Religion. Ferdinand II attempted to impose Roman Catholic absolutism on his domain. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay The Protestant nobles of Austria and Bohemia rebelled. Ferdinand II won after five years of struggle. King Christian of Denmark saw this as an opportunity to gain territory to make up for what had been lost to Sweden. Its defeat in 1692 ended Denmark as a European power, but Sweden invaded Poland and won many princes to its anti-Catholic and anti-imperial cause. The conflict fueled the ambitions of various powers. The rise of Protestantism spread and hit Europe considerably. They were plagued by constant civil war between German states that embraced Protestantism and other states loyal to the Roman Catholic Church. Most of the European power experienced problems following the Protestant Reformation. The execution of Jan Hus (1415). Jan Hus was born in 1357 and was ordained a priest in 1401. He spent most of his career teaching. Hus copied the works of John Wycliffe for his own use. He emphasized the role of the Bible in the Church and consequently elevated biblical preaching to an important status in church services. Many clergy felt their way of life was being challenged. But his was popular with the masses. He was expelled from the Church; they told Hus to stop preaching and asked the church to burn Wycliffe's books. Hus refused to comply and the Church condemned him. Hus continued to preach about the pope's indulgences. Eventually the pope excommunicated Hus and placed Prague under interdict. Huis left Prague but continued to preach. Hus only encountered problems with his teachings. In 1415, he was summoned to the Council of Constance, to defend his teachings. Emperor Sigismund promised him safe conduct. He was arrested shortly after his arrival. The council condemned Wycliffe's teachings. Hud was condemned for teaching his beliefs. Formally condemned, he was handed over to secular authorities to be burned alive on July 16, 1415. Hua had been popular with many people and his heroic death only increased his prestige. His supporters revolted against the Catholic Church, sparking a conflict that would soon lead to the Thirty Years' War.Rudolph II and the Letter of Majesty.In 1611, Rudolph attempted to assert his authority over Bohemia. The bohemian estates called on Matthias to aid them in Rudolph's bid for authority. Rudolph's attempt came to nothing and failed. In return for his support, Matthias was crowned King of Bohemia from 1611 to 1616. In 1612, Rudolf died and Mathias became Holy Roman Emperor. He remained childless, but no one knew who would reign after his death. Bohemian nobles elected Ferdinand of Styria as king in June 1617. He was a strict Catholic and would not tolerate non-Catholics in Bohemia. The Protestants feared his nomination because they wanted the elector of Saxony or the Palatine. Ferdinand was offered the title on the condition that he respected the letter of majesty. Ferdinand needed ten deputies to help him rule Bohemia. Seven were Catholic and only three Protestant. In March 1619, Matthias died and Ferdinand became Holy Roman Emperor and King of Bohemia. Ferdinand made it his crusade to re-Catholicize the empire. Other Holy Roman Empires feared this approach and believed that if left alone they would be easily eliminated. The revolt in Bohemia was disastrous for the Bohemians, but it also left a significant area in the hands of.