#PeaceOfWestphalia

2025-10-30

We regularly talk about the #peacecongress of #Westphalia, but we challenge ourselves to find new angles: so do you know what the #PeaceOfWestphalia has to do with #earlymodern #libraries? Here you can find out: hcommons.social/@emdiplomacy/1

@womenknowhistory
@histodons

Brewminatebrewminate
2025-10-24

TODAY IN HISTORY: October 24, 1648 – The Peace of Westphalia Was Signed

The end of Europe’s Thirty Years’ War redrew its map — and its mind.

From war came freedom: the right to think without permission. 🕊️📜

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2025-10-24

What has all this to do with the Peace of Westphalia?

The peace treaties contain provisions on the restitution of war booty such as archive materials and movable property (Art. 16,15 Instrumentum Pacis Osnabrugensis). As libraries were movable property, they therefore actually should have been restored and left back to their former owners.

This did hardly ever happen. Due to their very high social and cultural capital, looted books and libraries remained (despite all protests) with their new owners and part of new collections. The Codex Argenteus is still part of the holdings of Uppsala University Library. (5/5)

uu.se/en/library/visit-and-con

#History #PeaceOfWestphalia #libraries #TagDerBibliotheken #histodons #librarians #BookHistory #earlyModern

@histodons

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2025-10-24

Today, on 24 October, is German Library Day. On this day, 377 years ago, the Westphalian peace treaties were signed which ended the Thirty Years' War.

On the one hand, this is just a coincidence in dates. The Germany’s national Library Day commemorates the foundation of the first German public library in Hayn (Saxony) in 1829.

On the other hand, the Westphalian peace treaties were also relevant for early modern libraries. (1/5)

#OTD #PeaceOfWestphalia #1648 #Libraries #Bibliothek #TagDerBibliotheken #History #histodons #ThirtyYearsWar #earlyModern #librarians #BookHistory

@histodons

World History Encyclopediawhencyclopedia@mstdn.social
2025-01-17

The Peace of Westphalia, the name given to the multiple treaties, marked the conclusion of the Thirty Years' War. #History #ThirtyYears'War #PeaceOfWestphalia #HolyRomanEmpire #HistoryFact whe.to/ci/1-20984-en/

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2024-10-24

@histodons @earlymodern @historikerinnen

If you want to know more about how the signing of the #PeaceOfWestphalia was celebrated in Münster and Osnabrück in 1648, you can have a look at our thread from last year: (4/4)

h-net.social/@emdiplomacy/1112

#emdiplomacy

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2024-10-24

@histodons @earlymodern @historikerinnen

This leads to the question: Why do we focus so much on anniversaries when we remember events in history? Last year their were lots of events surrounding the 375 jubilee of the #PeaceOfWestphalia. This year there are various new publications in anticipation of the 500th anniversary of the Peasants' War next year.
Historians use this (2/4)

#PeasentsWar #earlymodern #EarlyModernEurope

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2024-10-24

#OnThisDay: On the 24th October 1648 the Westphalian Peace Treaties between the Holy Roman Empire and Sweden and France respectively were signed.
As it is the 376 anniversary of the event you might see some posts and articles explaining the importance of the #WestphalianPeace, but propably not as many as last year, as last we celebrated a milestone anniversary. (1/4)

@histodons @earlymodern @historikerinnen #PeaceOfWestphalia #WestfälischerFrieden #earlymodern #history

2024-07-15
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@hcommons.social
2024-05-01

The main change with regard to views of and practices of #diplomacy occurred with the #FrenchRevolution. According to Waquet this had been much more a landmark than the often proclaimed #PeaceOfWestphalia. (5/6)

#history #histodons #earlymodern #France #emdiplomacy

2023-12-06

I have written an debate article (in Swedish) on why the #PeaceOfWestphalia no longer has a place in #Swedish #historiography. Published in Scandia 89:2 (2023), 151-164.

