The

Reformationand

Religious Wars

The Peasants’ War

The peasants in South Germany took advantage of Luther's religious revolt by rising in arms in 1524 against their feudal lords.

Origin of th term ‘Protestant’

Six German princes and representatives of the cities of North Germany protested the action of the Second Diet of Spires.

Because of this, the foes of Catholicism came to be called Protestants.

Spread of the Protestant Movement

• Ulrich Zwingli, a Catholic priest, led the first attack against Rome in 1523.

• He preached against the veneration of saints, repudiated the authority of the pope, and proclaimed that the Bible is the only guide for man's salvation.

Protestantism in England

England's Protestant movement was peculiar where it broke away from the Catholic Church before adopting any Protestant beliefs.

The "Thirty-Nine Articles" became the creed of the Anglican Church.

The Catholic Reformation

• The Catholic Reformation or Counter-Reformation was a vigorous movement that arose within the Catholic Church to improve the Catholic faith.

The Council of Trent (1545-63)Pope Paul III (1534-49) began the Catholic Reformation by calling the Council of Trent, which made several achievements for the betterment of the Church.