Austria - Bohemian Rising, Counter Reformation

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A deputation of the estates of Lower Austria tried to make him renounce Bohemia in a peace treaty and demanded religious concessions for themselves, unsuccessfully. The Bohemians were forced to retreat, and imperial troops advanced into their country. 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Not that he had been master of the situation, but his death brought Ferdinand II, the most uncompromising Counter-Reformer, to the head of the house of Habsburg. Ferdinand was hard-pressed at first, as Bohemian and Moravian troops invaded Austria. A deputation of the estates of Lower Austria tried to make him renounce Bohemia in a peace treaty and demanded religious concessions for themselves, unsuccessfully. The Bohemians were forced to retreat, and imperial troops advanced into their country. The Bohemians deposed Ferdinand from the throne of Bohemia and elected Count Palatine Frederick"/> <meta property="og:type" content="ARTICLE"/> <meta property="og:title" content="Austria - Bohemian Rising, Counter Reformation | Britannica"/> <meta property="og:description" content="Austria - Bohemian Rising, Counter Reformation: War became inevitable when Emperor Matthias died in 1619. Not that he had been master of the situation, but his death brought Ferdinand II, the most uncompromising Counter-Reformer, to the head of the house of Habsburg. Ferdinand was hard-pressed at first, as Bohemian and Moravian troops invaded Austria. A deputation of the estates of Lower Austria tried to make him renounce Bohemia in a peace treaty and demanded religious concessions for themselves, unsuccessfully. The Bohemians were forced to retreat, and imperial troops advanced into their country. 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A deputation of the estates of Lower Austria tried to make him renounce Bohemia in a peace treaty and demanded religious concessions for themselves, unsuccessfully. The Bohemians were forced to retreat, and imperial troops advanced into their country. 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data-icon="toc"></em> <a class="font-serif font-weight-bold text-black link-blue" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria">Austria</a> </div> <button aria-label="Close" class="js-sections-close-button btn-link btn-sm btn d-lg-none position-absolute top-0 p-10 right-0" > <em class="material-icons font-26" data-icon="close"></em> </button> </div> <div class="section-content pl-10 pr-20 pl-sm-50 pr-sm-60 pl-lg-5 pr-lg-10 pt-10 pt-lg-0 bg-gray-50 clear-catfish-ad"> <div class="toc mb-20"> <div class="font-serif font-14 font-weight-bold mx-15 mb-15 mt-20"> Table of Contents </div> <ul class="list-unstyled my-0" data-level="h1"><li data-target="#ref1"><div class="pl-25"><a class="link-gray-900 w-100" href="/place/Austria">Introduction & Quick Facts</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"></div></li><li data-target="#ref33387"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33387">Land</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33388"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33388">Relief</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33389"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria#ref33389">Drainage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33390"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate">Climate</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33391"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33391">Plant and animal life</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33394"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33394">People</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33395"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Climate#ref33395">Ethnic groups</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274940"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages">Languages</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274941"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref274941">Religion</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33393"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33393">Settlement patterns</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33396"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33396">Demographic trends</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33397"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Languages#ref33397">Economy</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274936"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry">Agriculture and forestry</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33398"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry#ref33398">Resources and power</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33399"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Agriculture-and-forestry#ref33399">Manufacturing</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33401"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance">Finance</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33400"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref33400">Trade</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274937"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref274937">Services</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274938"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Finance#ref274938">Labour and taxation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33402"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications">Transportation and telecommunications</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33403"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33403">Government and society</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33404"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33404">Constitutional framework</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274939"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref274939">Local government</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33407"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Transportation-and-telecommunications#ref33407">Justice</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33406"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process">Political process</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33408"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process#ref33408">Security</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33410"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Political-process#ref33410">Health