Which treaty ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648?

The Peace of Westphalia, signed in 1648, is recognized as the treaty that effectively ended the Thirty Years' War, along with the Eighty Years' War between Spain and the Dutch Republic. This series of treaties marked a significant turning point in European history. It established a new political order in Europe based on the principles of state sovereignty and the balance of power, highlighting the importance of negotiating peace through diplomacy rather than military conquest.

The Peace of Westphalia replaced the established system of religious authority, primarily the influence of Catholicism, with a framework that allowed for the coexistence of Catholicism and Protestantism. This laid the groundwork for modern nation-states, as it emphasized the rights of each ruler to determine the religion of their own state, a concept known as cuius regio, eius religio.

The other treaties mentioned are historically significant but pertain to different conflicts and dates. The Treaty of Tordesillas, for example, was signed in 1494 to divide the newly discovered lands outside Europe between Spain and Portugal. The Treaty of Utrecht, concluded in 1713, ended the War of the Spanish Succession, and the Treaty of Vienna refers to various agreements made during the Congress of Vienna in 1815