Wars of Religion - AP European History

1. Which Catholic monarch of Spain launched the Spanish Armada?

   Philip II. The devoutly Catholic Spanish king sought to defend his faith militarily.

2. Identify the main religious conflict addressed by the Edict of Restitution.

   Restoration of Catholic properties. Ferdinand II's decree demanded return of Catholic lands lost since 1552.

3. Identify the leader who declared the Edict of Nantes.

   Henry IV of France. The former Protestant king converted to Catholicism and granted Huguenot rights.

4. Identify the policy that allowed French Protestants limited religious freedom.

   Edict of Nantes. Henry IV's religious settlement granted Huguenots worship rights in designated areas.

5. Name the Swedish king who became a key Protestant leader during the Thirty Years' War.

   Gustavus Adolphus. The 'Lion of the North' led Swedish forces in the Protestant cause.

6. What was the key conflict in the War of the Three Henrys?

   French Catholics vs. Huguenots. Three Henrys competed for the throne while religious factions fought bitterly.

7. Identify the French monarch who converted to Catholicism saying 'Paris is well worth a mass.'

   Henry IV. His pragmatic conversion secured the throne and ended religious civil war.

8. Which ruler's policies led to the War of the Three Henrys?

   Henry III of France. Three rivals named Henry competed for the French throne amid religious conflict.

9. Identify the ruler known for the policy of 'one king, one law, one faith.'

   Louis XIV of France. The Sun King promoted Catholic unity and revoked Protestant privileges.

10. Who was the Holy Roman Emperor at the start of the Thirty Years' War?

    Ferdinand II. This Habsburg emperor championed the Catholic Counter-Reformation against Protestant rebels.

11. Which English monarch was executed during the English Civil War?

    Charles I. Parliament executed the king in 1649 during England's republican period.

12. Which two religious groups were primarily involved in the Thirty Years' War?

    Catholics and Protestants. The war began as religious conflict but became a broader European power struggle.

13. What was the main cause of the French Wars of Religion?

    Conflict between Catholics and Huguenots. Religious tensions between French Catholics and Protestant Huguenots sparked decades of civil wars.

14. What was the primary purpose of the Council of Trent?

    To counter the Protestant Reformation. This council reformed Catholic doctrine and practices to combat Protestant influence.

15. What was the primary goal of the Catholic League in France?

    To eradicate Protestantism. This militant Catholic organization sought to eliminate French Protestant influence.

16. Which war was concluded with the Treaty of the Pyrenees in 1659?

    Franco-Spanish War. This treaty ended French-Spanish hostilities and confirmed Spanish decline.

17. Which religious reformer led the Reformation in Switzerland?

    Ulrich Zwingli. Zwingli established Reformed Protestantism in Zurich before his death in 1531.

18. Which religious group was targeted during the St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre?

    Huguenots. French Protestants were massacred in this brutal Catholic attack on August 24, 1572.

19. Identify the event that marked the end of the Thirty Years' War.

    Peace of Westphalia, 1648. This treaty ended the devastating religious war and reshaped European politics.

20. What was the main impact of the Glorious Revolution on England?

    Established a constitutional monarchy. Parliament gained supremacy over the crown through this bloodless revolution.

21. What was the primary religion of the Dutch Republic after the Eighty Years' War?

    Calvinism. Protestant Dutch rejected Catholic Spanish rule and embraced Reformed Christianity.

22. Name the treaty that ended the Thirty Years' War.

    Peace of Westphalia. This comprehensive settlement reshaped European religious and political boundaries permanently.

23. Which country gained independence as a result of the Peace of Westphalia?

    The Netherlands. The United Provinces achieved formal recognition of independence from Spain.

24. Which religious settlement attempted to stabilize France in 1598?

    Edict of Nantes. Henry IV granted limited religious tolerance to French Protestants.

25. Which treaty officially recognized Calvinism as a legal religion in the Holy Roman Empire?

    Peace of Westphalia. This settlement expanded religious options beyond just Lutheran and Catholic choices.

26. Which English monarch restored the monarchy after the English Civil War?

    Charles II. The 'Merry Monarch' returned after Cromwell's Puritan Commonwealth collapsed.

27. In which country did the Eighty Years' War take place?

    The Netherlands. Dutch provinces fought for independence from Spanish Habsburg rule.

28. Name the leader of the Protestant Union during the Thirty Years' War.

    Frederick V of the Palatinate. Known as the 'Winter King,' he briefly ruled Bohemia before Catholic victory.

29. Name the event that marked the beginning of the Thirty Years' War.

    Defenestration of Prague, 1618. Bohemian nobles threw imperial officials from a window, sparking the conflict.

30. What was the main outcome of the Battle of White Mountain in 1620?

    Catholic victory over Bohemian Protestants. This decisive battle crushed Protestant resistance in Bohemia early in the war.

31. Identify the primary motivation behind the Spanish Armada's attack on England.

    To restore Catholicism in England. Philip II sought to overthrow Protestant Elizabeth and restore English Catholicism.

32. What was the main conflict during the Eighty Years' War?

    Dutch independence from Spain. The Dutch Revolt sought freedom from Spanish Habsburg political and religious control.

33. Name the treaty that concluded the Habsburg-Valois Wars.

    Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis, 1559. This peace treaty ended the long conflict between Habsburg and French forces.

34. Name the Catholic ruler of England who was overthrown during the Glorious Revolution.

    James II. His Catholic policies and arbitrary rule led to his peaceful removal in 1688.

35. Which city was besieged during the Siege of La Rochelle (1627-1628)?

    La Rochelle. Richelieu besieged this major Huguenot stronghold to crush Protestant resistance.

36. What was the primary consequence of the Peace of Augsburg in 1555?

    Allowed princes to choose Lutheranism or Catholicism. The principle of 'cuius regio, eius religio' let rulers determine territorial religion.

37. Which empire was significantly weakened by the Thirty Years' War?

    Holy Roman Empire. The war devastated German states and reduced imperial authority permanently.

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