Editing Huldrych Zwingli (section)

===Politics, confessions, the Kappel Wars and death (1529–1531)===
{{Further|Second War of Kappel}}
[[File:Schlacht bei Kappel.jpg|thumb|320px|The [[Second war of Kappel|Battle of Kappel]], 11 October 1531, from ''Chronik'' by [[Johann Stumpf (writer)|Johannes Stumpf]], 1548]]
[[File:Ermordung Zwingli Jauslin.JPG|thumb|"The murder of Zwingli", by [[Karl Jauslin]] (1842–1904).]]
With the failure of the Marburg Colloquy and the split of the Confederation, Zwingli set his goal on an alliance with [[Philip of Hesse]]. He kept up a lively correspondence with Philip. Bern refused to participate, but after a long process, Zurich, Basel, and Strasbourg signed a mutual defence treaty with Philip in November 1530. Zwingli also personally negotiated with France's diplomatic representative, but the two sides were too far apart. France wanted to maintain good relations with the Five States. Approaches to Venice and Milan also failed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=141–143}}</ref>

As Zwingli was working on establishing these political alliances, [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]], the Holy Roman Emperor, invited Protestants to the [[Augsburg Diet]] to present their views so that he could make a verdict on the issue of faith. The Lutherans presented the [[Augsburg Confession]]. Under the leadership of Martin Bucer, the cities of Strasbourg, Constance, [[Memmingen]], and [[Lindau]] produced the [[Tetrapolitan Confession]]. This document attempted to take a middle position between the Lutherans and Zwinglians.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}}

It was too late for the ''Burgrecht'' cities to produce a confession of their own. Zwingli then produced his own private confession, ''Fidei ratio'' (Account of Faith) in which he explained his faith in twelve articles conforming to the articles of the [[Apostles' Creed]]. The tone was strongly anti-Catholic as well as anti-Lutheran. The Lutherans did not react officially, but criticised it privately. Zwingli's and Luther's old opponent, [[Johann Eck]], counter-attacked with a publication, ''Refutation of the Articles Zwingli Submitted to the Emperor''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=143–146}}</ref>

When Philip of Hesse formed the [[Schmalkaldic League]] at the end of 1530, the four cities of the Tetrapolitan Confession joined on the basis of a Lutheran interpretation of that confession. Given the flexibility of the league's entrance requirements, Zurich, Basel, and Bern also considered joining. However, Zwingli could not reconcile the Tetrapolitan Confession with his own beliefs and wrote a harsh refusal to Bucer and Capito. This offended Philip to the point where relations with the League were severed. The ''Burgrecht'' cities now had no external allies to help deal with internal Confederation religious conflicts.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|p=148}}</ref>

The peace treaty of the First Kappel War did not define the right of unhindered preaching in the Catholic states. Zwingli interpreted this to mean that preaching should be permitted, but the Five States suppressed any attempts to reform. The ''Burgrecht'' cities considered different means of applying pressure to the Five States. Basel and Schaffhausen preferred quiet diplomacy while Zurich wanted armed conflict. Zwingli and Jud unequivocally advocated an attack on the Five States. Bern took a middle position which eventually prevailed. In May 1531, Zurich reluctantly agreed to impose a food blockade. It failed to have any effect and in October, Bern decided to withdraw the blockade. Zurich urged its continuation and the ''Burgrecht'' cities began to quarrel among themselves.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=148–150}}</ref>

On 9 October 1531, in a surprise move, the Five States declared war on Zurich. Zurich's mobilisation was slow due to internal squabbling and, on 11 October, 3500 poorly deployed men encountered a Five States force nearly double their size near Kappel. Many pastors, including Zwingli, were among the soldiers. The battle lasted less than one hour and Zwingli was among the 500 casualties in the Zurich army.<ref>{{Harvnb|Gäbler|1986|pp=150–152}}</ref>

Zwingli had considered himself first and foremost a soldier of Christ; second a defender of his country, the Confederation; and third a leader of his city, Zurich, where he had lived for the previous twelve years. Ironically, he died at the age of 47, not for Christ nor for the Confederation, but for Zurich.<ref>{{Harvnb|Potter|1976|p=414}}</ref> 

In Tabletalk, Luther is recorded saying: "They say that Zwingli recently died thus; if his error had prevailed, we would have perished, and our church with us. It was a judgment of God. That was always a proud people. The others, the papists, will probably also be dealt with by our Lord God."<ref>Luther Works Tabletalk No. 94: God's Punishment of the Godless (Early November 1531)</ref>

[[Erasmus]] wrote, "We are freed from great fear by the death of the two preachers, Zwingli and [[Oecolampadius]], whose fate has wrought an incredible change in the mind of many. This is the wonderful hand of God on high."<ref>{{cite book |title=Erasmus A Study Of His Life Ideals And Place In History |date=1962 |publisher=Frederick Ungar Publishing Co. |page=395 |url=https://archive.org/details/erasmusastudyofh013578mbp}}</ref> Oecolampadius had died on 24 November. Erasmus also wrote, "If [[Bellona (goddess)|Bellona]] had favoured them, it would have been all over with us."<ref>[[Philip Hughes (historian)|Philip Hughes]] (1957), ''A Popular History of the Reformation'', 1960 reprint, Garden City, New York: Image Books, Ch. 4, "Luther. The First Protestants", Sec. v, "Zwingli", p. 139.</ref>