Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome to Western CIV. Episode four hundred and
Speaker 1: forty four, The Baltic and Peace. Today, I'm going to
Speaker 1: focus really on the period between sixteen forty one and
Speaker 1: sixteen forty three, as we inched towards the end of
Speaker 1: the Thirty Years War. There's a lot of political and
Speaker 1: military maneuvering in this era, but we're really going to
Speaker 1: focus mostly on the Baltic region as that starts to
Speaker 1: wrap up in this story. Between sixteen forty one and
Speaker 1: sixteen forty three, Spain's fortunes really start to decline in
Speaker 1: the war. Overall, the once mighty Habsburg Empire, under the
Speaker 1: rule of Philip the Fourth now faced numerous challenges both
Speaker 1: internally and externally. The lengthy war had drained Spain's treasury,
Speaker 1: leaving it vulnerable and unable to maintain vast military commitments
Speaker 1: spread not only across Europe, but then across the Americas
Speaker 1: as well. There were revolts in Catalonia and Portugal, further
Speaker 1: stretching Spain's resources and undermining its authority. The Catalan Revolt,
Speaker 1: which began in sixteen forty was fueled by resentment over
Speaker 1: high taxes and the perceived neglect of Catalan interest by
Speaker 1: the Spanish crown. The Portuguese Revolt, which erupted in that
Speaker 1: exact same year, aimed to restore Portuguese independence after sixty
Speaker 1: years of Spanish rule. While this was going on, France
Speaker 1: was on the rise under the leadership of Cardinal Richelieu.
Speaker 1: France had steadily increased influence in its European affairs. Richelieu,
Speaker 1: recognizing Spain's declining and increased vulnerability, saw the Thirty Years
Speaker 1: War as an opportunity to weaken its most important rival,
Speaker 1: the Habsburg Empire, and advance French interests. In sixteen forty one,
Speaker 1: France formally finally entered the war on the side of
Speaker 1: the Protestants, marking a significant escalation of the conflict. Richelieuse
Speaker 1: strategy was multifaceted, involving military intervention, financial support for Spain's enemies,
Speaker 1: and the forementing of rebellion within the Spanish Empire. The
Speaker 1: decline of Spain as a power in the Thirty Years
Speaker 1: War and the rise of France is actually what's going
Speaker 1: to pay the way for a changing situation in the
Speaker 1: Baltic States. There were several key military campaigns and revolts
Speaker 1: that occurred during this period. In sixteen forty one, following
Speaker 1: a French broker piece between Spain and the Duke of Savoy,
Speaker 1: tensions flared once more when Spain, under the leadership of
Speaker 1: Gesparre de Guzman, the Count of Olivares, attempt to exploit
Speaker 1: a perceived opportunity to expand Spanish influence in Italy. This move, however,
Speaker 1: was a miscalculation. All Gasparre did was reignite conflict with
Speaker 1: France and that ultimately backfired in the long run. Now
Speaker 1: along the Franco Spanish border, skirmishes and sieges became much
Speaker 1: more commonplace. In sixteen forty two, French forces led by
Speaker 1: the capable Enrico de broabanng the Prince of Conde, clashed
Speaker 1: with Spanish troops under the command of Francisco de Melo
Speaker 1: in a series of engagements. The French, though they came
Speaker 1: out mostly on the top, did face challenges on their own,
Speaker 1: including internal rivalries which we'll go back to later on
Speaker 1: the command structure, and continued logistical difficulties, remember were still
Speaker 1: in early modern Europe. Despite these setbacks, the French still
Speaker 1: managed to maintain pressure on the Spanish forces. The real
Speaker 1: difficulty here was the immense financial and military strain that
Speaker 1: the war placed on everyone who was participating. Spain, in particular,
Speaker 1: struggled to maintain its vast military commitments. The crown, faced
Speaker 1: with the depleted treasury, resorted to increasingly desperate measures to
Speaker 1: raise funds, including the debasement of currency and the imposition
Speaker 1: of new taxes. These measures, however, were unpopular and often counterproductive,
Speaker 1: fueling resentment that contributed to the instability of the Spanish
Speaker 1: Empire as well as the Catalan and Portuguese revolts. The French,
Speaker 1: while enjoying greater financial resources than Spain, also faced challenges
Speaker 1: in funding their war effort. Richelieu, despite his incredible political acumen,
Speaker 1: struggled to balance the demands of the war with the
Speaker 1: need to maintain domestic stability, and that's an issue that
Speaker 1: we're going to come back to in a few episodes.
