Thirty Years War Dbq

30 January 2014

Thirty Years' War Essay

The Thirty Years' Year War was a war between the Protestants and the Catholics that lasted from 1618, and after impacting countless numbers of people, ended in 1648. This war had a huge effect on the religious landscape of Europe and the rule of the Holy Roman Emperor was ended. The two individuals in this first hand account of the Thirty Years' War, Peter Hagendorf and Hans Heberle, lived in the same time period but led very different lives. One was a mercenary who seemed to play the role of a pawn to his army commanders, being sent to various towns to ransack and plunder. The other was a cobbler, respected in his community, caught in the crossfire of a violent war that, like most civilians in wartime,
While he was in the service, Hagendorf faced many challenges including disease and a lack of food and money. Once Hagendorf arrived in Hunstrück he wrote, "…there was such a famine within the army that no horse was safe in its tall from the foot soldiers. They would stab a horse with a knife in the chest and then walk away, leaving the horse to bleed to death. Afterward they would eat it" (Document 37, pg. 292). Much of Hangendorf's writing dealt with the trips he was embarking on with the army. He traveled much more than Heberle, going from city to city ransacking the town and robbing the townspeople of money and supplies. Hagendorf brought his family and children everywhere, therefore whatever troubles he faced, so too did his family. All the traveling and exposure to the elements led to Hagendorf falling ill multiple times and his first wife, Anna Staderlin, along with six of his eight children dying from disease. After seeing the majority of his family and many of the people around him die, Hagendorf was especially thankful to make it out of the war
He was confronted with similar challenges to Hagendorf, despite being on the other side of the war. Heberle faced a famine among the poor and a spreading plague. He also talks about the causes behind the massive inflation that struck the land. Heberle notes that all emperors, kings, and the like were allowed to mint. Due to this, many different types of money were made. Heberle was also subjected to military interactions but on the side of the oppressed rather than the oppressor, unlike Hagendorf. Heberle wrote that these men would come into town and steal the town's supplies and chase the citizens into the woods and hunt them down like animals. Those that they found would be beaten brutally or even killed. The forces would eventually leave and take with them whatever they pleased. While the troops were invading though, the peasants were forced to take care of them and buy them things like beer, meat, and wine. After many complaints though, a report was posted that said "…no peasant had to give anything more to the cavalry than wood, straw, hay, candles, and salt…." (Document 38, pg. 309). Like Hagendorf, Heberle faced many in his family dying. From the plague alone Heberle had his son, stepmother, and three of his sisters