Analyze The Causes Of The Peasants Rebellion Dbq

The peasants’ revolts in the German states occurred after the Reformation had gripped Europe. Religious figures at this time such as Martin Luther, and John Calvin, as well as writings like The Ninety-Five Theses, incited many peasants to look with new ideas about Catholicism and the clergy, which led to a call for reform, and later rebellion, the causes of which were mainly the oppression of lords against the lay people economically and physically, as well as extreme Lutheran teaching. Martin Luther, and those that were accused of the oppression, the nobles, responded by saying those that took part in the rebellion were unchristian, and should submit to proper authority, shaping the conflict and the rebellion. The causes of the rebellion

The preachers, which were laymen, took the stance that the nobles were demanding unfair work from the peasants, which is understandable, given that they too were peasants and also wanted better rights and payment. Also during this time Caspar Nutzel a town councilor sent a letter to Duke Albert of Prussia, saying “No reasonable person could deny … how excessively the authorities have torn out the hair of their subjects, whom they should

Thomas Muntzer said “How long are you going to resist God’s will? … Hammer away on the anvils of the princes … cast down their towers” (Doc 4) Muntzer's message is that people need to fight against the princes and officials, it is God’s will, a religious cause. This viewpoint is reasonable given that Thomas Muntzer wanted to better peasants lives, and was a celebrated theologian, and his audience was the lay people in Europe, it was understandable that many peasants would turn to Muntzer, believe in his extremism, and rebel. One other example, was the Peasant Parliament of Swabia, which claimed that “Hitherto we have been held as your poor serfs … We will be obedient to all authority appointed by God” (Doc 3) This again attributes the reasons, and ideas, of the peasants to take action in the war, was that of God, though for the reason of him being the only authority they would accept. Since this document was written by peasants it is reasonable for the Peasant Parliament to take the perspective to submit only to God. Leonhard van Eck also echoed the reasoning behind the rebellion in a report to Duke Ludwig of Bavaria “the peasants relate the majority of their demands to the Word of God, the Gospel, and brotherly love” (Doc 1) This helped accentuate the reasoning behind the rebellion, and that the peasants felt justified in their