The German Wars of Religion were a series of conflicts in the 16th and 17th centuries, primarily between Protestant and Catholic states within the Holy Roman Empire. These wars were fueled by the Protestant Reformation, which challenged the authority of the Catholic Church and led to the rise of various Protestant denominations. Key events included the Thirty Years' War, which devastated much of Germany and involved many European powers. The wars culminated in the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which ended the Thirty Years' War and established a new political order in Europe. This treaty recognized the coexistence of Catholicism and Protestantism, granting significant autonomy to individual states within the empire. The conflicts significantly shaped the religious and political landscape of Germany and Europe.