Three Decades of Tragedy: A History of the Thirty Years War
The Thirty Years War was a major war in European history that had a major influence on the future of Europe, yet outside of history people, people seem to know very little besides the basics. I hope you want to learn more about this war and I promise to try to not sound like a dry history book. Welcome to Three Decades of Tragedy!
Episodes
107 episodes
Bonus Episode: Jews and Judaism during the Thirty Years War
Welcome back to this special bonus episode from my friend Ben! Jews were a group I mentioned during the war sparsely, but thanks to him, you guys will get a clearer image of their status and history during the war. And it's not what many of you...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 45
•
12:18
Episode 103: The End
Welcome back to the final episode! We have traversed thirty years, and now we see the aftermath of the war. There is way more than I can cover, so I hope you found an interest to look for yourself what this war did to change Europe. Religion, i...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 44
•
19:55
Episode 102: The Peace of Westphalia
Welcome back! Thank you for listening to me for long! We cover the end and effects of the Thirty Years War this week. The war that devastated Germany for thirty years finally came to and end, and the European world would be changed, whether it ...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 43
•
14:38
Episode 101: The Siege of Prague
Welcome back! We come to the end to the war as the last fights of the war come to an end, the Treaty of Westphalia coming into being. The Siege of Prague was the last major battle of the war, and one of the most famous battles of the war. Thirt...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 42
•
9:51
Episode 100: The Battle of Zumarshausen
Welcome back! I just realized this the 100th episode! Thank you all for listening for so long! This week we cover the start of the campaign that leads to the Siege of Prague, the last campaign of the war. It was the last gasp of major fighting ...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 41
•
11:13
Episode 99: End of the Eighty Years War
Welcome back! We cover the side content of the war as the Spanish and Dutch create a peace that would bring an end to their over half a century war. France gets the rough side of this, and the last distractions fall away as the war gears up for...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 40
•
12:29
Episode 98: The Re-entry of Bavaria
Welcome back! This week I cover the re-entry of Bavaria and Colonge in the war as the Truce of Ulm collapses. Can the imperials improve their positions for the negotiations? Sorry for the audio quality, but I'm a bit too sick to rerecord it. An...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 39
•
8:40
Episode 97: Beginning of the End
Welcome back! Sorry for being a day late, and this week we cover more diplomacy, this time based around Spain and the Austrians. I also cover what the militaries were up to during the Ulm Truce, and how we start to move into the final campaigns...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 38
•
11:54
Episode 96: The Growing Peace
Welcome back! This week we go over the debates over the reality of peace and what it would be for the HRE. The main focus was on amnesty and restitution, as well as what the normative year would be for the empire. Politics is politics, but ther...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 37
•
14:46
Episode 95: Brandenburg
Welcome back! This week we go over more of the diplomatic side of the war, showing how land would be used to help negotiate, and how the Austrians used their hand effectively to keep what they needed. The war was dying off in terms of major bat...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 36
•
10:23
Episode 94: The Hessian War
Welcome back! This week we cover a conflict between two factions of Hessen-Kassel, and the degradation of the imperial army. The Swedes also make small gains as they capture a prize for the ages. Things are not going well for the imperial force...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 35
•
10:37
Episode 93: 1646
Welcome back! Today we cover the events of 1646 as the war starts to come to an end. Granted the beginning of the end is still three years, but after nearly thirty years of on-and-off war, just having an end in sight is a relief. But like alway...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 34
•
11:46
Episode 92: The Aftermath of 1645
Welcome back! The year of 1645 comes to an end as all the battles and diplomacy of 1645 shows what effect it had. This war has been long, but we only have three years left as the factions inch closer to a full peace. That doesn't mean that we d...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 33
•
11:15
Episode 91: The Battle of Allerheim
Welcome back! This week we near the end 1645 with the Battle of Allerheim. There has been swings and roundabouts, but the allied Swedes and French press on the Habsburg and Bavarian forces. D'Enghien clashes with Mercy and access to Bavaria is ...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 32
•
8:00
Episode 90: Strike into Austria
Welcome back! This week we cover the Swedish campaign into Austrian territory that threatens the heartlands of the Habsburgs, along with the Battle of Herbsthausen. 1645 will be full of battles, and we have only reached the middle of them as we...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 31
•
12:00
Episode 89: The Battle of Jankau
Welcome back! There might be a bit of tinny audio at the start, but I had to get a new computer so I have to adjust to that. But we move back into the war as the first battle of the year, the Battle of Jankau! We see if the Imperials can beat t...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 30
•
8:25
Episode 88: Denmark vs Sweden Pt 2
Welcome back! We come to a swift end of the war. Last time Sweden was in a tight spot as they invaded their neighbor, but fate turns for them as the rest of the war continues. Outside forces come in to help, but will they be enough for the Dani...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 29
•
8:23
Episode 87: Denmark vs Sweden Pt 1
Welcome back! This week we go on a linked diversion to a smaller war between Denmark and Sweden, with political consequences on the line for each side of the war. The two rivals had many reasons they could go to war, but today we learn exactly ...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 28
•
11:45
Episode 86: The Battle of Freiburg
Welcome back! Today we move beyond negotiations and politics to another form of politics, and cover the Battle of Freiburg. This was a very focused campaign, and is a more well-known battle of the Thirty Years War. Definitely a brutal battle if...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 27
•
12:01
Episode 85: The Congress of Westphalia
Welcome back! This week we got a long one, and this episode was a lot, though it was fun. I cover the start of the Congress of Westphalia, which would ultimately lead to the Treaty of Westphalia, though that is a few years out. There is a lot g...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 26
•
19:21
Episode 84: The Battle of Rocroi
Welcome back! We finish up our little side adventure with the Battle of Rocroi. It's a bit short, but this does provide a good conclusion for this other aspect that tied to the Thirty Years War. This is one of the most famous battles of t...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 25
•
8:14
Episode 83: Spain vs France: The Netherlands
Welcome back! Sorry for the late episode, but here we have the war in the north, with Spain versus the Dutch and Spanish. It was just as messy as down south, but with more firm allies up north, France could have a better grasp, though Spain wou...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 24
•
11:41
Episode 82: Spain vs France: Italy
Welcome back! This week I cover the side war of France vs Spain, which would continue after the Thirty Years War ended. Rivals by dynasty, the pair were fighting over Europe even as the French were involved in Germany. And this week we cover th...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 23
•
12:45
Episode 81: The Battle of Tuttlingen
Welcome back! This week I cover the campaigning of 1643 and the Battle of Tuttlingen between the French and Imperials. Can the allies pull off another successful year like previous, or will the imperials be able to hold them back? I hope you gu...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 22
•
11:04
Episode 80: The Second Battle of Breitenfeld
Welcome back! New mic is here, so we are back in business! Today I cover the second battle of Breitenfeld, and the repercussions of the battle for the diplomacy for the war. The Habsburgs were not in a good state, and this victory could s...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 21
•
13:54