and welfare</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33409"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education">Education</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref33413"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref33413">Cultural life</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33414"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref33414">Cultural milieu</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274933"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Education#ref274933">Daily life and social customs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274934"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-arts">The arts</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33415"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions">Cultural institutions</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref274935"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref274935">Sports and recreation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33416"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref33416">Media and publishing</a></li></ul></div></li><li data-target="#ref129458"><div class="d-flex align-items-center"><button class="h1-link-drawer-button btn btn-xs btn-circle d-flex rounded" type="button" aria-label="Toggle Heading"><em class="material-icons font-18" data-icon="keyboard_arrow_right"></em></button><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref129458">History</a></div><div class="ml-40 toc-drawer sub-toc-drawer"><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33330"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Cultural-institutions#ref33330">Prehistory and Roman times</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33331"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Middle-Ages">Early Middle Ages</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33332"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Middle-Ages#ref33332">Germanic and Slavic settlement</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33333"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-Babenberg-period">Early Babenberg period</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33334"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Later-Babenberg-period">Later Babenberg period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33335"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-Middle-Ages">Late Middle Ages</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33336"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-Middle-Ages#ref33336">Contest for the Babenberg heritage</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33337"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Accession-of-the-Habsburgs">Accession of the Habsburgs</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33338"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Division-of-the-Habsburg-lands">Division of the Habsburg lands</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33339"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages">Burgundian and Spanish marriages</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33340"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages#ref33340">Reformation and Counter-Reformation</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33341"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Burgundian-and-Spanish-marriages#ref33341">Acquisition of Bohemia</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33342"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Advance-of-Protestantism">Advance of Protestantism</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33343"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Advance-of-Protestantism#ref33343">Rudolf II and Matthias</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33344"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Bohemian-rising-and-the-victory-of-the-Counter-Reformation">The Bohemian rising and the victory of the Counter-Reformation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33345"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Bohemian-rising-and-the-victory-of-the-Counter-Reformation#ref33345">Struggle with Sweden and France</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33346"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Austria-as-a-great-power">Austria as a great power</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33347"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/War-of-the-Spanish-Succession">War of the Spanish Succession</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33348"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/War-of-the-Spanish-Succession#ref33348">Problem of the Austrian succession</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33349"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/New-conflicts-with-the-Turks-and-the-Bourbons">New conflicts with the Turks and the Bourbons</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33350"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Social-economic-and-cultural-trends-in-the-Baroque-period">Social, economic, and cultural trends in the Baroque period</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33351"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/From-the-accession-of-Maria-Theresa-to-the-Congress-of-Vienna">From the accession of Maria Theresa to the Congress of Vienna</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33352"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/From-the-accession-of-Maria-Theresa-to-the-Congress-of-Vienna#ref33352">War of the Austrian Succession, 1740–48</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33353"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/First-reforms-1748-56">First reforms, 1748–56</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33354"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/First-reforms-1748-56#ref33354">Seven Years’ War, 1756–63</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33355"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Reforms-1763-80">Reforms, 1763–80</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33356"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Reforms-1763-80#ref33356">Foreign affairs, 1763–80</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33357"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Early-reign-of-Joseph-II-1780-85">Early reign of Joseph II, 