The Calvinist War: The Calvinist War, or the German Reformist Revolution, lasted from 1536 to 1540 and was a huge victory for Calvin and his men. It began with the burning and martyrdom of Wolfgang Fabricius Capito and ended with the Peace of Westphalia.
Key noble supporters of Calvin were Herzog Ulrich von Wurttemberg, Duke of Wurttemberg, who viewed Calvin and his teachings as a way to increase his own territory and power [1]; a number of members of the Wittelsbach dynasty, who also were in it for the power and a large number of smaller nobles and minor knights.
Calvin also had the support of France [2] later on in the war. Francis I saw this as a possible way to cripple Charles V’s Imperial possessions. French support came in the form of money and a number of professional soldiers who were to aid the Germans. This aid, though not a terrible financial burden on France, would lead to severe repercussions farther down the line. Francis never declared war but by mid war, Charles knew what he was up to but he too never declared war because he didn’t wish to widen the war.
A brief timeline of the war:
1536: February 22-23: Wolfgang Fabricius Capito is burned at the stake. Archbishop Albert III von Brandenburg was procrastinating on his impending execution as a heretic, not wanting to inflame the populace. However, once the order arrived from Rome, he has Fabricius burned at the stake. During the execution, a riot breaks out in an effort to save him, but Fabricius is already dead by the time he is pulled from the flames (by asphyxiation). The riot turns increasingly ugly, and by the next day, much of Mainz is up in arms. The Archbishop is forced to flee even as the rebellion spreads from the city into the countryside. News of the rebellion and Fabricius’ fate are become known throughout all of Germany by late April.
Charles V has preparations made preparations to crush the rebels in Mainz only to find his preparations inadequate once the snow thaws. Calvin, who had not been idle in the months after Fabricius’ martyrdom [3], sends out messengers preaching rebellion throughout the south. By May, Herzog Ulrich von Wurttemberg marches out in support of Calvin and Charles has to change plans to confront the rebellious lord. His new plans are quickly derailed again as a rebellion in Bavaria gets the support of Otto Henry [4] and the rebels begin to make headway.
Charles V soon feels as if everything is coming undone all at once when Francis I of France inconveniently sets off another series of Italian wars. No major battles are fought between Charles and the rebels as Charles decides Francis is the bigger threat [5]. He leaves the process of crushing the rebellion in the hands of others.
Calvinist rebels continue to overrun cities, duchies, and bishoprics and the fiery tendrils make their way into Franconia and the Palatinate.
1537: Tens of thousands of peasants are now up in arms. More nobles are joining Calvin though they are uneasy about the peasants and their extreme views regarding Nobles, but for the moment, both tolerate the other in order to beat Charles V.
Rebels gain control of Nuremburg in early January.
May 9th: Battle of Rothenberg. A North German force is defeated by a large army of peasants assisted by hired mercenaries and professional soldiers in the service of Calvinist lords. The large number of peasants carries the day as they overwhelm the opposition while suffering horrific casualties. This puts paid to any attempts by Imperial forces to recapture Nuremburg for the remainder of the year, and Nuremburg never is recaptured by war’s end.
Northern Germany is then distracted by the Anabaptists in Munster start attacking other cities.
With the victory at Rothenberg, Franconia becomes increasingly rebellious and more falls into the hands of the rebels.
August 7th: Herzog Ulrich meanwhile finally secures most of the Swabian circle for the rebels after forces of Wurttemberg defeat Hapsburg forces at the Battle of Ulm.
The Archbishopric of Cologne comes under siege by rebel forces. The siege doesn’t last long when sympathizers within the city seize the gates and open them. Archbishop Herman V von Wied, in order to save himself, declares himself of the new faith.
Charles V soon comes to realize it was a mistake to leave Calvin to the others, but once again a stroke of unluckiness occurs when Suleiman I launches a punitive raid into Hungary. It is mistaken for a total invasion, and Charles is forced to send troops to Hungary to support Louis II. The war with France continues.
1538: The Electoral Palatinate comes under increasing pressure and begins to buckle. Otto Henry presses his claim to the electorship, and is heavily supported by forces from the south.
Charles V finally catches a break when Suleiman ends the raids and Francis I makes peace. Troops begin to be called back from both Hungary and Italy to fight the Calvinist rebels.
Francis I immediately begins funding Calvin and sending over professional soldiers. It is his hope that Calvin will cripple Charles’ empire and be his ruin.
An attempt by the rebels to seize the last remaining Archbishopric not in rebel hands, Trier, fails miserably.