#histodons #history #HistoricalPeaceResearch @histodon @historikerinnen

First page of the article Freden som inte minnes.
Ramesh #NotGoingBackrameshgupta
2023-12-05

morphing into , like - ➡️ mastodon.social/@rameshgupta/1
is not new

Next year will mark 400 years since in — ALL conflicts that gave rise to were resolved

It ushered in & in

& (, ) accepted each other & rejected

Expect reprise of 30yr War if is reelected next year ➡️ mastodon.social/@rameshgupta/1

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-25

The only one apparently not pleased about the conclusion of the #PeaceOfWestphalia was ultra-Catholic Cologne principal #envoy Wartenberg, who locked himself in his quarters & demonstratively displayed his displeasure. Despite the conclusion of the #WestphalianPeaceTreaty is generally considered to mark the end of the #ThirtyYearsWar, the #WestphalianPeaceCongress continued into 1649. The peace had no legal validity until it was ratified, nor was it a reality until it was implemented. 5/5

Engraving of Cologne envoy Franz Wilhelm of Wartenberg in his bishop habit.
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-25

A procession consisting of a kettledrum player and 6 to 8 trumpeters as well as the town secretary, followed by three horsemen, paraded through the squares and streets of the town, publicly announcing the conclusion of the #PeaceOfWestphalia. The secretary showed the #WestphalianPeaceTreaty in public - this was as necessary as the announcement to make the abstraction of peace vivid and concrete and thus comprehensible. 3/5
#emdiplomacy

Black cat sitting behind a microphone and screaming. Above the cat is written: announcement for the day.
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-25

During the services, three companies of citizens with rifles stood in the cathedral square and three armed companies of soldiers stood in the market place. - This both shows the solemnity of the occasion, but also the need to guarantee public order. After the service, the city's mayors and councillors went to the flag-draped town hall to prepare for the public proclamation of the #PeaceOfWestphalia. Like the town hall, other buildings in the city were decorated. 2/5
#emdiplomacy

Historical Town Hall of Münster with pointed arch (windows) and stepped gable.
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-25

#OTD 25 October 1648 the solemn publication of the #PeaceOfWestphalia took place in Münster & Osnabrück. #emdiplomacySources inform us in particular about the events in Münster, where the #WestphalianPeaceTreaty had been signed the day before: The day began with thanksgiving services of all denominations. Catholic #envoys gathered in the cathedral church, Lutheran #diplomats met at the Swedish envoys. Reformed envoys held their service in Brandenburg envoy Wittgenstein's house. 1/5 #emdiplomacy

Münster Cathedral Church
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-24

#EmdiplomacysSources show what a lengthy act peace signing was. We commemorate the conclusion of the #PeaceOfWestphalia #OTD, but contemporaries were absolutely not sure when this treaty could be signed. Therefore, the conclusion of peace was ultimately a great surprise for them. 8/8

Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-10-24

Between 8 and 10 o'clock, the Münster City Council had already fired salvos from 70 cannons to mark the successful conclusion of the #PeaceOfWestphalia. The solemn publication of the concluded peace took place on 25 October 1648 (APW II A 10, N. 68). 7/8
#emdiplomacy

Two 17th century cannon guns with red wheels.
Early Modern Diplomacyemdiplomacy@h-net.social
2023-05-15

Talking about the #PeaceOfWestphalia most people think of the treaties signed by French, Swedish & Imperial envoys on 24 October 1648. However, a third treaty between Spain & the Seven United Provinces of the Netherlands was agreed upon on 30 January 1648 & ratified #otd 15 May 1648.
The most popular paintings depicting #Westphalia do actually not show the October-event. Gerard ter Boch painted the act of ratification of the Spanish-Dutch treaty on 15 May 1648.
@histodons @historikerinnen

Painting by Gerard Ter Borch depicting the ratification of the treaty of Münster. You see a gathering of diplomats.
The Ratification of the Treaty of Münster, 15 May 1648. Oil on copper, 45.4 x 58.5 cm (17.8 x 23 in). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam

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