Speaker 1: After the end of the Thirty Years War, the French people,
Speaker 1: increasingly burdened by war taxes, grew tired of the conflict,
Speaker 1: and Richelieu faced opposition from those we saw the war
Speaker 1: as an unnecessary drain on French resources, and one of
Speaker 1: the reasons that the war continued to drag on for
Speaker 1: so long. Was, as we've already discussed a number of times,
Speaker 1: the shifting alliances and political maneuvering of all the different
Speaker 1: parties who were involved in sixteen forty three, and this event,
Speaker 1: we're definitely going to go back to Louis the thirteenth
Speaker 1: died and Louis the fourteenth, as a young boy ascended
Speaker 1: to the throne. He's going to be, as a result,
Speaker 1: the longest living European monarch. He was only five years
Speaker 1: old at the time and placed under the regency of
Speaker 1: Anne of Austria and deeply influenced by Cardinal Mazarin. Richelieu's
Speaker 1: successor continued Richelieu's policy of active engagement in the war
Speaker 1: against Spain. Mazarine, like Richelieu before him, is going to
Speaker 1: prove to be a skilled diplomat and ruthless political operator.
Speaker 1: He continued Richelieu's policy of supporting Spain's enemy, providing military
Speaker 1: aid to the rebels in Catalonia and Portugal. One of
Speaker 1: the most pivotal moments in Spain's sort of declining influence
Speaker 1: in the war overall was the Battle of Rocroix, fought
Speaker 1: in May sixteen forty three. The young general as I
Speaker 1: mentioned before, Louis the second de borbonc led a French
Speaker 1: army there to a decisive victory over the Spanish forces.
Speaker 1: The Spanish army, once considered invincible way back at the
Speaker 1: start of this war all those decades ago, suffered a
Speaker 1: crushing defeat, lost thousands of men and a significant amount
Speaker 1: of equipment. The French victory at Rocroix had far reaching consequences.
Speaker 1: It shattered the myth of Spanish military invincibility, demoralized the
Speaker 1: Spanish army, and boosted French morale. It also had significant
Speaker 1: impact on the political landscape of Europe, contributing overall to
Speaker 1: the decline of Spain as the major power in Europe
Speaker 1: and the rise of France as the dominant force on
Speaker 1: the continent. The French victory at Rocroix didn't immediately end
Speaker 1: the war, but it marked a significant turning point. Spain
Speaker 1: was now really forced to adopt a defensive posture. Intervening
Speaker 1: in the war in an aggressive way was no longer
Speaker 1: militarily or financially possible for that kingdom. The French, emboldened
Speaker 1: by the victory, tried to press their advantage, seeking to
Speaker 1: expand their territorial gains and further weaking Spain. Now, the
Speaker 1: war was going to continue for several more years, but
Speaker 1: the outcome is starting to look increasingly obvious. At this point, France,
Speaker 1: with superior resources and a network of alliances, was steadily
Speaker 1: gaining the upper hand. Spain, facing the internal turmoil and
Speaker 1: external pressure, was losing its grip. So the path piece
Speaker 1: seemed obvious to everyone involved, no one more so than
Speaker 1: the Baltic state of Sweden, which we will turn to
Speaker 1: right after this. By the mid sixteen forties, both sides
Speaker 1: were exhausted by the long and costly war. The desire
Speaker 1: for peace was growing, but the path negotiation still seemed
Speaker 1: fraught with obstacles. There remained a complex web of alliances,
Speaker 1: conflicting territorial claims. Of course, deep religious divisions that had
Speaker 1: fueled the conflict in the first place. Those hadn't gone away.
Speaker 1: But despite these challenges, the momentum for peace was now undeniable.
Speaker 1: In sixteen forty four, preliminary negotiations started in the German
Speaker 1: towns of Unesbruck and Munster. Representatives from the various warring factions,
Speaker 1: as well as from various European powers, gathered to discuss
Speaker 1: the term of a possible peace settlement. The negotiations were
Speaker 1: long and difficult, and often interrupted with outbreaks of fighting
Speaker 1: and many disagreements among the participants. In sixteen forty four,
Speaker 1: the French continued their campaign in Germany against the Holy
Speaker 1: Roman Empire and its allies. Cardinal Mazarin, the Chief Minister
Speaker 1: of France, aimed to pressure the Emperor into making peace. However,
Speaker 1: the French forces were initially too small to make much
Speaker 1: of a dent. The most important campaign and the war
Speaker 1: is the Freiburg Campaign, which starts in sixteen forty four.
Speaker 1: That's the French under Turenne, their main general, clashing with
Speaker 1: Bavarian forces under the command of Franz von Mercy. The
Speaker 1: campaign was marked by several engagements and ultimately culminated in
Speaker 1: the Battle of Freiburg on the third and fifth of
Speaker 1: August sixteen forty four. The battle began with a French
Speaker 1: attack on the Bavarian positions near the town of Freiburg.
Speaker 1: The French's forces initially captured several redoubts. However, the Bavarians,
Speaker 1: reran forced by additional troops, launched a successful counterattack. The
Speaker 1: battle continued to rage on for two days, with both sides,
Speaker 1: suffering heavy casualties. Despite initial French successes, the Bavarians ultimately
Speaker 1: repulsed the attack, inflicting heavy losses on the French army.