The Augsburg Plot: Based in the city of Ausburg, the plot was in response to Charles having ended his two other wars and the vehement anti-nobility rhetoric going about the common troops. The plot was headed by the unsurprisingly not-so-loyal Archbishop Herman V von Wied and included many minor Nobles from Franconia and Bavaria. The plot was simple. Calvin was to be assassinated and the Archbishop and his allied nobles would surrender to the Imperials. Calvin was invited to attend a dinner in celebration of his followers’ victories by the plotters. He fully intended to go, and was only alerted to the plot when one of the plotters got cold feet and double crossed his allies by going back to Calvin for forgiveness.
Calvin acted quickly, having his loyal troops move ahead and arrest the plotters. He also used this pretense to arrest many of the more vocal anti-noble peasant leaders, under the guise that they like the Augsburg conspirators, were in contact with Imperial forces.
The plot also makes Calvin realize he is not infallible, and with Charles V strength increasing, he too realizes peace must be made.
1539: An effort by Calvinist forces to push out of Bavaria into Austria and seize Linz occurs. Charles V meets them and crushes them at the Battle of Linz.
By September, all of the Electoral Palatinate
After this, very little happens in the year save for large scale raiding by both sides.
Charles V is soon sent peace terms by Calvin in mid July. One of inititial offers sent out is the return of all Hapsburg lands seized during the wars in recognition of the rest of Calvin’s gains. Negotiations begin as both sides begin making their demands. Raiding continues throughout the negotiations.
1540: April 2nd: The Peace of Westphalia is signed, ending the war that had ravaged central and southern Germany for a little over four years.
The Peace of Westphalia: The Peace of Westphalia brought an end to the German Reformist Revolution (Calvinist war) and gave recognition to Calvin’s new nation.
The Peace stipulated:
-all gains made by the revolutionaries during the war were to be recognized,
including Calvin’s hold over the Electoral Palatinate and the Archbishoprics of
Cologne and Mainz.
-the recognition of the Reformed German Confederation
-subsequently, the R.G.C would receive all three electoral votes of the three
electorals it had absorbed.
-all Hapsburg lands would be returned to Charles V
-the Reformed German Confederation (R.G.C) would remain part of the Holy
Roman Empire
-Semi-Secret clause: The Three electoral votes of the R.G.C were to be used only to vote in a Hapsburg [6].
-the R.G.C break all ties with the Anabaptists in Munster.
-the R.G.C break all ties with France
Explanations for the little numbers come later. Tell me what you think.
Key noble supporters of Calvin were Herzog Ulrich von Wurttemberg, Duke of Wurttemberg, who viewed Calvin and his teachings as a way to increase his own territory and power [1]; a number of members of the Wittelsbach dynasty, who also were in it for the power and a large number of smaller nobles and minor knights.
Calvin also had the support of France [2] later on in the war. Francis I saw this as a possible way to cripple Charles V’s Imperial possessions. French support came in the form of money and a number of professional soldiers who were to aid the Germans. This aid, though not a terrible financial burden on France, would lead to severe repercussions farther down the line. Francis never declared war but by mid war, Charles knew what he was up to but he too never declared war because he didn’t wish to widen the war.
A brief timeline of the war:
1536: February 22-23: Wolfgang Fabricius Capito is burned at the stake. Archbishop Albert III von Brandenburg was procrastinating on his impending execution as a heretic, not wanting to inflame the populace. However, once the order arrived from Rome, he has Fabricius burned at the stake. During the execution, a riot breaks out in an effort to save him, but Fabricius is already dead by the time he is pulled from the flames (by asphyxiation). The riot turns increasingly ugly, and by the next day, much of Mainz is up in arms. The Archbishop is forced to flee even as the rebellion spreads from the city into the countryside. News of the rebellion and Fabricius’ fate are become known throughout all of Germany by late April.
Charles V has preparations made preparations to crush the rebels in Mainz only to find his preparations inadequate once the snow thaws. Calvin, who had not been idle in the months after Fabricius’ martyrdom [3], sends out messengers preaching rebellion throughout the south. By May, Herzog Ulrich von Wurttemberg marches out in support of Calvin and Charles has to change plans to confront the rebellious lord. His new plans are quickly derailed again as a rebellion in Bavaria gets the support of Otto Henry [4] and the rebels begin to make headway.
Charles V soon feels as if everything is coming undone all at once when Francis I of France inconveniently sets off another series of Italian wars. No major battles are fought between Charles and the rebels as Charles decides Francis is the bigger threat [5]. He leaves the process of crushing the rebellion in the hands of others.
Calvinist rebels continue to overrun cities, duchies, and bishoprics and the fiery tendrils make their way into Franconia and the Palatinate.
