The Swedes, the Danes, the Poles, the Russians, the Dutch and the Swiss were all dragged in or dived in. The war was largely fought on German soil and reduced the country to desolation as hordes of mercenaries, left unpaid by their masters, lived off the land.
On June 1, 1645, France and Sweden brought forward propositions of peace, which were discussed by the estates of the empire from October 1645 to April 1646.
The Peace of Westphalia is the collective name for two peace treaties signed in October 1648 in the Westphalian cities of Osnabrück and Münster. Diplomatic representatives from 96 different
entities were present at the negotiations which met in two cities within 30 miles of each other.
The Holy Roman Emperor (Ferdinand III), the Spanish Empire, the kingdoms of France and Sweden, the United Provinces (Netherlands), and their respective allies among the princes of the Holy Roman Empire participated in these treaties.
Under the terms of the peace settlement, several countries received territories or were confirmed in their sovereignty over territories. The territorial clauses all favored Sweden, France, and their allies.
As a result of the Treaty of Westphalia, the Netherlands gained independence from Spain. The German principalities secured their autonomy. Sweden gained territory and a payment in cash, Brandenburg and Bavaria made gains too, and France acquired most of Alsace-Lorraine.
The power of the Holy Roman Emperor was broken and the German states were again able to determine the religion of their lands.
The Peace of Westphalia (1648)
