The Transformation of Europe1500’s – 1700’s

-Major changes & conflict within European Christendom.(today’s focus)

-The establishment of constitutional states and absolute monarchies.

-The Scientific Revolution & Enlightenment

The Protestant Reformation: reasons for religious divisions

• Renaissance leads to more secular interests for the Popes.– Engaged in warfare to expand Papal

territories & interests.

– Involved in patronage of the arts and building projects : St. Peter’s Basilica designed by Michelangelo for Pope Julius II

• Many Church officials corrupt or not fully trained to lead communities in worship.

The Spark : The sale of indulgences

• An Indulgence is a “pardon” for one’s sins – instead of performing penance, one can pay the Church.

• Indulgences can even be granted to souls already in purgatory to shorten their stay.

• Martin Luther, a German monk, reacts to the selling of indulgences to support St. Peter’s construction.

Martin Luther reacts….• October 1517 Luther wants to

simply debate the sale of indulgences in his 95 Theses, but this is seen as an attack on the Church.

• 1520 Pope Leo X excommunicates him, but he continues to preach in home town of Wittenberg.

• 1521 Holy Roman Emperor Charles V orders Luther to take back his statements…he refuses and continues to preach.

Martin Luther calls for changes...

• A halt in the sale of indulgences (seen as fraud)

• The translation of the Bible into local vernaculars.

• An end to “priestly authority”; proclaims the Bible is the only source of Christian authority (not the priests & Pope)

• Allows monks & priests to marry.

Reasons for ML’s success

• The Printing Press: Europe since mid 1400s had a growing literate population.

• Many princes in the Holy Roman Empire saw political and economic advantages if they split from Roman Catholicism

• By mid 1500’s ½ of Germany is Protestant.

Other religious divisions

• King Henry VIII of England – creates the Anglican Church after the Pope does not allow him to divorce wife who doesn’t produce male heir.

• Calvinism – John Calvin introduces new ideas in Switzerland & France. Imposes a more strict code of morality and discipline– Geneva becomes the center of Calvinism– Most successful in Scotland & the Netherlands

• A once united Christian Europe gone by mid 1500s

The Counter Reformationan attempt to win back followers

• The Council of TrentMtgs btwn 1545 & 1563

- goal is to investigate abuses & to initiate reform

- More religious schools created to train properly & instill high level of morality.

• Society of Jesus (Jesuits)

- created by St. Ignatius Loyola in 1540.

- Intense education in all areas for members; the goal was to be able to impress & out-argue opponents.

- Aggressive missionary work in Asia and the Americas

WITCH HUNTS

• Predominant in region btwn Germany & France in the Rhineland. (Also carried to the colonies to New England)

• The belief that in exchange for service to the devil, witches gain powers such as flying.

• Who were the victims? 95 % female, mostly the poor, old, single, or widowed. Approx. 110,000 tried & 60,000 killed.

• Why? Used as scapegoats for bad times (crops, death, fires, etc)• Ends by 1700s mostly, last execution in Switzerland 1782.

Religious Wars

• French Wars : 36 Years Catholic monarchs persecute Protestants (1562- 1598)

• 1588 Spanish King Phillip II unsuccessfully attacks Queen Elizabeth’s England (leads to a major European power shift)

• Spanish Netherlands revolts vs. Spain due to religious differences & desire for independence– By 1610 the United Provinces (Netherlands) created in

the north, the south remains Catholic (modern Belgium)

The 30 Years War (1618-1648)

• Begins when Holy Roman Emperor tries to force Bohemian Region to return to Catholicism.

• Germany was the battleground 1/3 of German population killed and land laid to waste. – Most destructive European war before 20th century.

• An international war: Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Swedish, Polish, French, Russian.

• Peace of Westphalia: political borders redrawn, German princes could choose religion, HRE’s power dissolved.