Religious Crises in Europe

Religious Crises in Europe

“Ding dong the witch is dead…”

Spanish Inquisition

• 1478-1834

• Targeted Jews, Moors (Spanish Muslims) & to some extent Protestants

• Religious & Political Purposes:• Religious: to rid Spain of non-Catholics (heretics)

• Political: to gain land (increase state revenue without raising taxes)

Spanish Inquisition

• Synonymous with bloody, torturous reign of terror

• Responsible for countless executions

• Video: Spanish Inquisition

Militant Catholicism in Spain

• Phillip II (r. 1556-1598)• Son of HRE Charles V

• Championed Catholic causes throughout Europe

• Waged Holy Wars

• The “Most Catholic King”

Spain & the Netherlands

• Spanish Netherlands (today’s Netherlands & Belgium)

• Phillip tried to:• Tighten his control

• Crush Calvinism

• Dutch rebelled violently (1566-1609)• Led by William the Silent (prince of Orange)

• Ended with truce that created the modern Dutch state

Spain vs. England

• England Under Elizabeth I• Golden Age

• Moderate Protestant (some degree of tolerance for Catholics)

• Goal (foreign policy) - to maintain a balance of power • Spain & France = biggest threats

• Would support whichever was weaker

Holy War

• Phillip II declared Holy War on Elizabeth I (1588)

• Why?• Spain vs. England (political)

• Phillip II vs. Elizabeth I (personal)

• Catholicism vs. Protestantism (religious)

The Spanish Armada

• Spanish Armada set sail to invade England• Most powerful Navy in the world

• English met them in the English Channel (their only hope to impede a land invasion)

• England & Elizabeth face likely disaster…• Movie Clip from “Elizabeth: The Golden Age”

Defeat of the Spanish Armada

• Why did Spain lose?• Superstitious answer: God liked Protestants more

• Realistic answers:• Spanish not used to rough waters of the Channel

• England used fire ships to divide the Armada & burn many of its ships

• Weather favored English cause – storms ravaged the surviving Spanish ships near Scotland & Ireland

Witchcraft Trials

• Spanish Inquisition & hunt for heretics led to witch hunts

• 16th-17th C. - witch hysteria• 100,000+ charged, tortured & killed

Witches

• Who was accused?• Commoners (poor)

• Apx. 75% women

• Single or widowed

• Over 50

Witch Trials In Europe

• Handout

Thirty Years War

• 1618-1648

• Series of declared & undeclared wars

• Austrian & Spanish Hapsburgs vs. • Danish

• Dutch

• France

• Sweden

• Some German principalities (civil war - others fought with Hapsburgs)

Religion in the TYW

• Also religious war - Catholics vs. Protestants

• Peace of Augsburg• Did not recognize Calvinism

Treaty of Westphalia

• Ended the Thirty Years War

• Significant because…• IT ALSO ENDED

THE HOLY ROMAN EMPIRE!