AP Euro Unit 2 First Half

Protestant Reformation

The movement beginning with Martin Luther’s criticisms of indulgences that splintered Western Christianity; weakened Catholic unity, sparked religious wars, and empowered monarchs.

Christian Humanism

Northern Renaissance movement combining humanist learning with religious reform; laid groundwork for reformers like Erasmus and Luther.

Erasmus

Dutch Christian humanist who wrote Praise of Folly criticizing Church corruption; influenced reformers but remained Catholic.

Indulgences

Church practice of granting remission of sins in exchange for money; sparked Luther’s 95 Theses and the Protestant Reformation.

John Calvin

Protestant reformer in Geneva who emphasized predestination; inspired Reformed churches and Huguenots.

Predestination

Calvinist belief that salvation is predetermined by God; differentiated Calvinism from Lutheranism and spread in France, Scotland, and the Netherlands.

Huguenots

French Calvinists; their persecution fueled French Wars of Religion until the Edict of Nantes.

Anabaptists

Radical reformers rejecting infant baptism and supporting separation of church and state; persecuted by Catholics and Protestants alike.

Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor

Ruler of Spain and HRE who fought to suppress Protestantism; oversaw conflicts and signed the Peace of Augsburg (1555).

Catholic Reformation (Counter-Reformation)

The Catholic Church’s response to Protestantism; reaffirmed doctrine, reformed abuses, and revived Catholicism through Jesuits and new orders.

Jesuits

Catholic order founded by Ignatius Loyola; emphasized education and missionary work; spread Catholicism globally and strengthened the Church.

Peasant’s War of 1525

German revolt partly inspired by Luther’s ideas of freedom; Luther opposed it, showing limits of his reform message.

Thomas More

English humanist who wrote Utopia; criticized society, opposed Henry VIII’s break with Rome, executed.

Puritans

English Calvinists seeking to “purify” the Anglican Church; influenced English politics and colonization of America.

St. Teresa of Ávila

Spanish mystic and reformer of the Carmelite order; symbol of Catholic Reformation spirituality.

Ursulines

Catholic female religious order focused on educating girls; part of Catholic renewal movement.

Index of Prohibited Books

Catholic list banning “heretical” works; attempt to limit spread of Protestant and secular ideas.

Peace of Augsburg (1555)

Treaty allowing German princes to choose Lutheranism or Catholicism; early recognition of pluralism but limited to Lutherans.

Edict of Nantes (1598)

Issued by Henry IV of France granting Huguenots toleration; ended French Wars of Religion, later revoked.

The Bourbons

French noble family, many Protestant; fought in French Wars of Religion, became ruling dynasty under Henry IV.

Catherine de Medici

French queen and regent; attempted to balance Catholics and Huguenots, linked to St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre.

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre (1572)

Mass killing of Huguenots in Paris ordered by Catherine de Medici; sparked intensified religious conflict.

Henry IV of France

Former Huguenot who became king; converted to Catholicism and issued the Edict of Nantes, restoring peace.

Philip II of Spain

Catholic monarch, defender of Catholicism; sent Spanish Armada, fought Protestants in the Netherlands.

Edict of Restitution (1629)

Imperial decree during the Thirty Years’ War restoring Catholic lands; inflamed conflict, later overturned.

Henry VIII

English king who broke from Rome when denied annulment; established Anglican Church via Act of Supremacy.

Defense of the Seven Sacraments

Work by Henry VIII defending Catholicism against Luther; earned him title “Defender of the Faith” before his break with Rome.

Act of Supremacy (1534)

Law declaring Henry VIII head of the Church of England; formalized the English Reformation.

The Gentry

Landowning class in England, often Puritan sympathizers; influential in Parliament and the English Civil War.

Pilgrimage of Grace (1536)

Popular rebellion in northern England against Henry VIII’s religious policies; showed resistance to Reformation changes.

Book of Common Prayer

Standard liturgical text of the Anglican Church; central to English religious identity and disputes.

Mary I (“Bloody Mary”)

Catholic queen of England, daughter of Henry VIII; restored Catholicism briefly and persecuted Protestants.

John Knox / Presbyterians

Scottish Calvinist reformer who established the Presbyterian Church; spread Calvinism to Scotland.

Politiques

Leaders who prioritized political stability over religious uniformity; key examples include Henry IV and Elizabeth I.

Spanish Armada (1588)

Naval fleet sent by Philip II to invade England; defeat marked decline of Spain and rise of England.

Elizabeth I of England

Protestant “Virgin Queen” of England; defended Protestantism, defeated the Armada, and stabilized England.

Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648)

Conflict in the HRE that began religious and ended political; devastated Germany, ended with Treaty of Westphalia.

William of Orange

Dutch leader who resisted Spanish rule; key figure in Dutch independence.

Defenestration of Prague (1618)

Protestant nobles threw Catholic officials out a window; sparked the Thirty Years’ War.

Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

Ended the Thirty Years’ War; recognized state sovereignty, weakened HRE, turning point in European politics.

Union of Utrecht (1579)

Alliance of northern Dutch provinces; foundation of the independent Dutch Republic.

Concordat of Bologna (1516)

Agreement between French crown and papacy; allowed kings to control Church appointments, strengthening monarchy.