While some nobles responded by openly condemning the rebellion, others were forced to join it. As a nobleman, Christoffel von Lichtenstein, states, he was forced to “swear an oath of allegiance” to the rebelling peasants (Doc 6). He also says that many other nobles joined the rebellion because “no help … would come from the prince” and did it to save their lives. This supports the idea that the nobles were outnumbered and had no choice but to join the peasants. However, the point of view of this document may contain bias; Christoffel von Lichtenstein was legally pleading to his superior that he had no choice but to swear allegiance to the peasants.
The peasants disliked quite a few things and in 1524-1526 they expressed the ideas of them being equal with their lords (masters), and to be led and taught about the Lutheran religion. Document One states, “The peasants are blinded, led astray, and made witless.” meaning that they had no guide or source of the Lutheran teachings. The peasants wanted to be with the lords in church to get a proper knowledge of Lutheranism,. However, the lords did not want them to cause trouble in their church
Luther’s radical new ideas regarding religion excited the peasants of the German states and his ideas stated in documents such as his 95 theses acted as a catalyst for the revolts that erupted in the lower class between the years 1524 and 1526. Peasants believed the cause of these revolts were the mistreatment they received from their lords and ruling princes. Their acts of revolution were largely based on new radical ideas surrounding religion, and some even saw it as God’s will. A third cause cited by the peasants was a need for their release from serfdom.
The peasant revolts in the German states from 1524-1526 were caused primarily by the extended manipulation of many Lutheran ideals, as well as grievances toward their lords and superiors, while the responses of this revolt were solely condemning of those participating. The compassionate doctrines of the recently introduced lutheran doctrines provided much justification for the Peasant revolts of the 1520’s. Documents one and three demonstrate this idea of Lutheranism. Document one is of Leonhard von Eck, the Chancellor of Bavaria as he reports to the Duke of Bavaria.
How did the Protestant Reformation shape society in 16th century Western Europe? When looking back at the Protestant Reformation, what caused society to struggle in 16th century Western Europe? The Protestent Reformation changed how people saw religion from the words of the Pope and Council, but also showed how the printing press spread the word of the Bible. The lower levels of hierarchy and the towns outside reach of the Bible were given the word of God and this shaped what is now known as Christianity. From the words of Martin Luther, a German priest, the Pope and Council altered God’s words, but how did this cycle back into the hardships the people faced in these times? Martin Luther, a German priest, author, and professor, brought up a valuable question.
Between 1450 and 1700, almost half of Europe was living in poverty. As famine, war, and economic dislocation grew rampant, there were regions where 80 percent of the population faced starvation daily. The massive poor population led to a myriad of attitudes and responses towards the poor, including that the poor were idle, that they needed to be regulated, that helping the poor was the moral thing to do, and that the poor should be helped because it will improve the life of the donor.
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.
Social DBQ Beginning in the 16th century, there was a growing unrest among the serfs primarily in modern day Germany. High taxes, joined with the fact that peasants had no opportunity to increase their social standing, let alone the right to do so, gave an atmosphere of disaccord between the noble, and lower class. Internalizing the egalitarian ideologies of Martin Luther, it was easy for the peasants to feel like they had greater place in among society. However, due to semi-feudalistic attitudes of those days, peasants were the lowest social class and needed to stay that way for such a social structure to function. Martin Luther’s teachings that through faith everyone could be equal in God’s eyes gave peasants a false sense of equality,
In the short story “Most Dangerous Game” written by Richard Connell The main characters are Zarroff and Rainsford are similar but also different many ways. These two characters traits played a major role in the effect of the story. The two men are very similar because they have a violent passion for hunting. Neither of the characters have empathy or sympathy for the creatures of their prey.
They would improve it by strengthening the emperor’s position against the threat of the Roman Catholic forces. They united together to defend themselves and the emperor against the Roman Catholic forces. Their right to think for themselves resulted in something else too. In the document it states that, “As the Reformation changed forward, contentions inside of the protestant development changed, prompting lawful hearing. The two side (Luther and Zwingli) were to discover concession to fourteen purposes of argument”.
In the early 1500s there were both economic and religious causes of German peasants revolts along with negative and positive responses to these rebellions. Germany in the early 1500s was fragmented by religion and social class. Revolts among the lower classes became relevant after the Renaissance, the posting of Martin Luther’s 95 theses in 1517, and after the Edict and Diet of Worms in 1521. Since the idea of humanism and the formation of the Protestant branch of religion, the peasants of Germany were dissatisfied with their religious and economic lives which led to revolts. As a result, several world leaders opinionated their different views which consisted of wether the rebellions in Germany were harmful or beneficial to the community.
The Reformation caused many who were born into lower classes to question the social caste system as Luther had questioned the church, which eventually lead to the Peasant Revolt of 1524. This Revolt spawned The Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants, which stated, “It has been customary for men to hold us as their property [as serfs]. But since Christ redeemed us all, it accords with Scripture that we should be set free.” This shows the peasants were slaves of that time as they were “held as property” by the people in power, however, even with the peasants best efforts they were “shut down” swiftly by the lords and princes. At the beginning of the Revolution, Martin Luther gave his sympathies to the peasants, but once the peasants began to pillage, burn, and kill he decided to side with the princes and lords.
Luther did not believe in this deadly revolt, he saw the freedom of the Christian in spiritual ways instead of a deadly battle that took the lives of almost 100,000. Lastly, In the Decree of the Imperial Diet of Speyer, the effects are clearly stated, this document shows some of the actions that the government takes in order to suppress and the actions it takes, punishments such as stripping of their lands were put in place ,after the revolts to prevent
During the late 1400s, the peasants in Germany were currently faced with starvation and misfortune due to poor harvests, while the rich lived comfortably. This was one of the major facts that lead the peasants to become angry and revolt against the injustice they were currently facing. The peasants were currently at the breaking point of being fed up with the hierarchal system that they were basically forced to follow. Then came one peasant, Hans Behen, who was the fused that lit fire. With Behen’s visions of the Virgin Mary calling him to led a revolt against the clergy and nobility, he used it as an opportunity to cause a much needed protest and called for a social revolution in southern Germany during 1476.
The opposition Luther took against the Church soon had an instant impact on peasants. Individuals began to form opinions on both political and religious fields, but they had failed to interpret the beliefs of Luther correctly.
