Thirty -year war. Prokopyev A.Yu.

1618 was the beginning of the most bloody war of the early New Age. The largest powers of Western and Eastern Europe converged in the battle - the Holy Roman Empire and the German principalities, France, Spain, Sweden, who fought for faith and political championship. On the battlefields, the most prominent commanders of that era showed themselves - the Swedish king Gustav Adolf, Wallenstein and Tilly, the famous statesmen of the XVII century were waiting for the outcome of the battles in their offices. - Cardinal Richelieu and Chancellor Oksenstirna.

But why did the Epicenter of the War become the lands of Germany and the empire, and what forced to sacrifice almost six million lives? Why did her German roots so reluctantly recall her centuries, and the war ceased to be “German”? Is it possible to find an alternative to the old interpretations born under the influence of the worldview conjuncture and political postulates? Is it possible to finally try to look at the events from their gulsh and explain the tragedy by the opinion and logic of her contemporaries?

The book of A. Yu. Prokopyev (Institute of History of St. Petersburg State University) answers these and other questions.