1780–85</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33358"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Late-reign-of-Joseph-II-1785-90">Late reign of Joseph II, 1785–90</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33359"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Conflicts-with-revolutionary-France-1790-1805">Conflicts with revolutionary France, 1790–1805</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33360"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Conflicts-with-Napoleonic-France">Conflicts with Napoleonic France</a></li></ul></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33361"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/The-Age-of-Metternich-1815-48">The Age of Metternich, 1815–48</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33362"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Revolution-and-counterrevolution-1848-59">Revolution and counterrevolution, 1848–59</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33363"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Neoabsolutist-era-1849-60">Neoabsolutist era, 1849–60</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33364"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Constitutional-experimentation-1860-67">Constitutional experimentation, 1860–67</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h2"><li data-target="#ref33365"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Austria-Hungary-1867-1918">Austria-Hungary, 1867–1918</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33366"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Austria-Hungary-1867-1918#ref33366">Ausgleich of 1867</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33367"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Domestic-affairs-1867-73">Domestic affairs, 1867–73</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33368"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/International-relations-the-Balkan-orientation">International relations: the Balkan orientation</a></li></ul><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h3"><li data-target="#ref33369" class="has-children"><a class="w-100 link-gray-900" href="/place/Austria/Domestic-affairs-1879-1908">Domestic affairs, 1879–1908</a><ul class="list-unstyled" data-level="h4"><li 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Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). </div> <div class="type-menu"> <label for="feedback-type" class="label mb-10">Feedback Type</label> <select id="feedback-type" class="form-select mb-30" name="feedbackTypeId" required> <option value="" selected="selected">Select a type (Required)</option> <option value="1">Factual Correction</option> <option value="2">Spelling/Grammar Correction</option> <option value="3">Link Correction</option> <option value="4">Additional Information</option> <option value="5">Other</option> </select> </div> <label for="feedback" class="label mb-10">Your Feedback</label> <textarea id="feedback" class="form-control mb-30" name="feedback" maxlength="3000" rows="7" required></textarea> <button class="btn btn-blue" type="submit">Submit Feedback</button> </form> <div class="success-messaging d-none mt-30"> <div class="title">Thank you for your feedback</div> <p>Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div class="md-websites-modal size-lg d-none"> <div class="md-modal-body"> <div class="h2 font-serif pb-15 border-bottom font-weight-bold"> External Websites </div> <div class="pb-20"> <ul class="list-unstyled mt-20 lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/austria/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">Central Intelligence Agency - The World Factbook - Austria</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-title">Britannica Websites</div> <div class="md-websites-ebk-subtitle">Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students.</div> <ul class="list-unstyled bps-topic-web-sites lh-lg"> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/Austria/345640" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austria - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11)</a></li> <li><a class="external" href="https://kids.britannica.com/students/article/Austria/273024" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Austria - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)</a></li> </ul> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="toc-header-marker"></div> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 js-header-ai-ask-button d-none btn-sm btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 mr-0 mr-lg-10 ml-5 ml-sm-10 ml-lg-0 p-10"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> <div class="caption alternate-titles">Also known as: Österreich, Republic of Austria, Republik Österreich</div> <div class="md-byline module-spacing "> <div class="font-serif font-12"> <span class="written-by text-gray-700"> Written by </span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/Lutz-Holzner/5257" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">Lutz Holzner</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Professor Emeritus, University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> Lutz Holzner</span>, <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor" href="/contributor/George-Hall-Kirby/1594" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">George Hall Kirby</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 clamp-description text-black">Freelance writer, editor, and translator. Author of <i>Looking at Germany </i>and others.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link gtm-byline font-12 byline-contributor text-decoration-underline"> George Hall Kirby</span><span class="text-gray-700 mx-5">•</span><a class="see-all border-gray-700 gtm-byline" rel="nofollow" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria/additional-info#contributors">All</a> </div> <div class="font-serif font-12 text-gray-700"> <span class="qa-fact-checked-by">Fact-checked by</span> <div class="editor-popover popover p-0"> <a class="d-block p-20 font-12" href="/editor/The-Editors-of-Encyclopaedia-Britannica/4419" > <div class="editor-title font-16 font-weight-bold">The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</div> <div class="editor-description font-12 font-serif mt-5 text-black">Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors.