Religious Wars in Europe (The Thirty Years' War as an Example 1618-1648 AD)

Abstract

 At the beginning of the seventeenth century, Europe witnessed a larg-scale war that lasted for nearly thirty years (1618-1648 AD). It began as a German civil war in the Austro-Roman Empire, but it quickly took on international political and economic dimensions, and bore the characteristics of European competition over control and influence in the continent and settling old scores, in addition to what these countries desire to achieve a position within the framework of the European system. Perhaps this war had preludes that preceded it, which Europe knew during the Renaissance era of intellectual and scientific development, as the roots of the scientific method seemed to be established in the pillars of Europe. The characteristic of this era is rational logical thinking and belief in the link between cause and effect. It was preceded by a broad religious reform movement, one of the most famous leaders of which was Martin Luther, which resulted in the division of Europe into Catholic, Lutheran or Protestant sects, in addition to the social transformations that the continent witnessed in the formation of its classes.