Confessional States

 

I. Creation of Confessional States

                A. Nation, church and conscience are inextricably linked

                        1. established, national churches

                        2. control of church and of conscience is key to power of government

                        3. Protestants and Catholics are agreed: no toleration

              

                B. El Greco�s Christ Cleansing the Temple (1600)

                               1. artistic expression of religious wars

 

II. Religious Wars in France

                A. half the aristocrats and a third of population in southern France convert to Calvinism

                       1. Resistance to growing power of the monarchy, especially in the South

 

                B. Three factions

                        1. Catholic supporters of the monarchy (Charles IX, Henry III)

                        2. Protestants, led by Henry of Navarre (relative of royal family)

                        3. Ultra-Catholics, led by Henry, Duke of Guise

                                    a. believed that the kings compromised too much with Protestants

 

              C. St. Bartholomew's Massacre, August, 1572

                        1. Royal wedding of Henry of Navarre with king's sister Margaret

                        2. Plots and rumors

                        3.  King orders assassination of all Protestant nobles in Paris

                                    a. killing spreads to the countryside

                                    b. film segment, Queen Margot (1994)

 

              D. Ending the Wars

                        1. Protestants in open revolt against monarchy

                        2. Irony: Protestant prince becomes king.  Converts to Catholicism

                        3. Edict of Nantes (1598)--a measure of toleration

 

III. Spain: "Greatest Power on Earth"

                A. Philip II (1556-98)

                                             1. mission to defend the faith

 

                B. Conflict over political authority

                                             1. Moriscos

                                             2. Netherlands (1556-1648)

                                                          a. 200 cities with half of European trade

                                                          b. seven times the income in taxes than the wealth from America

                                                          c. Protestant, commercial, partly democratic and relatively tolerant

 

 IV. England: Not the Greatest Power on Earth

                A. Finding a middle path

                        1. Elizabeth (1558-1603)

                                             2. establishes moderate Protestantism

                        3. war with Spain

                                    a. supports Dutch rebels

                                    b. the Armada sails (1588)

                                    c. "Protestant Wind"

 

V. Germany: Not Even a State

                               A. Thirty-Years' War

                                             1. Lutheran north and Catholic south

                                             2. Emperor Ferdinand moves against Bohemia

                                             3. King Gustavus Adolphus of Sweden intervenes

                                             4. the French help the Protestants ("raison d'etat")

               

                               B. Consequences of War

                                             1. Princes regain rights, even to be Calvinist

                                             2. Devastation of Germany

                                             3. Germany more divided than ever