Peace Of Westphalia Was A Turning Point In European History

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In the Light of the Peace of Westphalia The Peace of Westphalia is a major turning point in European history. It ended wars fought over religion that would never again plague Europe, destroyed the dream of a united Europe under Catholicism, and power in Europe shifted from the Habsburg family to the French Monarchy. After the Peace of Westphalia, wars in Europe were rarely fought over religion, they began to be fought for more political purposes. The 30 Years War, which had led to the Peace of Westphalia, had been a war fought between Catholics and Calvinists. The Westphalian treaties allowed Calvinism to be worshiped freely within the German states, before that freedom of religion had never truly been practiced. Due to the treaty’s ability to give religious freedom, wars over religion were not necessary. Before the Peace of Westphalia, the Catholic states of Europe believed, with help from The Papacy, they could create a unified Europe under Catholicism. When states allowed Protestant religions to be worshiped within their boundaries, however, the idea shattered. The Augsburg treaty of 1555, led way to the idea of absolutism within a state. This idea was backed by the Peace of Westphalia. The Papacy was weakened after the loss in the 30 Year’s …show more content…

Germany had lost a lot due to the 30 Year’s War, loss in population, and was filled with famine and disease. France, on the other hand, had benefited from the divisions of Germany. France gain land from Germany, and France became a continental superpower. France dominated economically in Europe for years, while Germany was trying to catch up and rebuild. Within the divisions of Germany and the Habsburg Empires, new states emerged. The states of Switzerland and the Netherlands gained their sovereignty, and began to gain wealth from their new found

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