Speaker 1: Despite the tactical victory, the Bavarians army was heavily weakened,
Speaker 1: having suffered around four thousand casualties. The French, although defeated
Speaker 1: at Freiburg, continued their campaign, capturing the town of Philipsburg
Speaker 1: and advancing deep into the Rhineland. This ultimately forced the
Speaker 1: Bavarians to abandon their position in the Black Forest and
Speaker 1: retreat to protect the strategically crucial city of Manse. By
Speaker 1: sixteen forty four, it became increasingly clear that the Holy
Speaker 1: Roman Empire was losing its grip on the war. The
Speaker 1: French victory, combined with the ongoing negotiations now taking place
Speaker 1: at Westphalia, put significant pressure on the Emperor to seek peace. However,
Speaker 1: the situation in the Westphalian peace talks was complicated by
Speaker 1: the actions of several German princes, particularly the Hessians, who
Speaker 1: sought to maintain their independence from both the Emperor and France.
Speaker 1: These princes, fearing French domination, often acted against the Emperor's
Speaker 1: interests undermining his efforts to achieve a unified peace settlement. Meanwhile,
Speaker 1: to the north, between sixteen forty three and sixteen forty five,
Speaker 1: the Baltic effectively became Swedish. In sixteen forty three, a
Speaker 1: new war erupted between Sweden and Denmark. The conflict was
Speaker 1: triggered by the ambitions of the Swedish King, Christian Fourth,
Speaker 1: who sought to expand Swedish power in the Baltic region
Speaker 1: and control vital trade routes. Denmark, aware of Swedish intentions,
Speaker 1: had been preparing for war, strengthening both its army and
Speaker 1: its navy. However, Swedish diplomacy and mists successfully massed their
Speaker 1: intentions until the last moment, catching the Danes off guard.
Speaker 1: In November sixteen forty three, the Swedish fleet launched a
Speaker 1: surprise attack on the Danish island of Union. This unexpected attack,
Speaker 1: followed by a swift invasion of Jutland, stunned the Danish
Speaker 1: court and threw all their defensive plans into disarray. The
Speaker 1: Danish army, unprepared for this sudden and slaught, offered little resistance.
Speaker 1: Several key fortresses fell to the Swedes, and the Danish
Speaker 1: king Frederick was forced to sue for peace. This initial
Speaker 1: success was aided by the brutality of the Swedish advance,
Speaker 1: which terrorized local populations into submission. The Emperor Ferdinand I,
Speaker 1: alarmed by the Swedish advances in the Baltic decided to intervene.
Speaker 1: He was motivated by a couple of different factors. Fear
Speaker 1: of growing Swedish power. Also, Swedish victory over Denmark gave
Speaker 1: them uncontested control over the Baltic Sea, threatening imperial interest
Speaker 1: in the region. He also wanted an opportunity to weaken
Speaker 1: Sweden because the conflict provided an opportunity for the Emperor
Speaker 1: to strike at Sweden while its main force were occupied
Speaker 1: in Denmark, and of course wanted to support Denmark. The
Speaker 1: Emperor felt obligated to support the Kingdom of Denmark, which
Speaker 1: was a fellow and member of the Holy Roman Empire.
Speaker 1: Ferdinand dispatched a seasoned commander, Medias Gallis with an imperial
Speaker 1: army to aid the Danes. Gallis initially successful managed to
Speaker 1: drive the Swedes back from some of the conquest in Jutland. However,
Speaker 1: he was ultimately unable to prevent the Swedish advance in
Speaker 1: January sixteen forty five, France and the Dutch Republic, both
Speaker 1: eager to limit Swedish expansion in the Baltic intervened, but
Speaker 1: only diplomatically. They broke her a peace treaty known as
Speaker 1: the Treaty or Peace of bromis Barrow between Denmark and Sweden.
Speaker 1: The terms of the True fred favored Sweden, who gained
Speaker 1: significant territorial concessions from Denmark the islands of Gutland and Ussel,
Speaker 1: as well as territory in Norway. This expanded Swedish control
Speaker 1: over the Baltic Sea and solidified its position as a
Speaker 1: major power in Northern Europe. The Piece of bromos Borough,
Speaker 1: although broker by France and the Dutch Republic, had long
Speaker 1: term consequences that would ultimately benefit France. The removal of
Speaker 1: Christian the Fourth from the war freed up French resources
Speaker 1: to focus on their main campaign against the Holy Roman Empire,
Speaker 1: but the treaty also strengthened Swedish power, which would later
Speaker 1: become a key French ally in the final stages of
Speaker 1: the Thirty Years War. Ironically, the piece that was intended
Speaker 1: to limit Swedish expansion ended up indirectly benefiting its main
Speaker 1: rival France, but the writing is on the wall. By
Speaker 1: the end of sixteen forty four sixteen forty five, the
Speaker 1: Thirty Years War, which had been raging now for almost
Speaker 1: three complete decades, was nearing its final conclusion. In our
Speaker 1: next few episodes, we'll see how the parties finally come
Speaker 1: to terms with the Treaty of Westphalia, and then take
Speaker 1: a step back and consider all the consequences and implications
Speaker 1: of this protracted period of conflict for Central Europe.