League of Dessau
Encyclopedia
The League of Dessauer was a short-lived Association of Catholic rulers in northern Germany during the time of the German Reformation
. Its goals were to stop both the rebellion
and the proliferation of Martin Luther
's teachings. The League was founded in Dessau
on 19 July 1525 and was led by the strictly Catholic widow and regent princess Margaret of Münsterberg
.
in Thuringia
, where revolting peasants had been overpowered. This suggested to the Catholic sovereigns that a crackdown against Protestantism
should be possible. Although she had a mostly friendly attitude towards Martin Luther himself, the princess feared a repeat of the peasant uprisings in her own country, so she convened the League, against the wishes of her sons.
Within Anhalt, the league was limited to the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
, because the neighbouring principalities of Anhalt-Köthen
and Anhalt-Bernburg
had converted to Lutheranism
in 1525 and 1526, as the second and third countries in the world to do so, after Electoral Saxony. Anhalt-Dessau followed suit in 1534, under Margaret's son George III
, well after margaret's death in 1530.
.
The League of Dessau did not have much effect. The League was unable to motivate the Catholic princes in the south of the Holy Roman Empire
to join. During the First Diet of Speyer
in 1526, followers of both faiths attempted to agree on a political compromise. The Edict of Worms was repealed. A decision was taken to tolerate the new faith until a Synod
could resolve the religious differences.
Reformation
- Movements :* Protestant Reformation, an attempt by Martin Luther to reform the Roman Catholic Church that resulted in a schism, and grew into a wider movement...
. Its goals were to stop both the rebellion
Rebellion
Rebellion, uprising or insurrection, is a refusal of obedience or order. It may, therefore, be seen as encompassing a range of behaviors aimed at destroying or replacing an established authority such as a government or a head of state...
and the proliferation of Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's teachings. The League was founded in Dessau
Dessau
Dessau is a town in Germany on the junction of the rivers Mulde and Elbe, in the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt. Since 1 July 2007, it is part of the merged town Dessau-Roßlau. Population of Dessau proper: 77,973 .-Geography:...
on 19 July 1525 and was led by the strictly Catholic widow and regent princess Margaret of Münsterberg
Margaret of Münsterberg
Margaret of Münsterberg was a Silesian princess of the house of Münsterberg by birth and Duchess of Anhalt by marriage to Prince Ernest I of Anhalt-Dessau...
.
Background
The League was founded a few weeks after the Battle of FrankenhausenBattle of Frankenhausen
The Battle of Frankenhausen was fought on 15 May 1525. It was the final act of the German Peasants' War: joint troops of Landgrave Philip I of Hesse and Duke George of Saxony defeated the peasants under their Anabaptist leader Thomas Müntzer near Frankenhausen in the County of Schwarzburg .On April...
in Thuringia
Thuringia
The Free State of Thuringia is a state of Germany, located in the central part of the country.It has an area of and 2.29 million inhabitants, making it the sixth smallest by area and the fifth smallest by population of Germany's sixteen states....
, where revolting peasants had been overpowered. This suggested to the Catholic sovereigns that a crackdown against Protestantism
Protestantism
Protestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the...
should be possible. Although she had a mostly friendly attitude towards Martin Luther himself, the princess feared a repeat of the peasant uprisings in her own country, so she convened the League, against the wishes of her sons.
Within Anhalt, the league was limited to the Principality of Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau
Anhalt-Dessau was a principality and later a duchy located in Germany. It was created in 1396 following the partition of the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst. The capital of the state was Dessau. Anhalt-Dessau experienced a number of partitions throughout its existence with Anhalt-Köthen being...
, because the neighbouring principalities of Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen has existed on two separate occasions. The first state was created in 1396 when the Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. The first creation lasted until 1552 when it was inherited by Anhalt-Dessau....
and Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg
Anhalt-Bernburg was a principality of the Holy Roman Empire and a duchy of the German Confederation ruled by the House of Ascania with its residence at Bernburg in present-day Saxony-Anhalt...
had converted to Lutheranism
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
in 1525 and 1526, as the second and third countries in the world to do so, after Electoral Saxony. Anhalt-Dessau followed suit in 1534, under Margaret's son George III
George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau
George III, Prince of Anhalt-Dessau , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Dessau...
, well after margaret's death in 1530.
Effects
The Protestant Princes responded by forming the League of TorgauLeague of Torgau
The League of Torgau was an alliance of Protestant princes, including Philip of Hesse and John of Saxony, which was formed in 1526 by Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire, to oppose the terms set forth in the Edict of Worms. Because it had no substantial military, it was unable to...
.
The League of Dessau did not have much effect. The League was unable to motivate the Catholic princes in the south of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
to join. During the First Diet of Speyer
First Diet of Speyer
The Diet of Speyer or the Diet of Spires was a diet of the Holy Roman Empire in 1526 in the Imperial City of Speyer . The diet's ambiguous edict resulted in a temporary suspension of the Edict of Worms and aided the expansion of Protestantism...
in 1526, followers of both faiths attempted to agree on a political compromise. The Edict of Worms was repealed. A decision was taken to tolerate the new faith until a Synod
Synod
A synod historically is a council of a church, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. In modern usage, the word often refers to the governing body of a particular church, whether its members are meeting or not...
could resolve the religious differences.
Members
Members of the alliance included:- Duke GeorgeGeorge, Duke of SaxonyGeorge the Bearded, Duke of Saxony , was duke of Saxony from 1500 to 1539.Duke George was a member of the Order of the Golden Fleece.-Early life:...
of Saxony - Elector Joachim I NestorJoachim I, Elector of BrandenburgJoachim I Nestor was a Prince-elector of the Margraviate of Brandenburg . A member of the House of Hohenzollern, his nickname was taken from King Nestor of Greek mythology.- Biography :...
of Brandenburg - Archbishop Albert of Mainz and Magdeburg
- Duke Eric IEric I, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgEric I, the Elder was Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg from 1495 and the reigning prince of Calenberg-Göttingen.- Ancestry :Eric I was born on 16 February 1470 in Neustadt am Rübenberge at the castle of Rovenburg....
of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen - Duke Henry II of Brunswick-Wolfenbüttel