Unit Two: The Protestant Reformation and Wars of Religion

Introduction to the Protestant Reformation

• Importance of Unit 2 in AP European History
  • Focus on the Protestant Reformation and subsequent religious wars
  • Need to understand key events for academic success

Historical Context

• The Great Schism (1054)
  • Split between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church
  • Catholic Church's dominance in Western Europe
  • Lack of alternative religious options for dissenters

Corruption within the Catholic Church in the 1500s

• Political entanglements and wealth accumulation
  • Examples of corruption:
  • Simony: Buying and selling of church offices
  • Nepotism: Appointing relatives and friends to positions of power
  • Indulgences: Selling the forgiveness of sins and salvation
• Financial motivations behind church practices

Martin Luther and His Reformation

• Background
  • Augustinian monk and Christian humanist
  • Influenced by the Book of Romans
• Key Beliefs
  • Salvation through faith alone, by grace (contrasted with church teaching)
  • Sola Scriptura: Scriptures as the sole authority (opposed to papal authority)
  • Priesthood of all believers
• 95 Theses (1517)
  • Document criticizing church corruption
  • Nailed to Wittenberg church door
  • Intended to spark debate, spread widely due to the printing press

Luther's Reaction and the Response of the Catholic Church

• Heresy and Excommunication
  • Luther denounced as a heretic and excommunicated after refusing to recant
• Support from German Princes
  • Princes supported Luther to weaken papal power
  • Luther's reformers were not the only influencers; princes played a significant role

Earlier Reformers and the Role of the Printing Press

• Influencers before Luther: John Wycliffe and Jan Huss
• Impact of the Printing Press
  • Facilitated the spread of Reformation ideas
  • Produced pamphlets and vernacular Bibles in German, encouraging popular engagement with scripture

Key Figures in the Reformation

John Calvin

• Originally a follower of Luther but diverged in beliefs
• Key Doctrines
  • Predestination: Salvation predetermined by God
  • Doctrine of the Elect: Those chosen by God for salvation can't lose it
  • Wealth as a sign of election; good works as evidence of true salvation
• Geneva as a Theocracy
  • Stringent religious laws governing personal behavior
  • Emphasis on moral adherence and control

The Anabaptists

• Differentiation from Lutherans and Calvinists
• Belief in adult baptism only
• Advocated for church-state separation and pacifism

Religious Wars in Europe

France

• Rise of Protestantism (Huguenots) in predominantly Catholic France
• Key Events
  • Massacre of Vassy (1562): Launch of Huguenot persecution
  • Saint Bartholomew's Day Massacre (1572): Widespread killings orchestrated by Catherine de Medici
  • War of the Three Henries (1587): Conflict over the French throne involving Henry III, Henry of Navarre, and Henry of Guise
  • Edict of Nantes (1598): Granted religious freedom to Huguenots

Holy Roman Empire

• Thirty Years' War (1618-1648)
  • Triggered by the violation of the Peace of Augsburg
  • Phases of War:
  • Bohemian Phase: Local conflict leads to Catholic reassertion
  • Danish Phase: External intervention reflects shifting alliances
  • Swedish Phase: Expansion into a European conflict with foreign aid
  • French Phase: Political maneuvering by France against Habsburgs
  • Peace of Westphalia (1648): Ended the Thirty Years' War, recognized Calvinism
  • Established the decline of the Holy Roman Empire's power

Catholic Church's Response: The Catholic Reformation

• Response to Protestant Critiques
  • Roman Inquisition: Arresting and executing heretics
  • Index of Prohibited Books: Contained works deemed heretical
• Council of Trent (1545-1563)
  • Attempts to clarify Catholic doctrine and reform corrupt practices
  • Reaffirmed traditional Catholic beliefs (e.g., transubstantiation)
  • Failed in reconciliation efforts with Protestants

Social and Gender Dynamics

• Social Hierarchy Changes
  • Emergence of merchant class led to new social mobility
  • Class increasingly determined by wealth rather than land
• Gender Dynamics
  • Patriarchal structure prevalent in society
  • Women’s roles limited; some opportunities in convents, few in leadership
• Debates on Women
  • Varied perspectives on women’s education and societal roles
  • Anabaptists more progressive regarding women in leadership

Public Morals and Social Control

• Increased legal regulation of public morals post-Reformation
• Attempts to regulate behaviors around festivals like Carnival
• Use of public punishment for law enforcement

Culture and Art During the Reformation

Mannerism

• Art characterized by emotional expression (e.g., Michelangelo's "The Last Judgment")

Baroque Art

• Emerged during Catholic Reformation
• Representing wealth and power of the Church; distinctive emotional and dramatic style (e.g., Rubens' "The Elevation of the Cross")

Conclusion

• Ongoing impact of the Protestant Reformation on European politics, society, and culture
• Division of the Christian Church as a lasting legacy of these events