Editing George, Duke of Saxony (section)

==Opposition to the Reformation==
From the beginning of the [[Protestant Reformation|Reformation]] in 1517, Duke George directed his energies chiefly to ecclesiastical affairs. Hardly one of the secular German princes held as firmly as he to the Church, he defended its rights and vigorously condemned every innovation except those countenanced by the highest ecclesiastical authorities. At first he was not opposed to Luther, but as time went on and Luther's aim became clear to him, he turned more and more from the Reformer, and was finally, in consequence of this change of attitude, drawn into an acrimonious correspondence in which Luther, according to some without any justification, heavily criticized the duke.<ref name="Catholic"/>

The duke was not blind to the undeniable abuses existing at that time in the Church. In 1519, despite the opposition of the theological faculty of the university, he originated the [[Disputation of Leipzig]], with the idea of helping forward the cause of truth, and was present at all the discussions. In 1521, at the [[Diet of Worms]], when the German princes handed in a paper containing a list of "grievances" concerning the condition of the Church, George added for himself twelve specific complaints referring mainly to the abuse of [[Indulgences]] and the [[annate]]s.<ref name="Catholic"/>

In 1525, he combined with his Lutheran son-in-law, Landgrave [[Philip of Hesse]], and his cousin, the Elector Frederick the Wise, to suppress the [[German Peasants' War|revolt of the peasants]], who were defeated near [[Bad Frankenhausen|Frankenhausen]] in [[Thuringia]]. Some years later, he wrote a forcible preface to a translation of the [[New Testament]] issued at his command by his private secretary, [[Hieronymus Emser]], as an offset to Luther's version. Lutheran books were confiscated by his order, wherever found, though he refunded the cost of the books. He proved himself in every way a vigorous opponent of the Lutherans, decreeing that Christian burial was to be refused to apostates, and recreant ecclesiastics were to be delivered to the [[bishop of Merseburg]].<ref name="Catholic"/>

For those, however, who merely held anti-catholic opinions, the punishment was only expulsion from the duchy. The duke deeply regretted the constant postponement of the ardently desired council, from the action of which so much was expected. While awaiting its convocation, he thought to remove the more serious defects by a reform of the monasteries, which had become exceedingly worldly in spirit and from which many of the inmates were departing. He vainly sought to obtain from the [[Curia]] the right, which was sometimes granted by [[Rome]], to make official visitations to the conventual institutions of his realm. His reforms were confined mainly to uniting the almost vacant monasteries and to matters of economic management, the control of the property being entrusted in most cases to the secular authorities.<ref name="Catholic"/>

In 1525, Duke George formed, with some other German rulers, the [[League of Dessau]], for the protection of Catholic interests. In the same way he was the animating spirit of the [[League of Halle]], formed in 1533, from which sprang in 1538 the [[Holy League of Nuremberg]] for the maintenance of the religious [[Peace of Nuremberg]].<ref name="Catholic"/>

The vigorous activity displayed by the duke in so many directions was not attended with much success. Most of his political measures stood the test of experience, but in ecclesiastico-political matters he witnessed with sorrow the gradual decline of Catholicism and the spread of Lutheranism within his dominions, in spite of his earnest efforts and forcible prohibition of the new doctrine. Furthermore, during George's lifetime his nearest relations his son-in-law Philip of Hesse, and his brother Heinrich, joined the Reformers.<ref name="Catholic"/>
[[File:The tomb of George the Bearded in the Georgskappelle, Meissen Cathedral.jpg|thumb|The tomb of George the Bearded in the Georgskappelle, [[Meissen Cathedral]]]]
He spent the last years of his reign in endeavours to secure a Catholic successor, thinking by this step to check the dissemination of Lutheran opinions. The only one of George's sons then living was the weak-minded and unmarried Frederick. The intention of his father was that Frederick should rule with the aid of a council. Early in 1539, Frederick was married to Elizabeth of [[Mansfeld]], but he died shortly afterwards, leaving no prospect of an heir. According to the act of settlement of 1499, George's Protestant brother Heinrich was now heir prospective; but George, disregarding his father's will, sought to disinherit his brother and to bequeath the duchy to [[Ferdinand I, Holy Roman Emperor|Ferdinand]], brother of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]]. His sudden death prevented the carrying out of this intention.<ref name="Catholic"/>