Which war was sparked by religious conflict and resulted in the increased power of France?

The Thirty Years' War is the correct answer because it was a significant conflict primarily driven by religious tensions between Catholic and Protestant states within the Holy Roman Empire, reflecting the broader struggles of the Reformation period. The war began in 1618 and involved various European powers, leading to widespread devastation across Central Europe.

One of the key outcomes of the war was the Peace of Westphalia in 1648, which not only brought an end to the conflict but also significantly increased the power of France. France emerged as a major European power as a result of territorial gains and a strengthened geopolitical position, largely at the expense of Habsburg influence in both Spain and the Holy Roman Empire. This shift paved the way for France to play a dominant role in European affairs in the subsequent decades, altering the balance of power on the continent.

In contrast, the other conflicts mentioned do not align with the religious motivations driving the Thirty Years' War, nor do they result in the same level of power consolidation for France. The Hundred Years' War primarily involved disputes over territorial claims between England and France; the Napoleonic Wars were driven by the ambition of an expansionist French Empire under Napoleon Bonaparte; the War of the Roses revolved around dynastic