Ending the Thirty Years War

All know about the 'defenestration of Prague', the coup d'etat staged by Bohemian nobles against the ruling officials of the Hapsburg empire, which triggered the Thirty Years War - a local dispute which started European and global conflict between the Spanish and Austrian Hapsburgs - the Hapsburg Imperium - the greatest power in Europe and the world - linked by the 'Spanish Road' stretching from Spain and Portugal to Austria, Italy, Germany, the Low Countries and with vast American, Asian and African empires, and buttressed by the Holy Roman Empire. But the 'Golden Age' was ending with threats to monopoly, economic downturn, revolts - as in Bohemia above - and rivalry from rising powers in Europe, especially the Dutch Republic, as a world colonial, economic power especially in international finance. This study shows that Imperial victory at Nordlingen (1634) was merely the prologue to Hapsburg disaster, and to the decisive change in global power politics with the rise of France as a great power under Richelieu and Louis XIII, French victory in Spain, the continuing power and rivalry of Sweden and the Protestant powers in German, and the financial power and imperial challenge of the Dutch Republic. The result was the greatest war of attrition in modern times and precursor of the wars of the 20th century. It is a truly tragic yet magnificent story of great men and women playing huge roles, including the 'titanic' Imperial general Wallenstein, but above all for the triumph of the under-sung yet most successful commander, Torstenson, on the Protestant side, He is a worthy successor to the legendary Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden. The final victory at Prague ended the conflict, where it had begun, with Imperial defeat and the destruction the Hapsburg imperium. The Treaty (Treaties) of Westphalia followed Hapsburg defeat and spiralling political and economic collapse, and great human suffering, following a war which changed the global balance of power for the whole modern era. AUTHOR: John Pike is a historian, economist and barrister working currently as General Counsel for a Singapore public listed company. He graduated in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford. He has worked variously as a merchant seaman, shipping executive, Investment banker, economist, barrister, general counsel, and for several years as a volunteer agricultural development adviser in Cambodia. He has lived and worked in France, Japan, Germany, Cambodia, Singapore and Burma. He was for some years the Director of economic and investment Research for a major German Bank. He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 2004 thereafter practicing as a barrister out of Lincoln's Inn, having worked previously for the Serious Fraud Office. His legal practice included contract, fraud, commercial, chancery, and competition law, as well as political asylum cases. In Cambodia at the UN war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh he was a special adviser to the defence team of Nuon Chea (Pol Pot's deputy). His academic work on criminal cartels published in 2005 together with Sir Jeremy Lever QC has been cited in various Court of Appeal and Supreme Court Cases and is referenced in most textbooks on competition law. He is a military historian with deep knowledge of war and weaponry as well as technical, social, and cultural aspects of war, and his historical analysis is informed by his professional expertise in law, economics, and finance. 8 b/w illustrations

John Pike is a historian, economist and barrister working currently as General Counsel for a Singapore public listed company. He graduated in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPE) at Oxford. He has worked variously as a merchant seaman, shipping executive, Investment banker, economist, barrister, general counsel, and for several years as a volunteer agricultural development adviser in Cambodia. He has lived and worked in France, Japan, Germany, Cambodia, Singapore and Burma. He was for some years the Director of economic and investment Research for a major German Bank.He was called to the Bar at Lincoln's Inn in 2004 thereafter practicing as a barrister out of Lincoln’s Inn, having worked previously for the Serious Fraud Office. His legal practice included contract, fraud, commercial, chancery, and competition law, as well as political asylum cases. In Cambodia at the UN war crimes tribunal in Phnom Penh he was a special adviser to the defence team of Nuon Chea (Pol Pot’s deputy). His academic work on criminal cartels published in 2005 together with Sir Jeremy Lever QC has been cited in various Court of Appeal and Supreme Court Cases and is referenced in most textbooks on competition law.He is a military historian with deep knowledge of war and weaponry as well as technical, social, and cultural aspects of war, and his historical analysis is informed by his professional expertise in law, economics, and finance.

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