ed, weather different houses, churches, businesses, and even schools. When the fighting subsided, the economy of France, especially it's commerce, was shattered, leaving it vulnerable and extremely weak. Power was one of the most necessary ingredients towards the prosperity of their governments, and became more important to the country's well being and future. The thirty years war was yet another example of religious strife in Europe. Rudolf II the ruler of Bohemia tolerated Protestants in his country, but his successor Ferdinand II did not and pushed the work of the counter reformation. The Bohemians rebelled, and Ferdinand exiled and executed them. They were told to register and sell their property and leave within fourteen days to "prevent further trouble and embarrassment." (Dietrich). When the truce between Spain and the Dutch ended, fighting in Germany and the Netherlands resumed. Ferdinand then issued the Edict of Nantes (which he would later suspend due to opposition by nobles), which gave Catholics back all their land that the Protestants had taken. France then entered the war, seizing the opportunity to attack their opposing Catholic power, the Hapsburgs. They also attacked Ferdinand. One third of Germany's total population was killed, but this was not the end. "Even after peace was finally concluded in 1648, the religious controversies continued." (Friedrich). The last example of European disruption due to religious cause was the civil war in England. James I tried to unite Scotland and England under the some crown, but his idea was defeated. Then, when his successor Charles I tried to make the Scottish accept and adopt the Anglican church, they took up arms against him and the royalist English. In 1640 the Puritan Scots entered northern England and joined with a group of English who preferred the Scottish religionover their own, due to what it was becoming (Russell). The Puritans split into two groups; the Independe...
