History 2403E Lecture Notes - Lecture 11: Cantons Of Switzerland, Reformation In Switzerland, Twelve Articles
2 May 2018
School
Department
Course
Professor
November 28th, 2017
German Peasants’ War
➢ Stülingen – Swiss Cantons
o Western territory peasants were surfs
o A border territory between the german and swiss reformation
➢ Feudal Reaction
➢ Thomas Müntzer
➢ Twelve Articles of the German Peasants (interepration of luther’s teachings)
o Produced in February 1525
o Lists of 12 demands that the peasants made of their landlords
▪ Most were illiterate
o A reflection of what the literate, upper-class peasants wanted
▪ Different degrees of economic and social freedom
▪ Cannot be certain that their view is a reflection of the larger body that they
claim to represent
o Edited and amended in different locales to reflect certain territories needs
▪ Fitting the regional circumstances
▪ A flexible document
o 1&12 religious
▪ 1 – right to choose, depose and appoint their own clergy
• entirely unprecedented, other demands had been asked before
o takes away apostolic procession and cuts of the roman
catholic church
• primary means of the priest was the sacraments
▪ 12 – will retract other articles if they can be shown to be contrary to
scripture
• most cannot read, need a trustworthy person to arbitrate and verify
from nobles that this is the case
o lists people
• number 1 name on every list is Martin Luther
o 2-11 socio-economic
▪ 3 – has a religious quality: an end to serfdom
• as a Christian, has the freedom to not be kept in any form of
bondage
• Luther meant spiritually free, peasants extend to social freedom
▪ 4 – free access to fish and gain
• have to let us hunt on noble land without being charged for
poaching
▪ 5 – give access to firewood
• about the necessities of life
▪ # 2-5 examples of socio-economic issues of the peasants
➢ Small Tithe
o Peasants asked for the end of the small tithe (article #2)
o Upset that tithe not being used in local circumstances
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
November 28th, 2017: western territory peasants were surfs, a border territory between the german and swiss reformation. Only angered the peasants into more violence. Peasants and the knights align making them an effective force: knights at the bottom of the noble hierarchy, they also feel oppressed, knights have military training. Written to princes he wants them to crush the german peasant uprisings. Committed significant atrocity in the process: only 1/3 of villages took part, indiscriminate, a justification to extend their own power. Rebellion begins in 1524 and lasts until 1526, the heart during the 1525. German nobles killed some 60,000 100,000 german peasants. Fear of anarchy greater than hatred of tyranny: tyranny and exploitation of the lords is worse, anarchy and chaos by the peasants threatens to tear apart the entire empire. Political consequences are that a number of the german princes begin to convert to the. Very first imperial prince to go protestant was albrecht of brandenberg-ansbach.
