UNIT 2: The Protestant Reformation and Europe's Religious Wars

Protestant Reformation

A significant religious movement in the 16th century that led to the establishment of Protestant churches and a challenge to the Catholic Church's authority.

Wars of Religion

Conflicts in Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries that were fueled by religious disputes, particularly between Catholics and Protestants.

1054

The year of the first major split of the Christian Church, resulting in the formation of the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church.

Roman Catholic Church

The Christian church that dominated Western Europe after the split in 1054.

Eastern Orthodox Church

The branch of Christianity that separated from the Roman Catholic Church in 1054.

Simony

The buying and selling of church offices.

Nepotism

The appointing of family and friends to church offices regardless of their qualifications.

Indulgences

The church's practice of offering a way for people to buy their salvation or to free loved ones from purgatory.

Martin Luther

An Augustinian monk and Christian humanist whose grievances against the Catholic Church sparked the Protestant Reformation.

95 Theses

A document composed by Martin Luther in 1517 that criticized the corruption of the church and called for reform.

October 31, 1517

The date when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Church door.

Grace alone through faith

Luther's belief that salvation is a gift from God, not earned by good works or purchases.

Sola Scriptura

The doctrine that the scriptures alone should be the sole authority for Christians.

Priesthood of all believers

The belief that all Christians have equal access to God and do not require a priestly mediator.

Wittenberg Church

The church where Martin Luther famously nailed his 95 theses.

Printing press

An invention that allowed for the rapid spread of Luther's 95 theses throughout Europe.

Holy Roman Empire

The political entity in which Luther's ideas gained traction and spread rapidly.

Corruption in the Catholic Church

The entanglements of the Catholic Church in politics and wealth accumulation that led to abuses and the need for reform.

St. Peter's Basilica

A significant church in Rome that exemplified the wealth and corruption of the Catholic Church during Luther's time.

Christian Humanism

A movement that sought to reform the church by returning to the original texts of Christianity, associated with figures like Martin Luther.

Theses

Formal statements or propositions put forward for discussion, in this case, Luther's critiques of the church.

Heresy

A person who rejects the accepted beliefs of the church.

Diet of Worms

The trial where church officials demanded Luther's recantation.

Excommunication

The act of officially excluding someone from participation in the church.

Frederick III

The prince who protected Luther while he was in hiding.

Protestant Reformer

A person who protested against the Catholic Church, exemplified by Luther and the supporting princes.

Christian Humanists

Individuals like John Wycliffe and Jan Hus who criticized the Catholic Church before Luther.

Printing Press

The technology that allowed Luther to disseminate his ideas widely through books, pamphlets, and broadsides.

Pamphlets

A major form of publication used by Luther to spread his ideas.

Vernacular

The common language of the people, which Luther used to preach and produce a Bible.

Priesthood of All Believers

The Reformation doctrine that supported the idea that all Christians could interpret the Bible.

John Calvin

The leader in Switzerland who initially followed Luther but split over interpretations of salvation.

Predestination

The doctrine stating that God decided who would be saved before the foundation of the world.

Doctrine of the Elect

The belief that those chosen by God for salvation are the elect and cannot lose their salvation.

Good Works

Actions that are a result of true election and desire for salvation, according to Calvin.

Salvation

The state of being saved, which Calvin argued was solely by faith for the elect.

Catholic Doctrine

The belief that both faith and good works are necessary for salvation.

Reformation Doctrine

The belief that salvation comes through faith alone, leading to good works for the elect.

Luther's Pamphlets

By 1520, approximately 300,000 copies were distributed across Germany and England.

German Bible

The vernacular Bible produced by Luther that spread Protestant doctrine.

Second Major Split

The division in the Christian Church initiated by the Protestant Reformation.

Martin Luther

The chief figure of the Protestant Reformation who criticized the Catholic Church's practices.

Reformation Ideas

Concepts that spread quickly due to the printing press, influencing various regions.

Wealth Accumulation

A sign of a person's election according to Calvin, governed by the law of love, obligating Christians to care for the poor.

Welfare State in Geneva

Established by Calvin to care for the poor, reflecting his teachings on wealth.

Theocracy

A state ruled directly by God rather than a human ruler, exemplified by Geneva where the Bible was the law.

Church Attendance Law in Geneva

Citizens were required by law to attend church five days a week, with penalties for noncompliance.

Excommunication

A penalty for skipping church services in Geneva, which could also include imprisonment.

Calvin's Social Control

Implemented strict rules in Geneva, such as prohibitions on drinking, dancing, and swearing, to maintain order.

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

A comprehensive work by Calvin that outlined Reformation doctrines and spread through Europe via the printing press.

Presbyterians

A Protestant group that emerged from Calvinism in Scotland.

Huguenots

French Protestants who embraced Calvinism and sought recognition and rights from the crown.

Puritans

A group that developed from Calvinism in England, holding distinct principles from other Protestant groups.

Anabaptists

A Protestant group that rejected infant baptism and believed in the separation of church and state.

