. That happened by getting married to Bianca Maria Sforza, the niece of the reigning duke of Milan, Ludovico il Moro. The bride Bianca Maria Sforza came from a not very noble house. The grandfather Francesco had usurped the rule over Milan as leader of the mercenaries. The father, Galeazzo, was murdered because of his atrocities. Bianca Maria Sforza was pretty but foolish too. She was never loved by her husband of heart. But that didn’t make any difference in view of a dowry of 300,000 Ducats, which were very welcome for Maximilian I. Anyway, Maximilian I had one foot in Italy by this marriage, and that in a moment when the peninsula was in danger of a prey of the European powers to be.

Shortly after the wedding of Maximilian I had taken place in Innsbruck Charles VIII of France marched into Italy. His aim was to occupy the Kingdom Naples because he was said to have hereditary rights. After the occupation of Naples he wanted to recapture Byzantium (Istanbul) and to make the new emperor of a new empire of his own. – Charles’s VIII troops marched without resistance as far as Naples, where they met as liberators with a friendly reception. Now all Italian rulers came to an arrangement with Charles VIII. But the destruction of the balance in Italy was alarming as before.

We write the year 1495

In March the pope, Spain, Milan, Venice and King Maximilian I united to the „Holy League of Venice. „Holy only because the pope, Alexander VI (1492 – 1503) - a man from the family Borgia, who was not exactly a man of law and therefore not „Holy - took part. In view of the powerful league of Venice, the French king withdrew from Italy under curses of the people. That happened before Maximilian I appeared there. Maximilian I couldn’t immediately start for Italy, because he just negotiated with the imperial princes at the Imperial Diet of Worms. There the archbishop of Mainz, Berthold of Henneberg, was trying for strengthening of the electors to get concessions, if they made available troops for the campaign against Italy. But Maximilian I rejected concessions and had for it to accept a change in sense of an imperial reform, for example the introduction of an Imperial Tax – the Gemeine Pfennig (Common Penny) – the holding of periodical Imperial Diets (yearly), the foundation of an independent Imperial Chamber Court and the proclamation of a Landfriedensordnung" (Order of Country Peace).

We write the year 1496

Maximilian I marched with his troops to Italy to be prepared to drive the hated Frenchmen out of Italy for ever and to renew the former imperial rights there. But Maximilian’s forces were too weak and he could not count on other support. As for the rest the Italians didn’t have interests in exchange the Frenchmen for the Germans too. Therefore they distrustfully retired from Maximilian I. Only the uncle of his wife, Ludovico of Milan, stood by him. The Holy League began to dissolve. The attempt, to secure the former rights of the empire in Tuscany (Toscana) by force only and to take the Sea Fortress Livorno by an attack from sea and from land, failed because of the autumn storms.

The landsknechts ran away from Maximilian I. In December he returned over the snow-covered Alps to Tyrol without to have a little success before. He was beaten, disappointed, derided and without funds. Italy was open for a new attack of the Frenchmen. But Maximilian I had success this year, and that in spite of his defeat in Italy. The Spanish king and Maximilian arranged a double wedding between their children to intensify their connection to French policy of expansion. That was connected with the League Agreement of Venice. So Maximilian’s son, Philipp the Handsome, married the princess Juana the Mad and one year later Maximilian’s daughter, Margarete, the Spanish prince Juan. But Margarete didn’t have fortune with this marriage. Her husband, Juan, died in the year of the marriage.

The marriage of Philipp was to have considerable repercussions on the Habsburg dynasty. This marriage laid the foundations of the rise of the world power of the Habsburg family. Philipp’s eldest son Carlos (Karl/Charles) was to rule over an empire, in which the sun never set.