</div> </a> <div data-popper-arrow></div> </div> <span class="btn btn-link editor-link p-0 qa-byline-link font-12 "> The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica</span></div> <div class="last-updated font-12 font-serif"> <span class="text-gray-700"> Last Updated: <time datetime="2024-11-23T00:00:00CST" >Nov 23, 2024</time> •</span> <a class="byline-edit-history" href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Austria/additional-info#history" rel="nofollow">Article History</a> </div></div> </div> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button d-none d-sm-block js-sections-inline-button module-spacing btn d-lg-none"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <div class="d-flex d-sm-none flex-row"> <button class="d-flex d-lg-none btn btn-outline-blue border rounded-sm shadow-sm mobile-toc-button gtm-mobile-toc-inline-button js-sections-inline-button module-spacing"> <em class="material-icons mr-5 ml-n10 my-n5 md-icon" data-icon="toc"></em> Table of Contents </button> <button class="ai-ask-button btn border-2 ai-ask-button btn border-2 module-spacing btn-sm js-inline-ai-ask-button btn-outline-red-400 border-red-400 p-10 ml-5"> Ask the Chatbot a Question </button> </div> <div class="bg-gray-50 p-15 rounded module-spacing recent-news d-flex flex-column float-false"> <div> <h2 class="font-weight-bold font-14 m-0 d-inline"> News <span class="text-gray-600">•</span> </h2> <div class="recent-news-item first-recent-news-item d-inline"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/1779d4c962e41d8ef096c253705bbf4f" rel="nofollow">Shiffrin wins World Cup slalom and takes quest for her 100th victory to North America</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 23, 2024, 10:13 AM ET (AP) <button class="btn btn-link d-inline p-0 font-12 js-toggle-recent-news"> <span class="text-gray-500">...</span><span>(Show more)</span> </button> </span> </div> </div> <div class="rest-of-recent-news-items"> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/088b14662ba02220369492231c92b5bb" rel="nofollow">Russia's Gazprom stops the flow of natural gas to Austria, OMV utility says</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 16, 2024, 11:20 AM ET (AP) </span> </div> <div class="recent-news-item mt-5"> <a class="font-14 gtm-ap-news-link" href="/news/44183/8851d55ac8bb8621a1ee11ae9e476d68" rel="nofollow">Austria says Russia's Gazprom will cut off natural gas supply this weekend</a> <span class="font-14 text-gray-600"> <span>•</span> Nov. 15, 2024, 3:42 PM ET (AP) </span> </div> <button class="js-toggle-recent-news d-flex btn btn-unstyled font-14 pr-10 rounded-sm mt-10" aria-label="Toggle additional news items"> Show less <em class="material-icons" data-icon="expand_less"></em> </button> </div> </div><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="2"><span class="marker before-article"></span><section data-level="3" id="ref33344"> <span class="marker PREMOD1 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">War became inevitable when Emperor <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Matthias" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Matthias</a> died in 1619. Not that he had been master of the situation, but his death brought <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ferdinand-II-Holy-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Ferdinand II</a>, the most uncompromising Counter-Reformer, to the head of the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/House-of-Habsburg" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">house of Habsburg</a>. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ferdinand-king-of-Bulgaria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Ferdinand</a> was hard-pressed at first, as Bohemian and Moravian troops invaded Austria. A deputation of the estates of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Niederosterreich" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Lower Austria</a> tried to make him renounce <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bohemia" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Bohemia</a> in a peace treaty and demanded religious <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="concessions" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/concessions" data-type="MW">concessions</a> for themselves, unsuccessfully. The Bohemians were forced to retreat, and imperial troops advanced into their <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/nation-state" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">country</a>. The Bohemians deposed Ferdinand from the throne of Bohemia and elected Count Palatine <span id="ref408858"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Frederick-V-elector-Palatine-of-the-Rhine" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frederick V</a> in his stead; two days later, however, Ferdinand II was elected <a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Holy-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Holy Roman emperor</a> at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Frankfurt-am-Main" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Frankfurt</a> (August 28, 1619).</p><span class="marker MOD1 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD2 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">War was the only means of resolving the issue. The conflict for the Bohemian crown developed into a European war—the so-called <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Thirty-Years-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Thirty Years’ War</a>—when <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Spain" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Spain</a>, the Bavarian duke <span id="ref408859"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maximilian-I-duke-of-Bavaria" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Maximilian I</a>, and the Protestant elector of Saxony entered the struggle on the side of the emperor. The Upper Austrian estates rashly joined Frederick V, with the result that their country was occupied by the army of the Catholic League and afterward pledged to <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Bavaria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Bavaria</a>. At the <span id="ref408860"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-White-Mountain" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Battle of the White Mountain</a>, Ferdinand II became master of Bohemia, Moravia, and Silesia, while <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Lusatia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Lusatia</a> was pledged to Saxony. King Frederick fled to the Netherlands. The leaders of the Bohemian rising were executed, and other nobles who had <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="compromised" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/compromised" data-type="EB">compromised</a> themselves lost their property. Many Protestants left the country. In the new constitution of 1627, Bohemia and its associated lands became a hereditary kingdom. The diets were not dissolved entirely, as the government wanted to make use of their administration, but their influence was restricted to financial matters.