PEACE OF AUGSBURG
By: Caroline Chan, Evelyn Shats, Jeein Youn
THE PEACE OF AUGSBURG
• Also called the “Augsburg
Settlement”
• A treaty between the Catholics
and the Lutherans
• Specifically between Charles V
and the Schmalkaldic League
• The Schmalkaldic League was an
alliance of Lutheran Princes
THE PEACE OF AUGSBURG (CONT.)
• Stated that each individual prince can choose the religion of his area
• Was a political settlement about the split of Christianity between the
two beliefs
• First permanent legal basis for the existence of Lutheranism and
Catholicism in Germany
• It was published and made known on September 25, 1555 by the Diet
of the Holy Roman Empire
• Lutheranism was finally formally recognized
THE PEACE OF AUGSBURG ASSEMBLY
• The prince or the king of each state selected
either Catholicism or Lutheranism as their
official religion of their land
• Catholic bishops had to give up their
property if they turned Lutheran
• Anyone who was not satisfied, were given a
period of time to be free emigrate to a new
region
• Weakened the authority of the Holy Roman
Emperors
• Weakened Germany’s ability to unite as a
nation
CHARLES V
• Holy Roman Emperor
• King of Spain
• He wanted to work out religious
differences under the general council of
the Catholic Church
• Was against the treaty
• The one to proclaim the Diet that
opened in Augsburg on February 1555
SCHMALKALDIC LEAGUE
• Alliance of Lutheran Princes
• The Princes converted to Lutheranism,
and they convinced Charles V to allow
each Prince to choose between the two
faiths for his own land
• Two of the most powerful Protestant
rulers of the time were members of this
league
• They were Philip I and John Frederick I
RELIGIOUS DISUNITY IN EUROPE
• It resulted from the fighting between Protestant and Catholic forces
• It finalized the division in Christendom between Protestantism and Catholicism
• Rulers could determine the religion of the lands they governed
• Possible for Europe to be split between Protestantism and Catholicism without
continuing struggle or conflict
• People could migrate to areas which supported their faith, so the division between
religions could be kept peacefully, but the division would remain permanent.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=0030937752
• http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/42767/Peace-of-Augsburg
• http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/peace-ataugsburg-11629989.html
• http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-181456/Charles-V-Holy-Roman-emperor
• http://msaculturaltours.com/BAVARIA/index.html