Religious Violence

Peasants' Revolt

1525

Peasants led by Thomas Muntzer took Luther's idea and applied them to society, rising up against the feudal order. Luther condemned them and encouraged the German princes to use force to put down the revolt - around 100,000 soldiers and peasants died over about a year!!!

Roman Inquisition in Spain refounded

1542

As part of the Catholic Counter-Reformation (the Catholic Church made peaceful attempts to keep people in the church, such as reforms in the Council of Trent, but they also increased their persecutions of heretics)

Bloody Mary in England

1553

Mary was a devout Catholic whose mother had been rejected by Henry when he established the Anglican Church. His son, Edward, made the English church clearly Protestant but when Mary inherited the throne, she wanted to return England to Catholicism and carried out bloody purges of Protestants. Around 300 were burned during her 5-year reign and many fled to Europe. She was succeeded by her sister, Elizabeth.

Spanish Armanda

1588

Philip of Spain was disappointed Elizabeth returned England to Protestantism in 1558 and angry when she eventually executed the Catholic Mary Queen of Scots (after repeated assassination attempts against Elizabeth by Mary’s supporters). He attempted to invade England with the Spanish Armada, but this was stopped by Drake’s fire ships and a storm. Hundreds of Spanish downed.