Reformations and Religious Wars (1500-1600)

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from the Reformations and Religious Wars, with concise definitions drawn from the chapter notes.

anticlericalism

Opposition to the clergy and church hierarchical privileges; criticism of clerical immorality, ignorance, pluralism, and the wealth and power of church offices in the lead-up to and during the Reformation.

indulgence

A papal document that substituted a penance or time in purgatory with a virtuous act or payment; sold widely in the late Middle Ages and criticized by Luther for undermining repentance.

Protestant

The name originally given to followers of Luther; later used for all non-Catholic Western Christian groups who rejected Catholic authority and emphasized Scripture alone, faith, and the priesthood of all believers.

Spanish Armada

The fleet sent by Philip II of Spain in 1588 to invade England; defeated by the English Navy and storms, preventing a Catholic re-imposition of influence.

The Institutes of the Christian Religion

Calvin’s foundational systematic theology (first published 1536, final form 1559) asserting God’s sovereignty, human weakness, and doctrines like predestination and Scripture as authority.

predestination

The belief that God has determined, from the beginning of time, who will be saved or damned, independent of human effort or merit.

Holy Office

Also known as the Roman Inquisition; established in 1542 to combat doctrinal heresy, oversee censorship (Index of Prohibited Books), and arrest/try suspected heretics.

Jesuits

The Society of Jesus, founded by Ignatius Loyola in 1540; a highly educated, missionary, and reformist order aimed at strengthening Catholicism and educating elites worldwide.

Huguenots

French Calvinists who played a major role in France’s religious wars; many faced persecution but gained some protections and tolerance, notably after the Edict of Nantes.

politiques

Moderate rulers and nobles who prioritized strong centralized monarchy and political order over religious extremes, sometimes endorsing limited toleration to stabilize the state.

Edict of Nantes

1598 decree by Henry IV granting liberty of conscience and limited public worship to Huguenots in certain fortified towns, ending major religious conflict in France.

Union of Utrecht

Alliance of seven northern Dutch provinces that declared independence from Spanish rule and formed the United Provinces (Dutch Republic).