According to the terms of the Westphalian peace, Spain recognized the independence of Holland. Conditions of the Westphalian world. The 30-year war (1618-1648)

One of the most important events of the 17th century was the 30-year war of 1618-1648. It involved virtually all European countries, it left behind millions of human lives. The decisive point in this war was a treaty called the Westphalian World. Its results were of great importance for the whole of further European history. It was concluded on 15 and 24 October 1648 after lengthy negotiations, which lasted from 1644 and could not satisfy the conditions of all participants.

The Westphalian Peace of 1648

He united the Munster and Osnabrück peace treaties concluded this year in Westphalia. Negotiations were held in the city of Münster with representatives of Catholicism, and in Osnabrück with the Protestant side. Sometimes the Treaty of Westphalia, also concluded on January 30 of that year by Spain and the United Provinces of the Netherlands, which ended the Eighty Years 'War, is attributed to the Westphalian world, as the researchers consider the struggle between these states to be part of the Thirty Years'.

What were the joint treaties?

The Osnabrück Treaty was an agreement concluded between the Roman Emperor, Sweden and her allies.

The Muenster Roman Empire signed with France and those countries that supported it (they included the Netherlands, Venice, Savoy, Hungary). It was these two states that took an active part in the fate of much of Europe, because in the third and most important, critical period of the Thirty Years' War, they contributed to the disintegration of the forces of the Romans, which contributed to their fragmentation in the future. The Westphalian world mainly denoted the provisions that determined the territorial changes, political structure and religious characteristics in the Holy Roman Empire.

The results of the 30-year war

What ended the confrontation between countries? According to the terms of the Westphalian peace, Spain recognized the independence of the Netherlands. Also, according to this document, the countries that won the Thirty Years' War - France and Sweden - were appointed guarantors of peace. These mighty powers controlled the operation of the signed treaty, and without their consent, no article could change it. Thus, the whole of Europe was reliably protected from any global changes, which could entail a threat to the security of many countries. And since, thanks to the terms of the treaty, the German emperor was powerless, the other powerful powers could not be afraid of his influence. The Westphalian world contributed to significant territorial changes, primarily in favor of the victorious powers of France and Sweden.

One such cardinal change on the map was that, under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia, Spain recognized the independence of the Republic of the United Provinces. This state, having begun its liberation war against Catholic Spain as a revolt, received international recognition in 1648.

What countries have won in the war?

By decision taken at the signing of the Westphalian Peace, the empire paid Sweden an indemnity amounting to 5 million thalers. In addition, it departed the island of Rügen, Western Pomerania and part of the Eastern (together with Stettin), the city of Wismar, the bishopric of Verdun and the Archbishopric of Bremen (the city of Bremen itself was not included there).

Sweden also got the estuaries of many navigable rivers in Northern Germany. Having received at his disposal the German princedoms, the King of Sweden had the opportunity to send deputies to the imperial diet.

France signing of the Peace of Westphalia provided an opportunity to obtain the possessions of the Habsburgs, located in Alsace, however, without the city of Strasbourg, as well as sovereignty over several bishoprics in Lorraine. New possessions after the signing of the treaty and the increased influence of the country helped her in the future to take the hegemonic position in Europe.

The German principalities of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, Braunschweig-Lüneburg and Brandenburg, which supported the victorious countries, also benefited from the expansion of their possessions as a result of the annexation of secularized bishops and monasteries. To Saxony, as a result of the operation of this treaty, was joined by Luciz, and the Upper Palatinate entered into Bavaria. The Elector of Brandenburg also received extensive lands in his possession, on which Prussia subsequently formed.

What did this world bring to the Germans?

The terms of the Peace of Westphalia were such that the German Emperor lost a considerable number of his former rights. At the same time, the German princes became independent of the Roman ruler and were able to conduct an independent foreign and domestic policy. For example, they could participate in making decisions about starting a war and concluding peace, in their department was determining the amount of taxes, in many respects the adoption of laws in the Roman Empire depended on them.

Specific princes could also conclude treaties with other states. The only thing that was not available to them was the conclusion of alliances with other powers against the ruler of the Roman Empire. In modern terms, after the signing of this treaty, the specific German princes became subjects of international law and could take an active part in the political life of Europe. Strengthening their positions contributed to the formation of a federal system of modern Germany.

Religious life after 1648

As for the religious sphere, as a result of the Westphalian peace, Catholics, Calvinists and Lutherans were equalized in Germany, and secularization of church lands was legalized , which was carried out in the 1920s of the 17th century. Henceforth, Electors could not determine for their subjects their religious affiliation. In addition, under the terms of the Peace of Westphalia, Spain recognized the independence of Holland. Recall that the liberation movement in this country began with a speech against Catholic Spain. In fact, this treaty legitimized the political fragmentation of Germany, ending this imperial history of this power.

Thus the Westphalian world greatly strengthened the power of France, saving it from its main rival, Spain, which claimed the first role among all European states.

Another important function of this treaty, which historians say: it was the basis for all subsequent European agreements until the 18th century, when the French bourgeois revolution took place . According to the terms of the Westphalian peace, Spain recognized the independence of the Northern Netherlands. Also, the Swiss Union received international legal recognition.

The Meaning of the Westphalian World

Thus, this treaty is called an event that initiated the modern world order, which provides for the existence in the world of national states and the operation of certain principles of international law. The principle of political equilibrium, probably, was formed precisely as a result of the emergence of the provisions of the Westphalian world. The tradition of solving complex territorial, legal, religious problems in the relations of two or more states with the intervention of other powerful and influential European powers has appeared since then.

The significance of the 30-year war for the formation of the current legal system

The concept of the "Westphalian system", which belongs to the field of world law and appeared after 1648, means securing the sovereignty of any state in its legal territory. Until the nineteenth century, the norms of the treaty and the conditions of the Westphalian world largely determined the laws of the Holy Roman Empire.

After the appearance of the agreement, the rights of reformed Christianity with traditional Roman Catholic Christianity were particularly strengthened, which is important from the point of view of cultural studies. True, many scholars find certain shortcomings in the provisions on which the inhabitants of Germany should have lived after the signing of the treaty. So, they had to practice the religion chosen by the ruler, that is, as a matter of fact, there was no freedom of religion yet. But, despite all the shortcomings, the Westphalian world was really the first (and successful) attempt to create a system of international law.