AHC: Large scale denominational change in European nation post-1700

During the 1500s and the 1600s, huge swathes of Europe converted between Catholicism and Protestantism, but this came to an end in the mid-1600s. Your challenge is for this to continue to happen in at least one European nation in the 1700s and 1800s. Bonus points for more nations.
 
Well, this process stopped because of the 30 years war. You need to end it so that the Westphalian principles aren't recognized and Spain continues its imperial ambition. Difficult.
 

raharris1973

Gone Fishin'
Donor
Monthly Donor
this process of mass changing of denominations seemed to have stopped in the whole abrahamic world around the same time. Sunni and Shiite loyalties became much more "sticky" than in the prior 800 years after the Safavids took a pro-Shia and the Ottomans took an anti-shia position.
 
Northern Ireland?

Does Ulster count? I'm not sure when the major increase of Protestants happened.
 
Well, this process stopped because of the 30 years war. You need to end it so that the Westphalian principles aren't recognized and Spain continues its imperial ambition. Difficult.

I mean, you're clearly right that that stopped it. But there have been other places in the world with denominational changes: e.g. the American South turning away from Anglicanism. Even religious changes: Korea suddenly embracing Christianity on a short scale. Surely there must be a way of having another Catholic country experiencing conversion to an existing or new form of Christianity?
 
Bosnia up to the Drina is conquered by Austria during the 18th century Austro-Turkish wars and as a result basically all of its Muslim community is either expelled or Christianized. Not exactly what the OP wanted, but its still a denominational change in a European country/nation.
 
My gut feeling is that this is easier in the Protestant nations; more widespread Methodists, maybe?

I was thinking the opposite: the Pope's involvement in politics could cause Catholics to react. Imagine if the Papal States took sides in a Germany vs French war, for instance.
 
I was thinking the opposite: the Pope's involvement in politics could cause Catholics to react. Imagine if the Papal States took sides in a Germany vs French war, for instance.

Popes got involved in politics throughout European history. People listened to them if they agreed and ignored them if they didn't. They didn't normally leave the Church over it.
 

PhilippeO

Banned
earlier break-up of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth and Ottoman Empire ?

independent Lithuanian might go Calvinist if their dynasty go Protestant, Radziwill ?

or Behlen dynasty establishing Protestantism in Transylvania/Romania ?

to establish new denomination, it would need a) mass illiterate old country
b) a new successful dynasty c) establishing new country who spread new religion as part of new "nationalism".
 
I think that happened earlier, during the 1500s and 1600s.

Still, between 1860 and 2000 the opposite happened, so that counts ehh? Perhaps add the plague to the blight and the Irish emigrate even more. Eventually the English will have settlers come in to replace the Irish, and those aren't Catholics.

On the other side of the Atlantic, both Canada and the US will have significantly larger Catholic populations.
 
Quite. I'm wondering about a Gallican France.

France had many of the advantages (to the king) of a State-run church, without having to actually break from Rome and upset people.

To get a Gallican church you'd probably have to get a major dispute between France and Spain, and have Spain sitting with a knife at the Pope's throat (metaphorically). Which is what happened to make Henry leave.

The fact that England was always a bit further away, was mercantile (so the Protestantism that came in with merchants was stronger), and was on an island (making it harder for 'Roman' troops - probably French or Spanish) to undo the change made it easier for Henry to break away. Oh, and let's not forget his ego the size of a mountain.
 
Belarus was mostly Catholic before 1772 (the 1st Partition), and Ukraine was approximately 50% Catholic before 1793 (the 2nd Partition). After the PLC had been partitioned, Greek Catholic lower classes in Russian-annexed provinces started reverting to Orthodoxy (mostly voluntarily). In 1839, emperor Nicholas I forcibly 'reunited' almost all remaining Greek Catholics (except those living in Kholm area in the nominally autonomous Russian Kingdom of Poland) with the Orthodox Church. Kholm Greek Catholics were 'reunited' as well (13 of them had to be killed to expedite the process) by the next tsar, Alexander II.

I think it counts as a large-scale denominational change.
 
Top