October 24 - Thirty Years War Ends

Komnenos is taking a break from AE and I will attempt to stand in for him for the time that he is away.


1648 - Treaty of Westphalia - general settlement ending the German Thirty Years War. It inaugurated the modern European state system and marked the end of the Holy Roman Empire as an effective institution. Participants in the negotiations were Sweden (who gained control of the Baltic) , France (who was acknowledged as the preeminent Western power), Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, together with the newly independent Netherlands (gaining independence from Spain).

More on the treaty: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Westphalia


Other events on this day:
1596 - Battle at Kerestes: Austrians defeated by the Turks. The battle continues and ends on Oct. 26th.
1856 Constitution of South Australia adopted
1980 Polish government legalizes independent labor union Solidarity
1991 Gene Roddenberry Star Trek creator, dies of a heart attack at 70


Discoveries/inventions/new technology:
1836 The match is patented
1851 William Lassell discovers Ariel & Umbriel, satellites of Uranus
1861 First transcontinental telegram sent, ending the Pony Express
1969 Email was used for the first time


Historical events pertaining to women:
1901   1st woman to survive going over Niagara Falls in a barrel (Anna Taylor)
1956   In Syracuse, New York, Margaret Ellen Towner became the first woman ordained in the Presbyterian Church.
1975 The report of the Association of Women in Psychology's Ad Hoc Committee on Sexist Language was published in the APA Monitor. The report condemned sexist language in psychology, listed common practices, recommended changes, and rebutted common objections to change
1994 A U.S. postage stamp was issued in Dallas, Texas honoring Virginia Apgar. An anesthesiologist, Apgar, in 1952, developed a rapid ten-point scale for diagnosing infant�s health at birth. The Apgar Scale is often described in texts in developmental psychology and mental retardation.

El Cid:

Absolutely, the TYW validated the character of Europe as we still recognize it.

However, I would like to mention a few items that get lost in our school texts:

France was just as exhausted as the other players in the war....and still rent by internal factions.  Louis XIV was a child, and the French monarchy held on by it's fingernails for a decade....still at war with Spain, and with itself during the Fronde(s).  Even Conde and Turenne  fought against the royal government (and in the Spanish army!)

Habsburg Spain certainly was not recognized as a spent force in 1648.  She fought on vigorously against France until 1659, and even in the late 1660s was acknowledged as a strategic and political power in spite of the fiscal exhaustion, and collapse of martial spirit, of Castile.  Because of huge colonial possessions and wealth, Spain remained important for another 100 years.

Habsburg Austria despite being a "loser" in the war, was actually put in a stronger position by shedding the Protestant areas of Germany, and then consolidating the Austrian crown lands.  As Morty said above, the "Holy Roman Empire" ceased to have much relevance.....the "Austrian Empire" was born and remained a great power for over 200 years.

One of the biggest and less acknowledged effects was the rise of permanent military forces, mostly under princely control...standing armies that still are with us.

 

Morticia:

Not only Austrians and Turks were in this battle. And this place was called Mez�keresztes. What a difficult name!