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Treaty of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire; Switzerland's independence is recognized

The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster.

The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire, closing a calamitous period of European history that killed approximately eight million people. Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, the kingdoms of France and Sweden, and their respective allies among the princes of the Holy Roman Empire, participated in the treaties.

The negotiation process was lengthy and complex. Talks took place in two cities, because each side wanted to meet on territory under its own control. A total of 109 delegations arrived to represent the belligerent states, but not all delegations were present at the same time.

Historical Significance

The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster.

Events Before

  1. Thirty Years' War: Bavaria, Cologne, France and Sweden sign the Truce of Ulm

    The Thirty Years' War, fought primarily in Central Europe between 1618 and 1648, was one of the most destructive conflicts in European history.

  2. Dutch East India Company ship Nieuw Haarlem is shipwrecked without loss of life in shallow waters in Table Bay, Cape of

    Dutch East India Company ship Nieuw Haarlem is shipwrecked without loss of life in shallow waters in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, leading to the founding of the Dutch Cape Colony [1]

  3. Peter Stuyvesant arrives in New Amsterdam

    Peter Stuyvesant (1610 – August 1672) was a Dutch colonial administrator who served as the director-general of New Netherland from 1647 to 1664, when the colony was provisionally ceded to the Kingdom...

  4. William II Prince of Orange sworn in as Stadtholder of Holland

    William II Prince of Orange sworn in as Stadtholder of Holland

  5. Alse Young becomes the first person executed as a witch in the American colonies, when she is hanged in Hartford, Connec

    Alse Young becomes the first person executed as a witch in the American colonies, when she is hanged in Hartford, Connecticut

Events After

  1. Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone" premieres in Venice (the most popular opera of the 17th century)

    Giasone (Jason) is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by Francesco Cavalli and a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini.

  2. The English Rump Parliament votes to put Charles I on trial for treason and other high crimes

    The trial of Charles I took place in January 1649, marking the first time a reigning monarch was tried and executed by his own subjects.

  3. England is declared a Commonwealth by an act of the Rump Parliament, making England a republic for the next 11 years

    Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651 and King of England, Scotland, and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in...

  4. Philip IV, King of Spain (44) marries his niece Mariana of Austria (14) in Navalcarnero, Spain

    Philip IV, King of Spain (44) marries his niece Mariana of Austria (14) in Navalcarnero, Spain

  5. Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649: Russia adopts new code of laws, consolidating serfdom (OS 29 Jan) [1]

    Sobornoye Ulozheniye of 1649: Russia adopts new code of laws, consolidating serfdom (OS 29 Jan) [1]

More from the 1640s

Francesco Cavalli's opera "Giasone" premieres in Venice (the most popular opera of the 17th century)

Giasone (Jason) is an opera in three acts and a prologue with music by Francesco Cavalli and a libretto by Giacinto Andrea Cicognini.

The English Rump Parliament votes to put Charles I on trial for treason and other high crimes

The trial of Charles I took place in January 1649, marking the first time a reigning monarch was tried and executed by his own subjects.

Dutch East India Company conquers the city of Malacca, killing about 7,000 people

Dutch East India Company conquers the city of Malacca, killing about 7,000 people

Georgeana (York) in Maine becomes the first incorporated American city

Georgeana (York) in Maine becomes the first incorporated American city

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on October 24, 1648?
The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. They ended the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648) and brought peace to the Holy Roman Empire, closing a calamitous period of European history that killed approximately eight million people. Ferdinand III, Holy Roman Emperor, the kingdoms of France and Sweden, and their respective allies among the princes of the Holy Roman Empire, participated in the treaties.
Why is Treaty of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years' War in the Holy Roman Empire; Swi... significant?
The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster.

Explore More

October 24 in HistoryYear 1648