In 1555, the Peace of Augsburg was intended to bring an end to the constant conflicts between Catholics and Protestants that engulfed the region during the Reformation and counter-reformation. The peace didn't last. The Thirty Years' War began in 1618 when the Protestant territories in Bohemia (which were under the rule of the Hapsburg family) challenged the authority of the Hold Roman Catholic emperor, a situation that frequently arose prior to the Peace of Augsburg. This time, though the conflicts grew bigger than anything before it, and developed into a huge religious war, as well as a major political war. Everyone seemed to want a piece of the action, including other countries, like France (under Richelieu), Denmark, and Sweden. Although this grew into a war between major European powers, actual fighting stayed within the German empire, which meant that after 30 years of fighting, many parts of Germany were left depopulated and devastated. Some estimates suggest that the Holy Roman Empire lost one-third of its population during these 30 years. some 7 million people.
When the Peace of Westphalia was negotiated in 1648, the independence of small German states was affirmed, and Prussia became the strongest of them. The Holy Roman Empire was left barely limping along. Its territories had been reduced and its emperor, along with the Hapsburg family, was much less powerful. Somehow the Holy Roman Empire survived in name until 1806, but it hardly had any real power. The biggest beneficiary of the war was Prussia who would eventually rise to dominate all the German territories, unifying them into the powerful country of Germany.
When the Peace of Westphalia was negotiated in 1648, the independence of small German states was affirmed, and Prussia became the strongest of them. The Holy Roman Empire was left barely limping along. Its territories had been reduced and its emperor, along with the Hapsburg family, was much less powerful. Somehow the Holy Roman Empire survived in name until 1806, but it hardly had any real power. The biggest beneficiary of the war was Prussia who would eventually rise to dominate all the German territories, unifying them into the powerful country of Germany.