The Impacts of the Reformation

The Magisterial Reformation

• Peasants’ War (1524-1525)
• Luther’s Reaction.
• States start adopting Lutheranism (Saxony & Hesse).
• Swiss Cantons start adopting Zwinglianism.

• Peasants War:
  • Largest, most widespread German uprising.
  • Driven by peasants who wanted to implement Luther’s ideas.
  • 12 Articles called for right for communities to elect and depose clergymen.
  • Mixed old grievences (forestry rights, tithe complaints and new religious reform.)
    • right to live according to gospel.
  • Also called for economic changes.
• Luther condemned it clearly.
  • Supported killing as many of the peasants as possible. Said it was like “killing a mad dog”
  • 1526, Luther went from Princes have no real power in spiritual affairs to Princes can act as emergency bishops to bring reformation to their principality.
  • No princes supported Luther before the Peasants war, after the Peasants war, many converted to Lutheranism.

The Wars of Religion

Common Assumptions

• Providentialism
• Role of the Ruler in this process.
• Millinarianism
  • The end times are coming
• Religious Wars and Religious Riots

• Story of Golden Calf
  • while moses was at Mt. Sinai, the Israelites built a golden calf and worshiped it. When Moses came down from the mountain, he was angry and destroyed the calf.
  • They killed 3,000 people who worshipped the calf.
  • God said he would kill them all, but Moses pleaded with him to stop.

Round 1: Swiss Wars and the Schmalkaldic War

• Zwingli and the Swiss Wars
• Diet of Speyer (1526)
• Charles V & the Imperial Diet of Augsburg (1530)
• The Schmalkaldic League
• War (1546-1547) & Peace of Augsburg (1555)

• Zwingli and the Swiss Wars:
  • Zwingli was a reformer in Switzerland. He wanted to reform the church in Switzerland. He was killed in battle in 1531.
• Diet of Speyer (1526):
  • The Diet of Speyer was a meeting of the princes of the Holy Roman Empire. They decided to allow each prince to choose the religion of their own state. This was a temporary measure, and it was not a permanent solution to the religious conflict in the empire.
  • Driven by need for support agains the Ottomans.
• Charles V & the Imperial Diet of Augsburg (1530):
  • Charles V was the Holy Roman Emperor. He called a meeting of the princes of the Holy Roman Empire to discuss the religious situation. The princes presented their beliefs in the Augsburg Confession.
  • Charles V rejected the Augsburg Confession and demanded that the princes return to the Catholic Church. The princes refused and formed the Schmalkaldic League.
  • The Schmalkaldic League:
  • A defensive alliance of Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire. They wanted to protect their

Round 1: Outcomes

• Some toleration
• Cuius Regio Eius Religio
• Whose region, their religion
• States holding religious power over the people.

More Religious War

• French Wars of Religion (1562-1598)
  • Massacre of Vassy (1562)
  • St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572)
  • Edict of Nantes (1598)

• Thirty Years’ War (1618-1648)
  • Problem: Peace of Augsburg
  • Protestant Union (1608) vs Catholic League (1608)
  • Bohemia: Defenestration of Prague (1618)
  • Protestants Union vs Catholic League ()
  • Edict of Restitution (1629)

• French Wars of Religion:
  • A series of conflicts between Catholics and Huguenots (French Protestants) in France. The wars were marked by massacres, assassinations, and political intrigue. The Edict of Nantes granted limited toleration to the Huguenots.
  • Massacre of Vassy (1562):
    • The Duke of Guise attacked a Huguenot congregation in Vassy, killing many. This event sparked the French Wars of Religion.
  • St. Bartholomew:
  • Edict of Nantes (1598): Granted limited toleration to the Huguenots. It allowed them to practice their religion in certain areas and granted them some political rights. It was a temporary solution to the religious conflict in France.
• Thirty Years’ War:
  • Dispute of interpretation of the letter of majesty that gave concessions to the Protestants of Bohemia.
  • Protestants thought it granted them privileges on royal lands, not just nobles and free towns.
  • Ferdinand ordered the stop of construction of Protestant churches on royal lands.
  • A dispute over this interpretation by leading nobles led to the defenestration of Prague.
  • Immediately the rebels appointed an interim administration.
    • Decide to elect a new king.
      • King Frederick, 1618
        • Head of protestant union elected King by the Bohemians.
        • Accepts in Nov. 1618.
        • This is a prince of an empire rebelling against the Emperor
        • Head of a Union being supported by outside sources.
          • By now Ferdinand of Styria is the Emperor.
          • In 1618 Protestant army of troops into bohemia and laid siege to the largest catholic city.
  • Quickly Catholics are very successful against Protestants.
  • Edict of Restitution (1629):
    • Ferdinand issued the Edict of Restitution, which ordered the return of all church lands that had been secularized since 1552. This was an attempt to restore Catholicism in the empire.
    • Leads to the expansion of the war as other powers get involved.
      • France, Sweden, and Denmark all enter the war on the side of the Protestants.

Outcomes

• France: A State within a State.
• Treaty of Westphalia (1648)
  • Power over religion in the state.
  • Limited Pope as political actor.

Impacts of the Reformation

• Confessionalization?
• Politics?
• Women?
• Toleration?

Next Meeting

• Discussion on Friday