The Thirty Years’ War

Abstract

The Holy Roman Empire had been decentralized for a long time, but it was only when the normal legal order broke down and violence threatened to undermine the remaining stability that it became a crucial international issue. Such a crisis occurred in 1618, launching the Thirty Years’ War.¹ It began in Bohemia—a large, wealthy, and atypical part of the Empire. Bohemia was anomalous in several respects. It was, by far, the largest non-German part of the Empire remaining: the population of Bohemia proper was largely Czech, while associated parts of the kingdom (Moravia, Silesia, Lusatia) contained related Slavic peoples. Bohemia was the only territory in the Empire at the high rank of kingdom, and its ruler was one of the seven Imperial electors. Nevertheless, Bohemia itself remained outside of Imperial administration; for example, it was not incorporated into any of the Imperial Circles, and the elector of Bohemia did not normally take part in Electors’ Diets.