EUROPE: CATASTROPHE AND REVIVAL: FRANCE STRUGGLES FOR EUROPEAN SUPREMACY - Part 7
Paul W Kroll
The year 1648 was a memorable one. Europe's devastating Thirty Years' War ended. Much of Germany lay prostrate. The mystical Holy Roman Empire of the German nation was reduced to a meaningless, mythical and hollow name. Within the empire, there was squabbling among many petty, and not so petty, principalities and kingdoms. Leadership was divided between Austria and the rising state of Prussia. Meanwhile, a new power began to threaten the very existence of the Holy Roman Empire from the outside. That power was France. We pick up our on-the-spot account with the long reigning French king, Louis XIV.
Please click the above PDF icon(s) to view or download the full Magazine Article in PDF format.
