Editing Woerden (section)

=== Heretics and rebels ===
[[Erasmus]] probably spent his boyhood from age five to nine in Woeden in the household of his father, the local priest from 1471.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Goudriaan |first1=Koen |title=New Evidence on Erasmus’ Youth |journal=Erasmus Studies |date=6 September 2019 |volume=39 |issue=2 |pages=184–216 |doi=10.1163/18749275-03902002|hdl=1871.1/2eb41bd4-6929-41be-a984-94747300015a |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

The reign of Charles V was a period of relative peace and prosperity for Woerden, despite religious unrest. In April 1522, Charles V introduced the [[Inquisition]] in the [[Low Countries]].

Johannes Pistorius Woerdensis ([[Jan de Bakker]]), a catholic [[Priesthood (Catholic Church)|priest]], was the first preacher in the Northern Netherlands to be [[martyr]]ed as a direct result of his religious beliefs. His father was a [[Sexton (office)|sexton]] in Woerden and also tenant of the [[brickworks]], and his surname was derived from that profession.

Jan de Bakker was a pupil of {{Interlanguage link multi|Hinne Rode|nl}} (Johannes Rhodius), headmaster of St. [[Jerome]] School of the [[Brethren of the Common Life]] in Utrecht. Rode was a proponent of [[Sacramentarian]]ism, and in 1520 his father called Jan back to Woerden, perhaps out of concern about those heretic views. Jan transferred to [[Katholieke Universiteit Leuven|Leuven]], and in 1522 completed his education there. He returned to Woerden, was [[Ordination|ordained]] in Utrecht as a priest, and assisted his father as sexton and [[Deacon#Latin Catholicism|deacon]].
[[File:Eric II of Brunswick-Lüneburg (1528-1584), Duke of Calenberg-Göttingen.jpg|thumb|[[Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg]] with the collar of the [[Order of the Golden Fleece]], awarded in 1573 by [[Philip II of Spain]] for his services as army commander.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.welfen.de/erich2.htm|title=Erich II|website=www.welfen.de|access-date=16 July 2019}}</ref>]]
Jan started to spread the [[heresy|heretic]] views, and in May 1523 he and another priest were arrested by the steward of the castle. After a short while they were released, and it is thought that the two travelled to [[Wittenberg]], but there is no evidence he met with [[Martin Luther]]. After he returned he continued his preachings, and the conflict with the [[Roman Catholic Church]] was further aggravated by the fact that he broke his [[celibacy]], and got married. In the night of 9 May 1525, he was arrested and the next day transferred to [[The Hague]], where he appeared before the Inquisition. He was [[Defrocking|defrocked]] and sentenced to death, and on 15 September 1525 [[burned at the stake]] in [[The Hague]]. His widow saved her live by recanting the heresies and lived out her life in an [[abbey]].
[[File:Woerden stadhaus.jpg|thumb|The old stadhuis (city hall) in Woerden, now a museum]]
The city magistrates of Woerden were tolerant towards the Lutheran confession. In 1566 this resulted in a confrontation with duke Eric of Brunswick, who was Lord of Woerden at that time.

Although [[Eric II, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg|Eric of Brunswick]] was raised Lutheran he converted to Catholicism in 1547, much to the regret of his mother [[Elisabeth of Brandenburg, Duchess of Brunswick-Calenberg-Göttingen|Elisabeth of Brandenburg]]. Eric served as commanding officer in the armies of [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] and [[Philip II of Spain|Philip II]], and fought on their side in the [[Schmalkaldic War]] (1546–1547) and the [[Italian War of 1551-1559|Franco-Habsburg War]] (1551–1559). During the [[Battle of St. Quentin (1557)]] he distinguished himself by taking French [[Marshal of France|Marshal]]s [[Anne de Montmorency]] and [[Jacques d'Albon de Saint-André]] prisoner. These prisoners were very important to Philip II as a bargaining chip during negotiations for the peace [[Italian War of 1551-1559#Le Cateau-Cambrésis (1559)|Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis]]. In 1558, Philip II granted [[Duke]] Eric of Brunswick the [[Manorialism|Lord]]ship of Woerden as compensation, over the objection of the city magistrates of Woerden who felt that this was an infringement of promises made by [[Philip the Good]] in 1425.

In the wake of [[Reformation iconoclasm|iconoclastic]] [[Dutch Revolt#1566—Iconoclasm and repression|riots]] that swept the country in 1566 a prominent citizen of Woerden, Warnaer Claesz, petitioned the city magistrates to introduce the [[Augsburg Confession]]. There was also a disruption of the church worship. As a precaution, the city magistrates removed icons and other valuables from the church and stored them in a safe place, and closed the church. The [[Hof van Holland|court of Holland]] concurred with the actions taken by the city magistrates, but Duke Eric of Brunswick objected. He demanded that Catholic worship would be restored. The city magistrates delayed by questioning his authority in this matter. Duke Eric responded by raising a small army and forced the city magistrates to comply.

Duke Eric was also instrumental in suppressing the ill-fated rebellion of [[Hendrik van Brederode]], Lord of [[Vianen]]. After the [[Les Gueux|rebel army]] was defeated in the [[Battle of Oosterweel]] (13 March 1567) Eric of Brunswick captured Vianen on May 5, 1567.

In later history, the town saw occupation by the Spanish (1575, 1576) and the French (1672, 1673, and particularly disastrous in 1813).