In the age of Pike and Shot, mighty struggles erupted across Europe for causes religious, political or dynastic. In 1494 A.D. The first of the Italian Wars broke out, starting a long struggle for dominance in the region, involving many major belligerents such as France, the Holy Roman Empire and Spain. After years of fighting, the conflict was not resolved until 1559. Then from 1618 until 1648, The Thirty Years War raged across Germany and beyond, leaving devastation in its wake, but saw the rise of great commanders such as Count Tilly, Wallenstein and King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden, and rapid developments in battlefield tactics. The Thirty Years War saw the involvement of great empires such as the Spanish and the French empires, as well as the Swedes. And starting at 1642, the English Civil War erupted, tearing the country apart between Royalists and Parliamentarians as the fought for control of the country. After many musket volleys and cavalry charges, it was the famous Olivier Cr