We write the year 1498

King Charles VIII of France died. As soon as possible his successor, Louis XII (1498 – 1515), took up the Italian politics of Charles VIII. He not only renewed the rights to Naples, but also to Upper Italy (Lombardy), where he had rights to the Dukedom of Milan by his grandmother. His enterprise was more thoroughly prepared in terms of diplomatic respect than the campaign of Charles VIII. He could win over Spain with the promise to share the Kingdom of Naples. Pope Alexander VI hoped for a principality for his son Alexander Borgia, which the French king could only procure him. Venice also tried to associate itself with France.

We write the year 1499

France threatened to occupy the Dukedom of Milan. Ludovico therefore sent a cry for help to Maximilian I. But Maximilian could not help because of a missing army. Louis XII saw the weakness of Milan. He invaded Upper Italy and conquered the rich town.

Milan got a part of France. Ludovico was taken prisoner and stayed in arrest to his death in the year of 1508. The French king took the treasure of Milan. After the conquest of this town, the Kingdom Naples was also shared out among France and Spain.

Maximilian I had lost very much credit. The man of the hour was Louis XII, King of France. Now all the small states of Italy sought refuge with him. The French king also won the pope for his side and Maximilian’s son, Philipp the Handsome (the son-in-law of the Spanish king), even sought the peace with France.

Also in the empire Maximilian went a way through setbacks and disappointments. The Swiss, who were very self-confident by their victories, pursued their separation from the federation of German countries without disguise. So they rejected the reformatory resolutions of the Imperial Diet of Worms, the imperial chamber court and the Gemeine Pfennig and were looking for a support by France. In south-west Germany there was the Swabian war. Swabia terribly suffered from the aftermath of the combats between the Swiss and their neighbouring countries. It is true that it was declared the Imperial War against Switzerland, but the Swiss were left as victors because the empire didn’t have money and troops for a war. Switzerland was released from the resolutions of the Imperial Diet of Worms by the peace treaty of Basel. In reality Switzerland thus belonged to the empire no longer, even though it was still an official part of Germany for long time. The model Switzerland had an effect on Swabia, where the towns and farmers began to sympathize with the Swiss.

We write the year 1500

In Augsburg an Imperial Diet took place. There Maximilian I had to come to terms with the setting-up of a Reichsregiment, i.e. a committee of the social classes (Stände), which was intended to be a tool that prevented the German king from ruling in the empire. It was even thought of withdrawing the supreme command of the imperial army from him. The question of a war against France was out.

But Maximilian I could nevertheless make a little success this year. The dynasty of the counts of Görz/Gorizia became extinct. Their estates in Carinthia and Friaul/Friuli (North Italy) fell to Maximilian I. But more important for the future of the House Habsburg was another family event. On February 24, Maximilian’s first grandson was born in Gent (town in the Lower Lands/Belgium), it was Karl (Carlos), the son of Philipp the Handsome and Juana the Mad. – Carlos (Karl/Charles) became king of Germany later. – At the moment Maximilian I applied his mind to the overcoming of the state of weakness and of gaining freedom of action again. It is true that his possibilities were limited – lack of money, resistance of the German princes – but he succeeded in shaking off the Reichsregiment and in holding his own against the opposition of the electors.

We write the year 1501

This year Maximilian I began with the rapprochement between France and the empire. By his son Philipp he was harassed to do that. In Trient (Trento) was then made peace between the German Empire and France.

We write the year 1503

There was an argument amongst the members of the Bavarian family Wittelsbach. Maximilian I made himself arbiter of this argument, but his efforts he let himself pay at the expense of Bavaria: he annexed the Bavarian towns Kufstein, Kitzbühel and Rattenburg, which are Tyrolean towns today.

We write the year 1504

In the French town Blois a peace treaty between France and Maximilian I was again made. That treaty seemed the last points of contention between France and the German Empire to clarify.

Maximilian I gave the Dukedom of Milan as a fief to the French king, Louis XII, and received the promise that the daughter of Louis, provided with ample dowry, will marry Maximilian’s grandson Carlos (Karl). It is true that the bridegroom was just four years old, but anyway Louis XII had never intended to keep to agreements. He had hardly Milan as a fief officially he married his daughter to his nephew, his later successor, Francois. Maximilian let the matter rest, because he finally wanted to go to Rome to be crowned emperor.

