The Second Defenestration of Prague represents a pivotal moment in the early 17th century, where the conflict between Protestant and Catholic factions reached a boiling point. On May 23, 1618, a group of Protestant nobles, led by Jindřich Matyáš, Baron of Thurn, stormed Prague Castle to confront representatives of the Catholic Habsburg regime. The nobles were infuriated by the actions of the Habsburgs, specifically the revocation of the Letter of Majesty, which had previously granted certain rights and protections to Protestants in Bohemia.

During this confrontation, Count Jaroslav Bořita of Martinice and Vilem Slavata, Catholic officials, were seized and thrown out of a window, a dramatic act that can be reinterpreted symbolically as a rejection of Habsburg authority. The fall was approximately 70 feet, but remarkably, they survived, landing in a pile of manure, an event interpreted by Protestants as divine intervention. The incident sparked outrage among Catholics and led to a series of conflicts, ultimately spiraling into the widespread warfare known as the Thirty Years' War.

The defenestration not only served as a catalyst for immediate conflict but also set the stage for a protracted struggle that involved multiple European states. With both religious and political implications, the defenestration escalated tensions within the Holy Roman Empire and beyond. Allies and enemies were formed, and the resulting war would see the involvement of not just Bohemia but countries like Sweden, France, Spain, and various German principalities as they all took sides in this monumental conflict over religion, politics, and sovereignty in Europe.