Reformation DBQ Notes

• Do not restate the question
• Use a majority of the documents
• Show basic comprehension of each document
• Support the thesis with the aforementioned documents
• Analyze the documents and group them/compare them
• Account for author's bias and audience for each document

Analyze the causes of and the responses to the peasants' revolts in the German states, 1524-1526

In late 1524, peasants, craftsmen, and poor soldiers formed bands and pillaged throughout a large area of the Holy Roman Empire. During the revolt, some of the rebel bands authored statements of grievances called Articles. Although most bands did not coordinate their activities, several groups met in Memmingen, Swabia, during March 1525 at a gathering known as the Peasant Parliament. After a series of battles, the authorities managed to suppress the revolts. More than 100,000 rebels and others were killed.

Documents 1, 2, and 3 all offer differing wording of the peasant's demand of Christian brothership according to “Luther's” teachings (though he actually did not support it! See 7).

Document 4 is the nobility's counter to 3, which is funny:

This is an obvious ploy to lure the peasants from rebellion and turn them from slaves to wageslaves lol.

Documents 6 and 7 are between Thomas Müntzer and Luther, who were rivals and were on opposite sides of this Peasant's revolt, despite both hating the Catholic church. Document 6 in particular is a good example of the peasants pushing for revolt. That both Luther and the nobility criticized.

Documents 5, 9, and 11 have a pretty accurate summary from their respective viewpoints. Be sure to note bias before citing them, however.

Documents 10 and 11 show two sides of the nobility coin. I believe the plea from 10 is genuine, so it offers a good insight from the nobility who supported the peasants and the ones who foresaw the targeting of themselves.

Documents 11 and 12 are both written/transcribed after the Peasants' War is over.

This rebellion has been undertaken to repress the princes and the nobility and has its ultimate source in Lutheran teaching, for the peasants relate the majority of their demands to the Word of God, the Gospel, and brotherly love. The peasants are blinded, led astray, and made witless. If these peasants promised today that they would give their lords no further trouble, they could change their minds within an hour.

Source: Leonard von Eck, Chancellor of Batavria, report to Duke Ludwig of Batavia, February 15, 1525.

• von Eck heavily opposed the Reformation
• Blames Lutheran teachings for the revolts
• Argues that the peasants are revolting to meet selfish goals and to overthrow the nobility

We will not allow ourselves hereafther to be oppressed by our lords but will let them demand only what is just and proper according to the agreement between lords and peasants. Lords should no longer try to force more services or other dues from peasants without compensation. Peasants should, however, help lords when it is necessary and at proper times when it does not disadvantage the peasant and for a suitable compensation.

Source: Sebastian Lotzer, craftsperson and lay preacher, and Christoph Schappeler, preacher from Memmingen, Twelve Articles of the Swabian Peasants, March 1, 1525.

• Secretary to the Baltringer Haufen, a prominent peasant army during the conflict.
• Calls for a fairer contract between lords and peasants.
• The above was directly inspired from Lutheran teaching.
• Does not call for their murder or overthrow of their power.

Hitherto we have been held as your poor serfs, which is pitiable, given that Christ has purchases and redeemed us with His precious blood, just as He has the emperor. But it is not our intention to reject all authority. We will be obedient to all authority appointed by God in all fair and reasonable matters, and we do not doubt that as Christian lords you will release us from serfdom.

Source: Peasant Parliament of Swabia to the Memmingen Town Council, from Articles of the Peasants of Memmingen, March 3, 1525.

• Serfs wish to be free'd and treated under equal footing as all Christians should through Lutheran teaching
• Reaffirms again that Lutheran teachings was the push required for the Reformation
• Also does not violently revolt and calls for peaceful resolution unlike the radicals that are controversial at the time

On the article concerning serfdom: we, your lords, purchased this right for a considerable sum of money, and the serfdom of a Christian is no hindrance to the salvation of his soul. However, so that you, the subjects, may see and recognize the council's good will, the council will release and absolve its subjects from such serfdom that the council controls. In return the peasants shall pay us a reasonable sum of money.

Source: Reply of the Memmingen Town Council to the Articles of the Peasants of Memmingen, March 15, 1525.

• Bullshit, reasonable my ass.
• This is an obvious ploy to lure the peasants from rebellion and turn them from slaves to wageslaves lol.

The peasants arrived so unexpectedly that the count and his subordinates could not return to the castle and had to remain in town with the citizens. The peasants scaled the castle walls, captured the countess and her children, plundered the castle, and then appeared before the town. The townsfolk were peasant supports. They opened the gates and towers to the peasants and let them in.

Source: Pastor Johann Herolt, report of the events at Weinsburg, April 16, 1525.

• A “count” is a title of nobility
• The idea of this document was that the nobility was powerless against their citizens and serfs rising against them in union.

