Protestation at Speyer
Encyclopedia
Fürst
Fürst is a German title of nobility, usually translated into English as Prince.The term refers to the head of a principality and is distinguished from the son of a monarch, who is referred to as Prinz...
en (princes) and 14 Imperial Free Cities, representing the Protestant minority, petitioned the Reichstag at Speyer
Speyer
Speyer is a city of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located beside the river Rhine, Speyer is 25 km south of Ludwigshafen and Mannheim. Founded by the Romans, it is one of Germany's oldest cities...
against the Reichsacht
Reichsacht
The imperial ban was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire. At different times, it could be declared by the Holy Roman Emperor, by courts like the Vehmgericht or the Reichskammergericht, or by the Reichstag....
(Imperial Ban) against 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...
, as well as the proscription of his works and teachings, and called for the unhindered spread of the "evangelical" (i.e. Protestant) faith.
The 6 Princes
- John the Steadfast of WettinJohn, Elector of SaxonyJohn of Saxony , known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant, was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532...
, ElectorPrince-electorThe Prince-electors of the Holy Roman Empire were the members of the electoral college of the Holy Roman Empire, having the function of electing the Roman king or, from the middle of the 16th century onwards, directly the Holy Roman Emperor.The heir-apparent to a prince-elector was known as an...
of SaxonyElectorate of SaxonyThe Electorate of Saxony , sometimes referred to as Upper Saxony, was a State of the Holy Roman Empire. It was established when Emperor Charles IV raised the Ascanian duchy of Saxe-Wittenberg to the status of an Electorate by the Golden Bull of 1356... - George the Pious of HohenzollernGeorge, Margrave of Brandenburg-AnsbachGeorge of Brandenburg-Ansbach was a Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach from the House of Hohenzollern.- Early life :...
, MargraveMargraveA margrave or margravine was a medieval hereditary nobleman with military responsibilities in a border province of a kingdom. Border provinces usually had more exposure to military incursions from the outside, compared to interior provinces, and thus a margrave usually had larger and more active...
of Brandenburg-AnsbachPrincipality of AnsbachThe Principality of Ansbach or Brandenburg-Ansbach was a reichsfrei principality in the Holy Roman Empire centered on the Bavarian city of Ansbach... - Ernest I the Confessor of Brunswick-LüneburgErnest I, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgErnest of Brunswick-Lüneburg , also frequently called Ernest the Confessor, was duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg and a champion of the protestant cause during the early years of the Protestant Reformation...
, DukeDukeA duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...
of Lüneburg-Celle and his brother - Francis, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgFrancis, Duke of Brunswick-LüneburgFrancis of Brunswick-Lüneburg was the youngest son of Henry the Middle. Following a thirty-year joint reign of Brunswick-Lüneburg with his brother Ernest the Confessor, he ruled the newly-founded Duchy of Gifhorn from Gifhorn Castle for over 10 years from 1539 until his death in 1549...
, Duke of GifhornGifhornGifhorn is a town and capital of the district Gifhorn in the east of Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 42,000 and is mainly influenced by the small distance to the industrial and commercially important cities nearby, Brunswick and Wolfsburg... - Philip I the MagnanimousPhilip I, Landgrave of HessePhilip I of Hesse, , nicknamed der Großmütige was a leading champion of the Protestant Reformation and one of the most important of the early Protestant rulers in Germany....
, LandgraveLandgraveLandgrave was a title used in the Holy Roman Empire and later on by its former territories. The title refers to a count who had feudal duty directly to the Holy Roman Emperor...
of HesseLandgraviate of HesseThe Landgraviate of Hesse was a Landgraviate of the Holy Roman Empire. It existed as a unity from 1264 to 1567, when it was divided between the sons of Philip I, Landgrave of Hesse.-History:... - Wolfgang of AscaniaWolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-KöthenWolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen , was a German prince of the House of Ascania and ruler of the principality of Anhalt-Köthen...
, PrincePrincePrince is a general term for a ruler, monarch or member of a monarch's or former monarch's family, and is a hereditary title in the nobility of some European states. The feminine equivalent is a princess...
of Anhalt-KöthenAnhalt-KöthenAnhalt-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....
The 14 Imperial Free Cities
- Strassburg
- AugsburgAugsburgAugsburg is a city in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. It is a university town and home of the Regierungsbezirk Schwaben and the Bezirk Schwaben. Augsburg is an urban district and home to the institutions of the Landkreis Augsburg. It is, as of 2008, the third-largest city in Bavaria with a...
- UlmUlmUlm is a city in the federal German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the River Danube. The city, whose population is estimated at 120,000 , forms an urban district of its own and is the administrative seat of the Alb-Donau district. Ulm, founded around 850, is rich in history and...
- KonstanzKonstanzKonstanz is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the south-west corner of Germany, bordering Switzerland. The city houses the University of Konstanz.-Location:...
- LindauLindauLindau is a Bavarian town and an island on the eastern side of Lake Constance, the Bodensee. It is the capital of the Landkreis or rural district of Lindau. The historic city of Lindau is located on an island which is connected with the mainland by bridge and railway.- History :The name Lindau was...
