This paper will argue that although the thirty years war was a national tragedy, grounds for which were prepared by the German Princes, it is untrue to call it a “all-destructive war”. This paper is divided into three parts: First will explain the motives that begun the war and what was to be accomplished. Second, the different phases and the time periods that they occurred will be explored along with the role of most prominent figures and influences they had on the final result. Third, how Germany was affected during the war and effect there after including fall in population, economic decline and an overall weakening of empire will be given, followed by a conclusion. ``Thirty year war began as a religious war. However to call the thirty years war a religious war is an untruth of sorts in an era when temporal and religious matters were intertwined. Protestants and Catholics were at the center of the war which is divided into four phases: First, Emperor Ferdinand II of Bohemia and Hungary who was a devout catholic took it upon himself “to revive and reimpose the true faith’’ beginning the thirty year old war in Prague. It spread to other parts of the Europe including France, Sweden and other countries. Second, in 1629, The Edict of Restitution was a
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