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After the dead of Philip II, the power of Spain in Europe started to decrease and a truce of 12 years was signed with the North Provinces of Netherlands. Everybody waited the year 1621when it would be finished and one more time, Europe, onitnued with the endless wars between Catholics and Protestants. but the war anticipated and, in the hearth of Central Europe, started a Calvinist revolt against the Empire.

After the crashing of Bohemian troops in the battle of White Mountain, Spanish and Bavarians started all the Frederick´s domains. The interference of international powers provoked the entered of Danish in the war, who were defeated by Imperial troops, being expelled from Germany to their Baltic possesions.

With Danish defeat, Habsburg power expanded their domains to southern shores of Baltic Sea. This was a problem for Swedish who dreamed with that sea as a Swedish lake. This was the main reason that caused that this country joined forces against Catholics. Gustavus Adolphus conquered most of the Empire and altered the situation of the war. But this power started its declining in 1632, when was killed its king in the battle of Lützen and with the defeat in the decisive battle of Nördlingen, when Swedish were threw out from South Germany.

With the status quo between Swedish and Habsburg, the confict entered in a new phase. Spain, Imperials and other German States were pitted against French, Dutch and Swedish. Religion had became a secondary issue. There were no decisive battles, exception of Rocroi in 1643 when Spanish was defeated by French in North France.

Peace negotiations started early, but they proceed slowly. Not until 1648, the Treaty of Wesphalia was signed by most of conflicting powers, France and Spain alone continued the struggle . Finally, with the Treaty of Pyrenees in 1659, even this conflict was brought to an end. The Habsburg had lost the first round of their combat against the Bourbons.