Edict of Restitution

The Edict of Restitution (March 6th 1629), was for Ferdinand II, an attempt to restore the religious and territorial payment of the Paix of Augsburg (1555) and thus to recover the goods ecclesisatic whose Protestants had seized little by little, benefitting from the weakness of the preceding emperors.

The major point of the " Edict of restitution" imposed “the ecclesiastical reservation” on the territories of the archbishop's palaces of Bremen and évêchés Magdeburg, 12 and more than 100 religious houses. Thousands of Protestants had to give up the places where they lived with the profit of the catholics, and to take refuge in Protestant states.

The North-East of Germany was more particularly concerned. In this area, the influence of Ferdinand was until there, weaker. The imperial administrators appointed to make observe the rules of the edict restored at the same time, the imperial authority in a sector which had benefitted from the weakness of the empire during almost 100 years. The threat was implicit for the German princes.

Wallenstein had massed an army of 134.000 infantrymen in the area, ready to impose the imperial authority if it of it were need. Also the German princes could not react. Those grouped then behind Maximilien of Bavaria to press Ferdinand to draw aside Wallenstein. This one recently named duke of Friedland and Mecklenbourg, becomes awkward. Gustave-Adolphe of Sweden, king Lutheran supports to him also the Protestants. Out Sweden Lutheran, is the ally of France and Richelieu which does not appreciate much Hagsbourg. Although Ferdinand has acted in its right good, these movements were not long in alarming the French.

In same time, in order to ensure the dynasty, Ferdinand II wanted that his/her son (Ferdinand III) is elected king of the Romans. Although very powerful at this time there, it was however to rely on the vote of the voters to maintain his dynasty with the capacity. Hoping for occasion consequently to make approve a more important participation of the empire in the conflicts which proceeded Europe, he convened a meeting of the voters with Ratisbon in 1630.

Jean-Georges Ier of Saxony and Georges William de Brandenburg both Protestants, intended well to protest against the Edict of restitution, realized well that they had to little gain by taking share in the war. Maximilien of Bavaria always awaited from Ferdinand the reference of Wallenstein.

To gain the vote of the voters, Ferdinand II sacrificed Wallenstein in August 1630, making it possible this one to resign to save the face. To obtain the dismissal of the most powerful military chief of the moment, in Europe, was an important victory for the voters and Ratisbon would have had to be to regard as defeat for Ferdinand II. However, the unloading of Gustave Adolphe with 4.000 men in Pomeranie during the month of July 1630, eclipsed the event. Without Wallenstein, Ferdinand II due to turn to Maximilien of Bavaria and the count de Tilly.

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