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-at-augsburg-11629989.html

• http://kids.britannica.com/comptons/art-181456/Charles-V-Holy-Roman-emperor

• http://msaculturaltours.com/BAVARIA/index.html