We write the year 1505

This year Maximilian I marched into Hungary in order to secure his chance to get the Hungarian crown too.

We write the year 1506

The wife of the Hungarian king gave birth to a son. Now it seemed, as if Maximilian had no chance to get the Hungarian crown or that it would be a long way from getting the crown respectively, therefore he left Hungary again.

Maximilian I pursued great intentions with his son Philipp the Handsome now. His Spanish-Burgundian inheritance ought to become the basis for an overpowering empire according to his idea. The Habsburg family would have been an absolutely ruling dynasty of Europe and would have been pressed down the German princes on the ground of political midgets, when Philipp the Handsome had not died unexpectedly on September 25th. His son Carlos (Karl) was just 6 years old. Maximilian mourned for his son Philipp, but he immediately took the opportunity to secure the rights in Spain and in the former Burgundian Empire for the Habsburg family too. Above all he energetically secured the rights in the Lower Lands.

The hour of Maximilian’s daughter, Margarete, came now. She was a clever politician. After her marriage with Juan of Spain she had got married to Philibert II of Savoy in the year of 1501. In 1504 she was again widow. When she now ought to marry Henry VII the king of England, because it was a wish of her father, she refused to do it.

We write the year 1507

After her refusal to marry Henry VII of England, Margarete went to the Lower Lands as governor for her nephew Carlos (Karl). There she threw herself into a useful activity for the family of Habsburg; she won the affection of the people. At the same time she attended to the education of her nephew Karl (Carlos), who was soon more of a man of the Lower Lands than a Spaniard.

We write the year 1508

Because the people had risen against Maximilian in Italy, he gave up his intention to go into the Eternal City. In return for it he appointed himself emperor of the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation in the cathedral of Trient/Trento and called himself from now on: Erwählter Römischer Kaiser (Elected Roman Emperor). On February 4, this all happened with papal approval.

The first campaign of the new emperor against Venice ended in a defeat. Maximilian I still held to his intention to oust Venice from the continent. He found support through Pope Julius II (1503 – 1513) and France. It was again founded a Holy League, now against Venice.

The initial successes of the French troops have been promising, because the troops of Venice were defeated by Agnadello. But when Maximilian I called upon the league to another common action now, the Italian towns of the league refused to cooperate, because they didn’t want to conquer the continental territories of Venice for Maximilian I. When the pope came to an agreement with Venice and founded with Spain, Venice and the Swiss a new „Holy League for the freeing of Italy" and made a call for the expulsion of all strangers from Italy, the league finally began to disintegrate.

In this time of general confusion Maximilian I toyed with the idea to let himself elected pope. But he didn’t find support for this idea, because he would have been a too mighty ruler for everyone.

We write the year 1512

Maximilian I finally yielded to the canvass of the pope in view of the disappointments, which the French had given him and turned his back on France. Now he joined the Italian League of the pope together with Henry VIII, the king of England. That happened with the target to encircle France. Now, temporarily it really looked so, as if the French could be driven out of Italy. The Swiss conquered Milan and invaded Burgundy, which was occupied by France, whilst Maximilian I fought with success against France in the Lower Lands.

We write the year 1513

Louis XII of France succeeded in mobilizing Scotland against England. But there was no battle. The people were tired of war. Also the new pope, Leo X (1513 – 1521), and Spain sought for peace with France. England was content with a substantial restitution and the Swiss and the Dukedom of Milan got money from France. Maximilian I was on his own again, his means were exhausted; he had to expect nothing from the German princes. The great combat for Italy seemed to have ended.

We write the year 1515

Louis XII of France died on the first day of January. His successor Francois I (1515 – 1547) didn’t content himself with the open part. He invaded Italy as third French king. In October he defeated the Swiss near Marignano; it happened in a two days battle with help of German landsknechts. He drove