</p><span class="marker MOD2 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD3 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">After the death of Matthias, Ferdinand had also inherited the Danubian territories. <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Tirol-state-Austria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Tirol</a>, however, retained a special status under a new Habsburg <em>secundogeniture</em> (inheritance by a second branch of the house). <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Oberosterreich" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Upper Austria</a>, pledged to Bavaria, was disturbed by a great peasant rising. The Protestant peasants were defeated after heavy fighting, and in 1628 the country passed into the hands of the emperor again.</p><span class="marker MOD3 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD4 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Counter-Reformation" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Counter-Reformation</a> was vigorously enforced in the Austrian domains. This led to the mass emigration of Protestants, including many members of the nobility. Most went to the Protestant states and to the imperial cities of southern <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Germany" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Germany</a>. After the Bohemian victory the war went favourably for the emperor, and the <span id="ref408861"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Peace-of-Lubeck" class="md-crosslink ">Peace of Lübeck</a> (1629) seemed to secure the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="hegemony" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hegemony" data-type="MW">hegemony</a> in Germany for the Habsburgs. But in 1629 Ferdinand’s attempt in the <span id="ref408862"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/Edict-of-Restitution" class="md-crosslink ">Edict of Restitution</a> (Restitutionsedikt) to establish religious unity by force throughout the empire provoked the violent opposition of the Protestants.</p><span class="marker MOD4 mod-inline"></span></section> <section data-level="3" id="ref33345"><h2 class="h3">Struggle with <span id="ref408863"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/topic/history-of-Sweden" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Sweden</a> and France</h2> <span class="marker PREMOD5 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">July 1630 saw intervention in Germany’s religious strife from a different quarter—Sweden. In that month the Protestant Swedish king, <span id="ref408864"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gustav-II-Adolf" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Gustav II Adolf</a>, landed on the Baltic coast of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Pomerania" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Pomerania</a>. His purpose was to defend the Protestants against further oppression, to restore the dukes of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Mecklenburg-historical-region-Germany" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Mecklenburg</a>, his relatives, who had been driven from their lands by Ferdinand’s forces, and perhaps to strengthen Sweden’s strategic position in the Baltic. In the ensuing conflict, the German city of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Magdeburg-Germany" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Magdeburg</a> was destroyed by fire after it had been taken by the emperor’s troops under General <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Johann-Tserclaes-Graf-von-Tilly" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Johann Tserclaes, Graf (count) von Tilly</a> (1631). The North German Protestants, who had so far remained undecided, consequently went over to the Swedes. After victories in the <a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Battle-of-Breitenfeld" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Battle of Breitenfeld</a> and on the Lech River, the Swedish troops entered Bavaria.</p><div class="module-spacing"> </div><span class="marker MOD5 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD6 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">During the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="subsequent" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/subsequent" data-type="EB">subsequent</a> period of the <span id="ref408865"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Thirty-Years-War" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Thirty Years’ War</a>, Ferdinand adopted a rigorous and often unrelenting attitude, though he yielded a little when the Peace of Prague was being negotiated (1635). His successor, <span id="ref408866"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Ferdinand-III-Holy-Roman-emperor" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Ferdinand III</a> (1637–57), was as loyal to Catholicism as his father had been but showed himself more of a realist. He was not able, however, to prevent the war from again dragging into Habsburg territory, so in 1645 even <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Vienna" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Vienna</a> was threatened. The extremist party that had rejected all concessions lost its influence at the Vienna court, and two able diplomats, <a href="https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maximilian-Graf-von-Trauttmansdorff" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Maximilian, Graf von Trauttmansdorff</a>, and Isaac Volmar, were <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="entrusted" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/entrusted" data-type="EB">entrusted</a> with the representation of a weakened Austria at the German cities of <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Munster-Germany" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Münster</a> and <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Osnabruck" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Osnabrück</a>, where extended negotiations were conducted until acceptable terms could be settled for Austria. In the <span id="ref408867"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/event/Peace-of-Westphalia" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Peace of Westphalia</a> (1648), Austria lost its possessions in <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Alsace" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Alsace</a>, and Lusatia had to be ceded for good to Saxony.