Europe at the Peace of Westphalia, 1648

Illustration

Simeon Netchev
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published on 27 March 2023
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A map illustrating the situation in Europe after the Peace of Westphalia was signed in Osnabrück and Münster between May and October 1648. The two treaties ended the Thirty Years’ War (initially a war between various Protestant and Catholic states in the fragmented Holy Roman Empire that started as a revolt in Bohemia in 1618 and later grew into a pan-European conflict and fueled an ongoing France - Habsburg rivalry) and the Eighty Years’ War (de-facto Dutch War of Independence between 1568 and 1648 after which Spain formally recognized the independence of the Dutch Republic).
The Peace of Westphalia was signed between the Holy Roman Empire, France, and Sweden (including 109 delegations of their respective allies). Poland, Russia, England, and the Ottoman Empire were not at the peace conferences.
Together with strengthening the imperial Estates, multiple territorial adjustments, and curbing the Habsburgs’ ambition for a universal monarchy, the Peace of Westphalia was a crucial step towards the promotion of secularization and tolerance, development of the concepts of national self-determination and state sovereignty, claiming power in representative terms over hereditary monarchies built on feudal patronage (often in disconnected, far off, places).

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About the Author

Simeon Netchev
Simeon is a freelance visual designer with a deep interest in the human side of history. He believes that every image should be an interaction, a commentary, and a narrative, and every map should lead on an exciting journey of exploration and discovery.

Cite This Work

APA Style

Netchev, S. (2023, March 27). Europe at the Peace of Westphalia, 1648. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17228/europe-at-the-peace-of-westphalia-1648/

Chicago Style

Netchev, Simeon. "Europe at the Peace of Westphalia, 1648." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified March 27, 2023. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/17228/europe-at-the-peace-of-westphalia-1648/.

MLA Style

Netchev, Simeon. "Europe at the Peace of Westphalia, 1648." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 27 Mar 2023. Web. 17 Sep 2024.

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