Definition

Proper noun: * A major European war: The Thirty Years' War was a complex series of conflicts fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648. It began as a religious war between Protestants and Catholics within the Holy Roman Empire but evolved into a broader political struggle for European dominance, involving most of the great powers of the continent.

Usage Examples

• Proper noun:
  • The Thirty Years' War devastated the population and economy of Central Europe.
  • Historians study the Thirty Years' War to understand the transition from religious to political conflicts in European history.
  • The Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War, established new principles for international relations.

Advanced Usage

• "to be a Thirty Years' War": Used metaphorically to describe any very long, drawn-out, and destructive conflict or struggle.
  • The legal battle between the two companies turned into a Thirty Years' War of lawsuits and countersuits.

Variants and Related Words

• Thirty Years' War, The: The definite article "the" is almost always used when referring to this specific historical event.
• Westphalian system (n): The modern system of sovereign states, often traced back to the Peace of Westphalia that ended the war.
• Bohemian Revolt (n): The initial phase (1618-1620) of the Thirty Years' War.

Synonyms

• The Great War (a contemporary name for the conflict, not to be confused with World War I).
• The European War (a broad, descriptive term for the conflict).

Related Phrases

• Peace of Westphalia: The collective name for the peace treaties (signed in 1648) that ended the war.
  • The Peace of Westphalia is a cornerstone of international law.

Noun

1. a series of conflicts (1618-1648) between Protestants and Catholics starting in Germany and spreading until France and Denmark and Sweden were opposing the Holy Roman Empire and Spain