</p><span class="marker MOD6 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD7 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The peace in many respects marked the beginning of a new epoch. The <span id="ref408868"></span><a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Holy-Roman-Empire" class="md-crosslink " data-show-preview="true">Holy Roman Empire</a> from then on was reduced to a loose union of otherwise independent states, and Habsburg politics shifted its emphasis, falling back entirely on the political, military, and financial resources of the hereditary Habsburg lands, now including also Bohemia. The new central organs and the administrative bodies of the territories took on much greater importance than the remaining institutions of the Holy Roman Empire. The emperor came to rely on a standing army rather than on troops provided by the German princes.</p><span class="marker MOD7 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD8 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The heavy drain the religious wars had made on the population of the Austrian territories was <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off eb" data-term="compensated" href="https://www.britannica.com/dictionary/compensated" data-type="EB">compensated</a> for by immigrants from the Catholic parts of the empire and by Croatian refugees from the southeast. The economic position of the peasants on the whole deteriorated. Many members of the nobility, as well as the church, acquired new property. In mining, boom and depression followed quickly upon each other. The loss of many experienced miners during the Counter-Reformation resulted in difficulties, but the government took several steps toward improving and extending the salt mines. In 1625 it founded the Innerberg Union, under which <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Steiermark" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Steiermark’s</a> iron industry was reorganized. The emperor also tried to interfere with the trade organizations of the towns, though without much success. Trade and finance in the Austrian territories were dominated by foreign capital.</p><span class="marker MOD8 mod-inline"></span> <span class="marker PREMOD9 mod-inline"></span><p class="topic-paragraph">The cultural life of the period was also dominated by the religious struggle. In the field of education the schools of the denominational parties rivaled each other. In 1585 a Jesuit university was founded at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Graz" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Graz</a>, while at <a href="https://www.britannica.com/place/Salzburg-state-Austria" class="md-crosslink autoxref " data-show-preview="true">Salzburg</a> a Benedictine university was established (1623). Austrian humanists produced some outstanding works of poetry and historical writings, and the <a class="md-dictionary-link md-dictionary-tt-off mw" data-term="sovereigns" href="https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sovereigns" data-type="MW">sovereigns</a> were great patrons of the arts, but on the whole this was an epoch dominated by Italian and Western influences.</p><span class="marker MOD9 mod-inline"></span></section></section> <span class="marker end-of-content"></span><span class="marker after-article"></span></div> <div id="chatbot-root"></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ai-dialog-placeholder"></div> </div> </div> <aside class="col-md-da-320"></aside> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article></div> </div></div> </div> </main> <div id="md-footer"></div> <noscript><iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-5W6NC8" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden"></iframe></noscript> <script type="text/javascript" id="_informizely_script_tag"> var IzWidget = IzWidget || {}; (function (d) { var scriptElement = d.createElement('script'); scriptElement.type = 'text/javascript'; scriptElement.async = true; scriptElement.src = "https://insitez.blob.core.windows.net/site/f780f33e-a610-4ac2-af81-3eb184037547.js"; var node = d.getElementById('_informizely_script_tag'); node.parentNode.insertBefore(scriptElement, node); } )(document); </script>  <script> window.ap3c = window.ap3c || {}; var ap3c = window.ap3c; ap3c.cmd = ap3c.cmd || []; ap3c.cmd.push(function() { ap3c.init('ZO4siT4cLwnykPnzZWJtd3Byb2Q', 'https://engage.email.britannica.com/'); ap3c.track({v: 0}); }); ap3c.activity = function(act) { ap3c.act = (ap3c.act || []); ap3c.act.push(act); }; var s, t; s = document.createElement('script'); s.type = 'text/javascript'; s.src = "https://engage.email.britannica.com/app.js"; t = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; t.parentNode.insertBefore(s, t); </script> <script class="marketing-page-info" type="application/json"> {"pageType":"Topic","templateName":"DESKTOP","pageNumber":19,"pagesTotal":51,"pageId":44183,"pageLength":1092,"initialLoad":true,"lastPageOfScroll":false} </script> <script class="marketing-content-info" type="application/json"> [] </script> <script src="https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/js/libs/jquery-3.5.0.min.js?v=3.130.14"></script> <script type="text/javascript" data-type="Init Mendel Code Splitting"> (function() { $.ajax({ dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: 'https://cdn.britannica.com/mendel-resources/3-130/dist/topic-page.js?v=3.130.14' }); })(); </script> <script class="analytics-metadata" type="application/json"> {"leg":"C","adLeg":"C","userType":"ANONYMOUS","pageType":"Topic","pageSubtype":null,"articleTemplateType":"COUNTRY_PAGINATED","gisted":false,"pageNumber":19,"hasSummarizeButton":false,"hasAskButton":false} </script> <script type="text/javascript"> EBStat={accountId:-1,hostnameOverride:'webstats.eb.com',domain:'www.britannica.com', json:''}; </script> <script type="text/javascript"> ( function() { $.ajax( { dataType: 'script', cache: true, url: '//www.britannica.com/webstats/mendelstats.js?v=1' } ) .done( function() { try {writeStat(null,EBStat);} catch(err){} } ); })(); </script> <div id="bc-fixed-dialogue"></div> </body> </html>

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Austria - Bohemian Rising, Counter Reformation | Britannica