- MemmingenMemmingenMemmingen is a town in the Bavarian administrative region of Swabia in Germany. It is the central economic, educational and administrative centre in the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the river that marks the Baden-Württemberg border...
- KemptenKempten im AllgäuKempten is the largest town in Allgäu, a region in the south-west of Bavaria, Germany. The population was ca 61,000 in 2006. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later overtaken by the Romans, who called the town Cambodunum...
- NördlingenNördlingenNördlingen is a town in the Donau-Ries district, in Bavaria, Germany, with a population of 20,000. It is located in the middle of a complex meteorite crater, called the Nördlinger Ries. The town was also the place of two battles during the Thirty Years' War...
- HeilbronnHeilbronnHeilbronn is a city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is completely surrounded by Heilbronn County and with approximately 123.000 residents, it is the sixth-largest city in the state....
- ReutlingenReutlingenReutlingen is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous district of Reutlingen. As of April 2008, it has a population of 109,828....
- IsnyIsny im AllgäuIsny im Allgäu is a town in south-eastern Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is part of the district of Ravensburg, in the western, Württembergish part of the Allgäu region. For nearly 1000 years, Isny was an important town within the Holy Roman Empire...
- St. GallenSt. GallenSt. Gallen is the capital of the canton of St. Gallen in Switzerland. It evolved from the hermitage of Saint Gall, founded in the 7th century. Today, it is a large urban agglomeration and represents the center of eastern Switzerland. The town mainly relies on the service sector for its economic...
- WeissenburgWeissenburgThe German names Weissenburg and Weißenburg can refer to:* Weißenburg in Bayern in Germany* Alba Iulia in Romania* Wissembourg in France...
- WindsheimBad WindsheimBad Windsheim is a small historic city in Bavaria, Germany. It lies in the district Neustadt an der Aisch - Bad Windsheim, west of Nuremberg....
Cause
Eight years earlier Martin Luther had been banned from the Holy Roman Empire at the Diet of WormsDiet of Worms
The Diet of Worms 1521 was a diet that took place in Worms, Germany, and is most memorable for the Edict of Worms , which addressed Martin Luther and the effects of the Protestant Reformation.It was conducted from 28 January to 25 May 1521, with Emperor Charles V presiding.Other Imperial diets at...
of 1521. Emperor Charles V
Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
had wanted to end the religious unrest between the Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
majority and the evangelical
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...
minority at the Second Diet of Speyer
Second Diet of Speyer
The Diet of Speyer or the Diet of Spires was a diet of the Holy Roman Empire in 1529 in the Imperial City of Speyer . The diet condemned the results of the Diet of Speyer of 1526 and prohibited future reformation...
. The "Lutheran Heresy" and the resulting religious strife did not figure in his political plans.
The Edict of Worms had been suspended in 1526, when 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...
decided that every prince should hold whichever religious beliefs he could justify before his King and God.
Barely three years after the Reichstag of 1526, on the 1 March 1529 Charles V announced a new Reichstag. He again let himself be represented by his brother Ferdinand
Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor
Ferdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, as he could not personally appear due to the war with France.
In his opening address Ferdinand gave the decision of the Emperor: the annulment of the Reichstag's decision in 1526, recognition of "great mistakes and misunderstanding" and the threat of Imperial Ban against "seduction by false beliefs". Until clarification from another council
Ecumenical council
An ecumenical council is a conference of ecclesiastical dignitaries and theological experts convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice....
all further new developments would remain forbidden. He also made further declarations:
"Those that until now have followed the Edict of Worms should continue to do so. In the areas where this has been deviated from, there shall be no further new developments and no-one shall be refused Mass. Finally, the sects which contradict the sacrament of the true body and blood, shall absolutely not be tolerated, no more than the Anabaptists."
On 19 April the majority of representatives accepted the revocation of the 1526 edict. The evangelicals were told that they should yield "to the fair and proper decisions" of the majority. At this point the evangelical princes left the hall. When they returned somewhat later, Ferdinand wanted to leave the hall and refused to listen to them. So their objection was read out: they protested against the decision of the majority, to undo the decision of the 1526 Reichstag. Ferdinand demanded that they "accepted and obeyed the decision".
The Protestant delegates refused to be bound by secular authority in matters of faith. On 20 April they presented the "Letter of Protestation", which Ferdinand refused to accept. Therefore it did not come to be read out, but was printed and made public.
The "Letter of Protestation" was signed by Johann, Elector of Saxony, Georg, Margrave of Brandenburg, Ernst, Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse, and Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt.
At the final sitting of the Reichstag on 24 April the "decision of the Reichstag" was once more read out, but no word was said of the protest by the evangelical princes. In response the councils of the evangelical princes and the agents of the Free Cities met on 25 April and drew up a Instrumentum Appellationis, in which complaints against the decision of the Reichstag were once more summarised. This text was brought to the Holy Roman Emperor by an embassy. Since this Reichstag the adherents of the reform movement became known as "Protestants", and thus the protestation of the Princes and Free Cities has been seen as the birth of 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...
