Final answer:
The Schmalkaldic League was the alliance of Lutheran states in the Holy Roman Empire that opposed the Catholics during the Reformation wars, leading to significant events like the Thirty Years' War and the Peace of Westphalia.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alliance of Lutheran states in the Holy Roman Empire that fought against the Catholics during the Wars of the Lutheran Reformation was named the Schmalkaldic League. This league was a key Protestant force during the religious tensions of the era, opposing the Catholic Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.
The conflict eventually contributed to the events leading to the Thirty Years' War. The context of these religious wars includes the Peace of Augsburg which allowed rulers to choose their state's religion and the establishment of Lutheranism in many northern German states.
Despite the multinational combatants involved, the struggles were largely within the German lands. The Peace of Westphalia that concluded the war in 1648 underscored the victory of the Protestant states and amplified French dominance in western Europe.