Chapter 14
Part 2
Background to the continuation of
the Hapsburg-Valois Wars in the
Holy Roman Empire
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1531 The League of Schmalkalden: formed by the
Protestant (Lutheran) princes to defend themselves
against Charles V’s efforts to re-impose Catholicism in
Germany
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France (Francis I) allied with the Protestants against
Charles V ( in spite of France being Catholic)
French Foreign Policy
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Keep Germany divided
Clearly, the religious question: a religiously
homogenous Western Europe took a back seat
to political concerns for France
NOTE: France was surrounded by Hapsburgs
in Spain and in the HRE.
The Hapsburg-Valois Wars
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continued
1521-1555: a series of wars between the
Hapsburgs and Valois
In Italy 1521-1527
In the HRE continued to 1555
BY 1547 Charles V’s armies had defeated the
Protestants in the HRE BUT by this time,
Lutheranism had taken hold in much of central
Europe
The Peace of Augsburg 1555
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Charles V gave up.
Cuius regio, eius religio: Whose the region, his
the religion
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The German princes could choose between
Catholicism or Lutheranism within their
individual sovereign principalities
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The Protestants living in Catholic states were
allowed to move to Catholic states and viceversa
1559 The Treaty of CateauCambresis

Italy: Hapsburg control either directly or
indirectly except for Venice

Germany: The Peace of Augsburg

Sealed with the marriage of Elizabeth of Valois
to Philip II of Spain
Charles V

Retired to a monastery prior to the treaty
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Spain and its overseas empire was inherited by
his son, Philip II

The HRE was inherited by his brother,
Ferdinand I
Results in the HRE

The permanent religious division of Germany

Will serve to prevent German unification
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Successful French foreign policy
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ALSO: weakened the position of the HRE in
Germany
Other Protestants
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The Anabaptists 1525:
Association of believers with no connection to
any state
Rejected secular agreements:
Would not take civil oaths
 Would not pay taxes
 Would not serve in the military
 Would not hold public office
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The Anabaptists
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Rejected infant baptism
Rejected the idea of the Holy Trinity
Were Millenarians
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Far to the left in Protestantism
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1532 John Leyden and Anabaptist
radicals took control of Munster
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Polygamist: 16 wives
Women were also leaders of the movement
All books except for the Bible were burned
Killed some Catholics and Lutherans
1534 Tragedy at Munster
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Protestant and Catholic princes combined their
armies and took the city
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Anabaptist leaders were executed
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Anabaptists adopted pacifism at this point
Legacy of the Anabaptists
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Mennonites founded by Menno Simmons (Dutch)
Emphasized pacifism

Quakers Margaret Fell & James Fox (England) had
beliefs similar to the Anabaptists. Many fled to
America (Penn., NJ, Delaware)

Unitarians rejected the trinity
Luther
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Did not believe in the legitimacy of any other
faith except mainstream Protestantism
(Lutheranism)
Ulrich Zwingli 1484-1531 (Swiss)
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Humanist preacher who used Erasmus’ edition of the
New Greek Testament
Believed (like Luther) that the Bible was the sole
authority
BUT (unlike Luther) believed that the Eucharist was
symbolic (believed Luther too similar to the Catholic
belief of Transubstantiation
Luther supported Consubstantiation: at the blessing
of the Eucharist, the presence of Christ was evoked
1529 Colloquy of Marburg

Zwingli officially split with Luther on the issue
of the Eucharist
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The Augsburg Confession (Melanchthon)
Lutherans officially excluded non-Lutheran
reformers
Calvinism: (John Calvin 1509-64)
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French: had studied to be a priest and later was
trained as a lawyer
Was influenced by Erasmus
Was a Humanist
Was exiled to Switzerland due to his ideas
Wrote Institutes of the Christian Religion
Institutes of the Christian Religion
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Predestination: since God is all-knowing, He knows if
you are saved even before you are born
Salvation ONLY through the Grace of God
Good works are not enough…there is NO FREE
WILL
BUT good works are a sign that one has been chosen
for salvation
The “Elect” will know if they are saved through a
conversion experience
1540 Calvin established a
Theocracy in Geneva
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Protestant exiles from England, Scotland and France
came to learn and return home with new ideas
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Calvin (like Zwingli) believed that the state should
enforce Christian behavior (Theocracy)
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Only those who were committed to Calvinism were
allowed to live in Geneva
Calvinism: militant and
uncompromising

Presbyters: a judiciary of lay elders empowered
to impose harsh penalties on those who did not
follow God’s law
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Michael Servetus A Spanish Unitarian humanist
was burned at the stake because he denied the
Trinity (1533)
Protestant Work Ethic

Calvinists emphasized the importance of hard
work and financial success (was a sign that God
was pleased so …one was probably a member of
the Elect)
The Spread of Calvinism
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Much bigger impact than Lutheranism
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Huguenots in France
Dutch Reformed in the Netherlands
Presbyterianism in Scotland
Puritans in England
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Presbyterianism in Scotland
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Established by John Knox (1505-1572)
Presbyters governed the Church
Quickly became dominant in Scotland to the
detriment of Mary Queen of Scots (later)
Huguenots in France

Converts from every social class
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BUT especially popular among the nobility
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Remember: the biggest threat to the New Monarchs
was the nobility ( who were constantly trying to
wrest political control from the crown. The French
King and official state religion was Catholic)
The Dutch Reformed Church in the
United Provinces of the Netherlands

Set the stage for the revolt of the Netherlands
against the Spanish Inquisition of Philip II of
Spain

The Netherlands will fight for and declare their
independence from Spain in 1581 (though will
not be formally recognized by other European
powers until 1648 in the Peace of Westphalia
following the Thirty Years’ War)
The Puritans in England
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Initially, Henry VIII established the Church of England
so that he could grant himself a divorce
Puritans were disappointed that there was no real effort
to “purify” the Church under Henry VIII
When Edward took the throne, the Puritans had much
influence and had adopted Calvinism
On Edward’s death, Mary persecuted Protestants
Under Elizabeth, was called the Anglican Church and
most persecution stopped (Elizabethan Settlement)
The Puritans in England

Under James I and Charles I (the Stewarts)
Puritans were persecuted again and fled to
Massachusetts
Go to 14-3
The English Reformation