Der Dreissigjährige Krieg

Struggle for Power and Faith: The War that Shaped Europe

What began with the Defenestration of Prague in May 1618 grew into a decades-long conflict that forever changed the religious and political landscape of Europe: The Thirty Years' War left millions dead and shaped the survivors for generations. Peter H. Wilson has skillfully and meticulously woven the countless threads of this war's history into a comprehensive narrative.

• Investigating the Causes: European Power Dynamics on the Eve of War
• "Just" a Religious War? Motivations and War Strategies from Three Decades
• Emperors, Generals, and Clergy: Brief Portraits of Key Figures
• The Fate of Civilians and Soldiers: The Consequences of the Thirty Years' War for the People
• The Peace of Westphalia: Birth of a New International Order or Just the End of a Meaningless Conflict?

Detailed, Thorough, Comprehensive: The Standard Work on the Thirty Years' War

Capturing a nearly pan-European war in its entirety is a monumental task. Peter H. Wilson has succeeded with his monumental work. Divided into the background, the course of hostilities, the peace treaties, and the far-reaching consequences, he presents the Thirty Years' War in a comprehensive and understandable manner. The motivations of decision-makers are examined alongside the role of ordinary soldiers who lost their lives on the numerous battlefields.

Thus, he has created an accessible standard work on the subject that vividly presents the latest research on a war that profoundly shaped and traumatized Europe.