● The reformation 1517
○ Martin Luther (B. 1483)
■ German monk
■ Saxony
■ University of Wittenberg - doctorate of theology and teaching there
○ Not the first critic of the church
■ There were heretical groups that were oppressed
■ His reform is going to be revolutionary than any has come before
○ Indulgence controversy
■ Indulgences - in order to get into heaven, you have to go acts of charity
■ ‘Good works’ - giving money to the church to perform their function
● Pay to go to heaven
■ Johaan Tetzel
○ Luther posts 95 Theses
■ October 31, 1517 - spoopy
■ Basically 95 complaints on the front door
■ Intellectual controversy - spark debate
● Reformation and politics
○ Luther is protected from the church - he would have been killed if he was not
protected
■ His movement has legs and important people are getting behind this
movement
■ Not an alternative form of Christianity, but back to the TRUE version of
Christianity
○ Allies
■ Frederick III (Frederick the wise)
■ Elector (Prince) of Saxony
○ (some) German nobility
■ eg. appeal to the christian nobility (1524)
○ Pope Leo X - not happy with any of this
○ Charles V (Hapsburg) - holy roman emperor
○ Holy Roman Empire
○ Charles distracted by multiple wars (until 1545)
■ Vs. French, Ottoman Turks (siege of Vienna, 1529)
■ He needs the support of the german princes
● Allows time for the movement to grow
○ Diet of Augsburg in 1530
■ Meeting - everyone who has converted to protestantism, you have to go
back to being catholic
○ Schmalkaldic league
■ Alliance of protestant princes/cities in Holy Roman Empire
○ Religious war in Germany c. 1545-1555
■ Turns to the civil war in Germany after the other wars are dealt with
○ Peace of Augsburg (1555)
○ Martin Luther (B. 1483)
■ German monk
■ Saxony
■ University of Wittenberg - doctorate of theology and teaching there
○ Not the first critic of the church
■ There were heretical groups that were oppressed
■ His reform is going to be revolutionary than any has come before
○ Indulgence controversy
■ Indulgences - in order to get into heaven, you have to go acts of charity
■ ‘Good works’ - giving money to the church to perform their function
● Pay to go to heaven
■ Johaan Tetzel
○ Luther posts 95 Theses
■ October 31, 1517 - spoopy
■ Basically 95 complaints on the front door
■ Intellectual controversy - spark debate
● Reformation and politics
○ Luther is protected from the church - he would have been killed if he was not
protected
■ His movement has legs and important people are getting behind this
movement
■ Not an alternative form of Christianity, but back to the TRUE version of
Christianity
○ Allies
■ Frederick III (Frederick the wise)
■ Elector (Prince) of Saxony
○ (some) German nobility
■ eg. appeal to the christian nobility (1524)
○ Pope Leo X - not happy with any of this
○ Charles V (Hapsburg) - holy roman emperor
○ Holy Roman Empire
○ Charles distracted by multiple wars (until 1545)
■ Vs. French, Ottoman Turks (siege of Vienna, 1529)
■ He needs the support of the german princes
● Allows time for the movement to grow
○ Diet of Augsburg in 1530
■ Meeting - everyone who has converted to protestantism, you have to go
back to being catholic
○ Schmalkaldic league
■ Alliance of protestant princes/cities in Holy Roman Empire
○ Religious war in Germany c. 1545-1555
■ Turns to the civil war in Germany after the other wars are dealt with
○ Peace of Augsburg (1555)