Infant Baptism

The practice rejected by Anabaptists, who believed baptism should only be for adults who can affirm their faith.

Pacifism

The belief held by Anabaptists that rejected military service and emphasized commitment to God over the state.

Europe's Wars of Religion

Armed conflicts between European states arising from religious disputes during the Reformation.

French Nobles and Calvinism

By the 1500s, nearly half of the French nobles had converted to Calvinism and sought rights from the crown.

Charles IX

The young king of France who ascended to the throne at age 11, with his mother Catherine de' Medici effectively ruling.

Catherine de' Medici

Mother of Charles IX, who aimed to purge France of the Huguenots to diminish the power of Protestant nobles.

Power Move

A strategic action taken to consolidate power, as seen in Catherine de' Medici's efforts against the Huguenots.

Massacre of Vassy

A massacre of Huguenots led by the Bourbon family in 1562, where members of the Catholic Geese family stormed their worship service and began killing them indiscriminately.

Saint-Bartholomew's Day Massacre

A massacre organized by Catherine de' Medici in 1572 during the wedding of Bourbon Henry of Navarre, resulting in the deaths of approximately 10,000 to 20,000 Protestants.

War of the Three Henrys

A conflict starting in 1587 involving three different Henrys vying for the French throne: Henry III, Henry of Navarre, and Henry of Guise.

Henry IV

The name taken by Henry of Navarre after he ascended to the throne, known for issuing the Edict of Nantes in 1598.

Edict of Nantes

A decree issued by Henry IV in 1598 that established France as a Catholic nation while providing freedom for Huguenots to worship without harassment.

Thirty Years' War

The last major war of the Protestant Reformation, which lasted for 30 years.

Peace of Augsburg

A treaty established in 1555 that allowed individual rulers in the Holy Roman Empire to decide whether their people would be Lutheran or Catholic.

Holy Roman Empire

A political entity made up of hundreds of loosely confederated states with individual rulers, each having significant power.

Catherine de' Medici

The queen mother who organized the Saint-Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

Henry III

The Catholic king during the War of the Three Henrys, who was unpopular among both Protestants and Catholics.

Henry of Guise

A Catholic leader who wanted to ensure that only Catholics ruled France during the War of the Three Henrys.

Bourbon family

The family to which Henry of Navarre belonged, involved in the Huguenot conflicts.

Huguenots

French Protestants who faced persecution during the French Wars of Religion.

Catholics

Members of the Christian denomination that was dominant in France during the religious conflicts.

Protestants

Members of the Christian denomination that opposed Catholic practices and faced persecution in France.

Charles IX

The king of France whose sister married Bourbon Henry of Navarre, leading to the Saint-Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

Religious toleration

The acceptance of different religious beliefs, which Henry IV promoted through the Edict of Nantes.

Political allegiance

The loyalty of individuals or groups to a particular government or political entity.

Religious allegiance

The loyalty of individuals or groups to a particular religion or faith.

Massacre

The act of killing a large number of people indiscriminately, often for political or religious reasons.

Confederated states

Independent states that are loosely united under a central authority, such as the Holy Roman Empire.

Peace of Augsburg

An agreement that allowed for Lutheran or Catholic options, but did not give latitude to Calvinists.

Defenestration of Prague

The event where Ferdinand's officials were thrown out of a window, which sparked the Thirty Years' War.

Thirty Years' War

A religious war that involved multiple phases and transformed from a localized conflict to a transnational war.

Bohemian phase

The first phase of the Thirty Years' War (1618 to 1625) characterized by a localized war in Bohemia between the Protestant Union and the Catholic League.

Danish phase

The second phase of the Thirty Years' War (1625 to 1630) where the King of Denmark led attacks against Catholics.

Swedish phase

The third phase of the Thirty Years' War (1630-1635) marked by King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden supporting Protestants and winning major victories.

French phase

The fourth phase of the Thirty Years' War (1635-1648) where France entered the war to weaken the Habsburgs, making the conflict more political than religious.

Peace of Westphalia

The treaty that ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648 and recognized Calvinism in the Peace of Augsburg.

Catholic/Counter-Reformation

The response to Protestantism and internal corruption, including the Roman Inquisition and the Council of Trent.

Council of Trent

A council (1545-1563) that reformed corrupt church practices and reaffirmed core Catholic doctrines.

New Catholic Orders

Religious orders like the Jesuits, founded by Ignatius of Loyola, that spread Catholicism globally.

Social Hierarchies

Class structures tied to land ownership, with a rising merchant elite and persecution of nonconformists.

Querelle de Femme

The debate on women's roles and education, with traditionalists citing Eve's sin and reformers arguing for education.

Moral Regulation

The increasing regulation of public morality by secular governments, including bans on prostitution.

Witchcraft Craze

A period where 40,000-60,000 people, mostly women, were executed due to social upheaval and religious conflict.

Mannerism in Art

An art style developed during the late Renaissance characterized by distorted forms and emotional intensity.

Baroque Art

An emotional and dramatic art style that began in Rome during the Catholic Reformation, aimed at drawing people back to the Church.