The Peace of Westphalia ended the Thirty Years’ War in the Empire in 1648. The Osnabrück treaty opens with the wish for a christlicher allgemeiner und immerwährender Friede, a Christian, universal and perpetual peace. Its Article V takes up the religious peace of 1555. That peace shall be als gültig anerkannt und als heilig und unverletzlich eingehalten, recognized as valid and kept as holy and inviolable. The same paragraph declares void any objection or protest, from clergy or laity, inside or outside the Empire, at any time. The Peace of Westphalia became a fundamental law of the Empire. The Pope protested against it anyway and did not recognize it.