Category:Thirty Years War

The Thirty Years War was a conflict between the Hapsburg Dynasty and their supporters vs the Bourbons and their supporters from 1618 to 1648 and is remembered as one of the most destructive and costly wars ever fought on European soil. Mercenaries were the preferred option for armies, contributing to the staggering casualty count caused by pillaging. Because of this and the fact mercenaries avoided battle if they could, the majority of casualties in the war were civilians. This was an important chapter in the development of gunpowder weapons as they were prominent among all armies in the war.