Peace of Westphalia 1648
Also called: Westphalian sovereignty · Topic: Renaissance, Reformation and the Scientific Revolution · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Peace of Westphalia (1648) was a set of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War in Europe. It recognised the independence of the Dutch Republic and Switzerland. It confirmed that German princes could decide the religion of their own lands, and Calvinism was now allowed along with Lutheranism and Catholicism. It is often seen as the start of the modern system of sovereign states. These are independent states that do not interfere in each other's internal affairs.
Example
The treaties were signed in 1648 in the towns of Münster and Osnabrück in Westphalia, Germany. The Dutch Republic was formally recognised as independent of Spain.
Don't confuse with
- Peace of Augsburg (1555): Augsburg was an earlier deal only within the German lands, and it allowed only Lutheranism or Catholicism. Westphalia was a Europe-wide settlement after a major war.
Related concepts
- Christian humanism
- Thomas More
- Erasmus
- Indulgences
- Donation of Constantine
- Martin Luther
- Ninety-Five Theses
- Protestant Reformation
- John Calvin
- English Reformation