The Thirty Years War was a series of European conflicts that lasted from 1618 to 1648. The battles were mainly fought in Germany. The struggle was initially based on the religious conflicts among Germans by the Protestant Reformation, but it was later influenced by other issues and later became dominated by dynastic ambitions. There were four periods in the war, which include the Bavarian Period, Danish Period, Swedish Period, and the French Period. Conflict began when, on May 23, 1618. The Protestants in Prague threw two of Bohemian King Ferdinand II's ministers out a window. This act was known as the Defenestration of Prague. Ferdinand II is described good-natured man, not that possessed more virtues than most kings did. He was a devoted husband and father, and a conscientious ruler interested in the welfare of his people. Above all else, however, he was a Habsburg: this meant he was dedicated to re-storing the authority of the emperor in the Empire and of re-establishing Catholicism in central Europe. The spark that set off the Thirty Years War came in 1618, when the Archbishop of Prague ordered a Protestant church destroyed. The Protestants in the city rose up and revolted, but within two years the rebellion was stamped out by the Habsburg general, Count of Tilly. Thus began the first period of the thirty years war, which is known as the Bavarian period. .
The Bavarian Period of the war began with the battle of Pilsen. Going against their Catholic king, the Bohemian Protestants decided to call in outside help from Ferdinand of Austria. This is when the struggle began. An army of 20,000 men crossed the Bohemian border and marched on Pilsen, a Catholic stronghold 52 miles southwest of Prague. The army was under the German mercenary general, Count Ernst Von Mansfeld. In 1618, Mansfeld attacked and after 15 hours of fighting, they captured the town. After Mansfeld's victory, the Catholics delayed their plans to seize Prague.
