The Peace Congress of Münster and Osnabrück (1643–1648) and the Westphalian Order (1648–1806)

This chapter focuses on the Peace of Westphalia, a result of the first multilateral peace congress, which ended most of the numerous sets of conflict constituting the Thirty Years War (the Franco-Spanish war continued and renewed war in the Baltic erupted in the later 1650s). An explanation of why it took so long to end the war and to achieve peace is proffered. The aftermath of Westphalia will also be discussed, including the successful application of its mutual guarantee clauses as a system of collective security for central Europe.