.
The decision of the Reichstag was protested by
- Elector John of Saxony,
- Gregor Brück (Pontanus), Chancellor of Elector John
- Philipp MelanchthonPhilipp MelanchthonPhilipp Melanchthon , born Philipp Schwartzerdt, was a German reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, intellectual leader of the Lutheran Reformation, and an influential designer of educational systems...
, companion of Elector John - Simon GrynaeusSimon GrynaeusSimon Grynaeus , German scholar and theologian of the Reformation, son of Jacob Gryner, a Swabian peasant, was born at Veringendorf, in Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen.He adopted the name Grynaeus from the epithet of Apollo in Virgil...
, companion of Philipp Melanchthon - Johann Agricola, chaplain of Elector John
- Landgrave Phillip of Hesse
- Erhard Schnepf, chaplain of Philip of Hesse
- Margrave George of Brandenburg-Anhalt
- Duke Ernst of Braunschweig-Lüneburg
- Duke Franz of Braunschweig-Lüneburg
- Johann FörsterJohann ForsterJohann Forster Forsterus, Förster or Forstheim Johann Forster Forsterus, Förster or Forstheim Johann Forster Forsterus, Förster or Forstheim (Augsburg (10 July 1496 - 7 December 1558 in Wittenberg) was a Lutheran theologian and professor of Hebrew.-References:...
, Chancellor of Dukes Franz and Ernst of Braunschweig-Lüneburg - Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt
- Count William of Fürstenberg
- Bürgermeister Christoph Tetzel, representative of Nürnberg
- Bürgermeister Christoph Kreß, representative of Nürnberg
- Bürgermeister Bernhard Buamgärtner, representative of Nürnberg
- Councillor Jakob Sturm, representative of Straßburg
- Guildmaster Matthias, clergyman, representative of Straßburg
- Bürgermeister Bernhard Besserer, representative of Ulm
- Bürgermeister Sebastian Hagelstein, representative of Windsheim
- Bürgermeister Josef Weiß, representative of Reutlingen
The decision of the Reichstag was voted for by
- Holy Roman Emperor Charles VCharles V, Holy Roman EmperorCharles V was ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1519 and, as Charles I, of the Spanish Empire from 1516 until his voluntary retirement and abdication in favor of his younger brother Ferdinand I and his son Philip II in 1556.As...
, - FerdinandFerdinand I, Holy Roman EmperorFerdinand I was Holy Roman Emperor from 1558 and king of Bohemia and Hungary from 1526 until his death. Before his accession, he ruled the Austrian hereditary lands of the Habsburgs in the name of his elder brother, Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor.The key events during his reign were the contest...
, imperial commissioner and representative of Charles V - Grand Chancellor Bernhard Cles, Bishop of Trent, imperial commissioner
- Freiherr Georg Truchsess von Waldburg, vice-regent of King Ferdinand
- Dr. Johann Faber, canon of Konstanz and Basel
- Probst Balthasar von Waldkirch, imperial commissioner
- Frederick II, Elector PalatineFrederick II, Elector PalatineFrederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Prince-elector of the Palatinate from 1544 to 1556.- Biography :...
, imperial commissioner - William IV, Duke of BavariaWilliam IV, Duke of BavariaWilliam IV of Bavaria was Duke of Bavaria from 1508 to 1550, until 1545 together with his younger brother Louis X, Duke of Bavaria....
, imperial commissioner - Leonhard von Eck, chancellor of Duke Wilhelm IV. of Bavaria
- Louis X, Duke of BavariaLouis X, Duke of BavariaLouis X , was Duke of Bavaria , together with his older brother William IV, Duke of Bavaria...
- Herzog Erich der Ältere of Braunschweig, imperial commissioner
See also
- Approximate original German of the Protestation of 19 April on p. 50 of the edition ed. J. Ney; original German of the Appellation of 25 April on p. 27 of the edition ed. J. Ney. "Approximate original," I say, because according to Ney, “The protesting princes retained apparently no copy of the Protestation written down in a hurry and handed over to the Reichstag. For this reason , only the ‘approximate’ content of the Protestation handed over on the 19 April could be included in the Instrument of Appellation" (Ney, p. 50, note 1; cf. Ney, pp. 12 ff.). According to Eike Wolgast's entry in the Oxford encyclopedia of the Reformation ("Speyer, Protestation of"), "On 12 April 1529 the evangelical rulers submitted a written declaration to the diet that constituted an early draft of the subsequent protestation. . . . On 19 April . . . the first protestation followed. It was rejected. Accordingly, the evangelical estates presented a second protestation on 20 April which repeated the previous day's arguments in greater detail. . . . The protestation received legal status through the appeal that the Protestant princes and imperial cities lodged before two notaries in Speyer on 25 April 1529. This appeal contained a report on the proceedings between majority and minority and all important documents. The text was immediately disseminted in print," etc. (vol. 4, p. 104).
- Speyer Memorial Church