1537: Tens of thousands of peasants are now up in arms. More nobles are joining Calvin though they are uneasy about the peasants and their extreme views regarding Nobles, but for the moment, both tolerate the other in order to beat Charles V.
Rebels gain control of Nuremburg in early January.
May 9th: Battle of Rothenberg. A North German force is defeated by a large army of peasants assisted by hired mercenaries and professional soldiers in the service of Calvinist lords. The large number of peasants carries the day as they overwhelm the opposition while suffering horrific casualties. This puts paid to any attempts by Imperial forces to recapture Nuremburg for the remainder of the year, and Nuremburg never is recaptured by war’s end.
Northern Germany is then distracted by the Anabaptists in Munster start attacking other cities.
With the victory at Rothenberg, Franconia becomes increasingly rebellious and more falls into the hands of the rebels.
August 7th: Herzog Ulrich meanwhile finally secures most of the Swabian circle for the rebels after forces of Wurttemberg defeat Hapsburg forces at the Battle of Ulm.
The Archbishopric of Cologne comes under siege by rebel forces. The siege doesn’t last long when sympathizers within the city seize the gates and open them. Archbishop Herman V von Wied, in order to save himself, declares himself of the new faith.
Charles V soon comes to realize it was a mistake to leave Calvin to the others, but once again a stroke of unluckiness occurs when Suleiman I launches a punitive raid into Hungary. It is mistaken for a total invasion, and Charles is forced to send troops to Hungary to support Louis II. The war with France continues.
1538: The Electoral Palatinate comes under increasing pressure and begins to buckle. Otto Henry presses his claim to the electorship, and is heavily supported by forces from the south.
Charles V finally catches a break when Suleiman ends the raids and Francis I makes peace. Troops begin to be called back from both Hungary and Italy to fight the Calvinist rebels.
Francis I immediately begins funding Calvin and sending over professional soldiers. It is his hope that Calvin will cripple Charles’ empire and be his ruin.
An attempt by the rebels to seize the last remaining Archbishopric not in rebel hands, Trier, fails miserably.
The Augsburg Plot: Based in the city of Ausburg, the plot was in response to Charles having ended his two other wars and the vehement anti-nobility rhetoric going about the common troops. The plot was headed by the unsurprisingly not-so-loyal Archbishop Herman V von Wied and included many minor Nobles from Franconia and Bavaria. The plot was simple. Calvin was to be assassinated and the Archbishop and his allied nobles would surrender to the Imperials. Calvin was invited to attend a dinner in celebration of his followers’ victories by the plotters. He fully intended to go, and was only alerted to the plot when one of the plotters got cold feet and double crossed his allies by going back to Calvin for forgiveness.
Calvin acted quickly, having his loyal troops move ahead and arrest the plotters. He also used this pretense to arrest many of the more vocal anti-noble peasant leaders, under the guise that they like the Augsburg conspirators, were in contact with Imperial forces.
The plot also makes Calvin realize he is not infallible, and with Charles V strength increasing, he too realizes peace must be made.
1539: An effort by Calvinist forces to push out of Bavaria into Austria and seize Linz occurs. Charles V meets them and crushes them at the Battle of Linz.
By September, all of the Electoral Palatinate
After this, very little happens in the year save for large scale raiding by both sides.
Charles V is soon sent peace terms by Calvin in mid July. One of inititial offers sent out is the return of all Hapsburg lands seized during the wars in recognition of the rest of Calvin’s gains. Negotiations begin as both sides begin making their demands. Raiding continues throughout the negotiations.
1540: April 2nd: The Peace of Westphalia is signed, ending the war that had ravaged central and southern Germany for a little over four years.
The Peace of Westphalia: The Peace of Westphalia brought an end to the German Reformist Revolution (Calvinist war) and gave recognition to Calvin’s new nation.
The Peace stipulated:
-all gains made by the revolutionaries during the war were to be recognized,
including Calvin’s hold over the Electoral Palatinate and the Archbishoprics of
Cologne and Mainz.
-the recognition of the Reformed German Confederation
-subsequently, the R.G.C would receive all three electoral votes of the three
electorals it had absorbed.
-all Hapsburg lands would be returned to Charles V
-the Reformed German Confederation (R.G.C) would remain part of the Holy
Roman Empire
-Semi-Secret clause: The Three electoral votes of the R.G.C were to be used only to vote in a Hapsburg [6].
-the R.G.C break all ties with the Anabaptists in Munster.
-the R.G.C break all ties with France
Explanations for the little numbers come later. Tell me what you think.
