The Defenestration of Prague is one of the most unusual and significant events in European history, occurring on May 23, 1618. This event took place in the Bohemian capital of Prague and played a critical role in sparking the Thirty Years' War, one of the most destructive conflicts in European history.

**Background:**
Tensions had been rising in the Holy Roman Empire between ********** and Catholic factions. The ********** nobles of Bohemia were unhappy with the Catholic King Ferdinand II's attempts to curtail their religious freedoms. The immediate cause of the defenestration was the enforcement of royal decrees limiting ********** religious rights, which was seen as a breach of previous agreements.

**The Event:**
On the morning of May 23, a group of ********** nobles, led by Count Thurn, stormed the Prague Castle. They confronted two of the king's officials, Jaroslav Borzita of Martinice and Vilm Slavata of Chlum, along with their secretary, Fabricius. The Protestants accused the officials of violating their rights and, in a dramatic and symbolic act, threw them out of a third-floor window of the council room.

Amazingly, despite falling about 70 feet (21 meters), all three men survived. The Catholics claimed that their survival was due to divine intervention, while Protestants argued that they landed on a pile of manure, which cushioned their fall.

**Consequences:**
The Defenestration of Prague marked the beginning of the Bohemian Revolt against Habsburg rule, which quickly escalated into the broader Thirty Years' War. This war involved many