How long are you going to resist God's will? The whole of Germany, France, and Italy are awake. Four abbeys were laid waste during Easter week. More peasants in the Black Forest have risen, 3,000 strong! Hammer away on the anvils of the princes and lords, cast down their towers to the ground!

Source: Thomas Müntzer, preacher and theologian, open letter to the people of Allstedt, April 27, 1525.

• Thomas Muntzer was a Radical Reformist preacher, he openly opposed both Luther and the Catholic church
• He opposed Luther because of his compromises that allowed for the feudal system in Lutheranism.
• He became a leader of the German Peasants' War, but was captured and executed in the Battle of Frankenhausen.
• He believed the Peasants' War to be the end of the world, and pushed for true believers to aid God and “usher a new era of history.”

The peasants forgot their place, violently took matters into their own hands, and are robbing and raging like mad gods. It is clear that the assertions they made in their Twelve Articles were nothing but lies presented under the name of the Gospel. This is particularly the work of that devil, Thomas Müntzer, who rules at Mühlhausen. The peasants are not content with belonging to the devil themselves; they force and compel many good people to join their devilish league. Anyone who consorts with them goes to the devil with them and is guilty of all the evil deeds that they commit.

Source: Martin Luther, theologian, Against the Murdering, Thieving Hordes of Peasants, Wittenberg, May 1525.

• Reference to Thomas Müntzer who was in staunch opposition of Luther's teachings.
• Luther was vividly outspoken against the Peasant revolts.
• He fell under the belief that his teachings were being misinterpreted for selfish aims.
• Against the Murdering, Thieving Hordes of Peasants was Luther's response against the Peasant revolts.

The peasants occupying Würtzburg were heard to say publicly that, since they were supposed to be brothers with one another, they believed the rich should share with the poor, especially those rich persons who had acquired their property from trade or had otherwise won it from the poor. The same was heard from many peasants in the countryside, where many a prosperous man, who had hitherto observed and taken pleasure in the peasant's uprising, began to scratch his head and to reflect on what a troublesome outcome the affair might have.

Source: Lorenz Fries, chief advisor to the Archbishop of Würtzburg, secret report regarding a peasant assembly, June 1, 1525.

• This document shows a bit of hesitation from seemingly blind supporters and their actions leading to the overthrow of nobility.
• The idea of brothers and sharing is consistent from both sides.
• The rich being required to share with the poor is new information, paints the peasants in a much worse light (think greedy).

May God grant that peace be preserved. It is indeed true that the poor, blind, and ignorant peasants have overstepped the mark with their unseemly behavior. No reasonable person could deny how unreasonably, unchristian, indeed, how excessively the authorities have torn the hair out of their subjects, whom they should aid, defend, and rule rather than fleece.

Source: Caspar Nützel, Nürnburg town councilor, letter to Duke Albert of Prussia, August 5, 1525.

• Centrist view, maybe good for a hook

Many other nobles saved their lives and goods and joined the peasants because no help or consolation had been sent by the territorial prince. As an old man, I begged that the peasants should not force me to swear an oath of allegiance to them, in view of the fact that I had grown up with their parents, gone to school with them, and now in my old age had done them no harm, only good. That was to no avail. I had to swear the oath.

Source: Christoffel von Lichtenstein, nobleman, legal plea for leniency to Count Wilhelm von Henneberg, August 24, 1525.

• Plea seems to be genuine.
• At this point the war was waning and it was a clear peasant loss.

At first the nobility looked on, unawares that misfortune was creeping up on us, for it pleased them well that the rebellion attacked the priests and the monks. Now, when the peasants had eaten all that was in the monasteries and drunk up and consumed all that was available, they fell upon the nobility's houses, took all that they found in them, and burnt them down.

Source Count Wilhelm von Henneberg, letter to Duke Albert of Prussia, February 2, 1526.

• Same Count Wilhelm that Christoffel von Lichtenstein plead to.
• Has a pretty accurate interpretation, at least from the nobility side.

In the last year, terrible, unprecedented, and unchristian rebellion by subjects occurred through almost all parts of southern Germany. Therefore his Imperial Majesty expressly commanded that earnest examination be made so that such disturbance and rebellion be prevented in the future. The common man rather grievously fought himself in the recent disturbance and acted violently against his authorities. In order that he might perceive that the grace and compassion of his superiors is greater and milder than his senseless deeds and actions, each authority shall have power to restore to their previous honorable estate those subjects who have surrendered unconditionally and been punished.

Source: Decree of the Imperial Diet¹⁾ of Speyer, August 27, 1526.

• Of course this report would have the view from the nobility, and after all the winners write the history books.
• In the end the peasants won nothing as they were returned to serfdom lol.

Reference ;-)