The 30 Years’ War (1618-48) and the Second Defenestration of Prague - Professor Peter Wilson

Professor Wilson will examine the causes, conduct and consequences of the Thirty Years War, Europes most destructive conflict prior to the two 20th-century world wars. The talk takes place on the 400th anniversary of the defenestration of three Habsburg officials by Bohemian malcontents in Prague. This violent act triggered a crisis which expanded into general war despite the best efforts of most of those involved to contain it. Why it took so long to make peace, and what extent the conflict can be considered a religious war will also be discussed. The transcript and downloadable versions of the lecture are available from the Gresham College website: