Editing Reformation (section)

===Princely Reformation in Germany===

[[File:Sack of Rome 1527.jpeg|thumb|right|alt=A man is falling from ladder at a tower with a city burning at the background|[[Sack of Rome (1527)|Sack of Rome]] in 1527 by [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Charles V]]'s troops (1555) on a woodcut by [[Maarten van Heemskerck]]]]

The Grand Master of the Teutonic Knights [[Albert, Duke of Prussia|Albert of Brandenburg-Ansbach]] ({{reign|1510|1525}}) was the first prince to formally abandon Catholicism. The [[Teutonic Order]] held [[Royal Prussia]] in [[fief]] of Poland. After defeats in a [[Polish–Teutonic War (1519–1521)|war against]] Poland and Lithuania demoralised the Knights, Albert transformed the region into the hereditary [[Duchy of Prussia]] in April 1525. As the secularisation of Prussia represented an open rebellion against Catholicism, it was followed by the establishment of the first Evangelical [[state Church|state church]].{{sfn|MacCulloch|2003|p=158}} In August, Albert's brothers, [[Casimir, Margrave of Brandenburg-Kulmbach|Casimir]] ({{reign|1515|1527}}) and [[George, Margrave of Brandenburg-Ansbach|George]] ({{reign|1536|1543}}) instructed the priests in [[Principality of Bayreuth|Brandenburg-Kulmbach]] and [[Principality of Ansbach|Brandenburg-Ansbach]] to pray the doctrine of justification by faith alone.{{sfn|Cameron|2012|pp=256–257}} The Reformation was officially introduced in Electoral Saxony under [[John, Elector of Saxony|John the Constant]] ({{reign|1525|1532}}) on Christmas Day 1525.{{sfn|Cameron|2012|pp=271–272}} Electoral Saxony's conversion facilitated the adoption of the Reformation in smaller German states, such as [[County of Mansfeld|Mansfeld]] and [[Landgraviate of Hessen|Hessen]].{{sfn|Cantoni|2012|p=524}}{{sfn|Cameron|2012|p=273}} Philip of Hessen founded the [[University of Marburg|first Evangelical university]] at his capital [[Marburg]] in 1527.{{sfn|MacCulloch|2003|p=159}}

At the [[Diet of Speyer (1526)|Diet of Speyer]] in 1526, the German princes agreed that they would "live, govern, and act in such a way as everyone trusted to justify before God and the Imperial Majesty".{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=219}} In practice, they sanctioned the principle {{lang|la|[[cuius regio, eius religio]]}} ('whose realm, their religion'), acknowledging the princes' right to determine their subjects' religious affiliation.{{sfn|MacCulloch|2003|p=161}} Fully occupied with the [[War of the League of Cognac]] against France and its Italian allies, Emperor Charles had appointed his brother [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand I, Archduke of Austria]] ({{reign|1521|1564}}) to represent him in Germany. They both opposed the compromise, but Ferdinand was brought into succession struggles in Bohemia and Hungary after their brother-in-law King Louis died in the [[Battle of Mohács]]. In 1527, Charles's mutinous{{sfn|Collinson|2005|p=92}} troops [[Sack of Rome (1527)|sacked Rome]] and took [[Pope Clement VII]] ({{reign|1523|1534}}) under custody. Luther stated that "Christ reigns in such a way that the emperor who persecutes Luther for the pope is forced to destroy the pope for Luther".{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=219}}

After his experiences with radical communities, Luther no more wrote of the congregations' right to elect their ministers (or [[pastor]]s). Instead, he expected that princes acting as "emergency bishops" would prevent the disintegration of the Church.{{sfn|MacCulloch|2003|p=161}} Close cooperation between clerics and princely officials at church visitations paved the way for the establishment of the new church system.{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=220}} In Electoral Saxony, princely decrees enacted the Evangelical ideas.{{sfn|Cameron|2012|p=272}} Liturgy was simplified, the church courts' jurisdiction over secular cases was abolished, and state authorities took control of church property.{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=220}} The Evangelical equivalent to bishop was created with the appointment of a former Catholic priest [[Johannes Bugenhagen]] (d. 1558) as [[Superintendent (Christianity)|superintendent]] in 1533.{{sfn|Cameron|2012|p=272}} The church visitations convinced Luther that the villagers' knowledge of the Christian faith was imperfect.{{refn|group=note|Many of the believers could not cite the [[Ten Commandments]], the [[Apostles' Creed]], or the [[Lord's Prayer]].{{sfn|Stayer|2006|p=141}}}} To deal with the situation, he completed two [[cathecism]]s—the ''[[Luther's Large Catechism|Large Catechism]]'' for the education of priests, and the ''[[Luther's Small Catechism|Small Catechism]]'' for children.{{sfn|Stayer|2006|p=141}} Records from Brandenburg-Ansbach indicates that Evangelical pastors often attacked traditional communal activities such as church fairs and [[Spinning bee#In other countries|spinning bees]] for debauchery.{{sfn|Stayer|2006|p=142}}

{{Quote box
 |title     = Evangelical Imperial Estates on their protestation at the Diet of Speyer 
 |quote     = "In matters concerning God's honor and our soul's salvation everyone must stand before God and answer by himself, nobody can excuse himself in that place by the actions of decisions of others whether they be a minority or majority." 
 |author    = Five imperial princes and representatives of fourteen imperial cities
 |source    = ''[[Protestation at Speyer]]'' (1529){{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=220}}
 |align     = right
 |width     = 25%
 |bgcolor   = #F5FAFF
 |title_bg  = #CEE0F2
 |qalign    = left
 |salign    = right
 }}

Taking advantage of Emperor Charles' victories in Italy, {{nowrap|Ferdinand I}} achieved the reinforcement of the imperial ban against Luther at the [[Diet of Speyer (1529)|Diet of Speyer]] in 1529. In response, five imperial princes and fourteen imperial cities{{refn|group=note|The protestation was signed by John the Constant, Philip the Magnanimous, George of Brandenburg-Ansbach, [[Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt-Köthen]] ({{reign|1508|1566}}), and [[Ernest I, Duke of Brunswick]] ({{reign|1527|1546}}), and the delegates of Strasbourg, Nuremberg, Ulm, Constance, [[Lindau]], [[Memmingen]], [[Kempten]], [[Nördlingen]], [[Heilbronn]], [[Reutlingen]], [[Isny im Allgäu]], St. Gallen, Weissenburg (now [[Wissembourg]], France), and [[Windesheim, Germany|Windesheim]] at Speyer.{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|p=221}}}} presented a formal {{lang|la|[[Protestation at Speyer|protestatio]]}}. They were mocked as "Protestants", and this appellation would be quickly applied to all followers of the new theologies.{{refn|group=note|Although not unusual, the use of the appelation "Protestant" when describing events before 1529 is anachronistic.{{sfn|McGrath|2021|p=4}}}}{{sfn|Lindberg|2021|pp=220–221}} To promote Protestant unity, Philip the Magnanimous [[Marburg Colloquy|organised a colloquy]] (or theological debate) between Luther, Melanchton, Zwingli and Oecolampadius at Marburg early in October 1529,{{sfn|MacCulloch|2003|p=168}} but they could not coin a common formula on the Eucharist.{{sfn|Cameron|2012|p=192}} During the discussion, Luther remarked that "Our spirit has nothing in common with your spirit", expressing the rift between the two mainstream versions of the Reformation. Zwingli's followers started to call themselves the "[[Reformed Church|Reformed]]", as they regarded themselves as the true reformers.{{sfn|Eire|2022|p=95}}