Prompt: Analyze the causes of and the responses to the peasants’ revolt in the German states, 1524-1526.
During the 1500s, many religious changes were introduced in the Protestant Reformation. Through new Christian ideals, this change gave the peasants of Europe a force to go against their rulers in a violent rebellion. The German Peasants’ Revolt was one out the many series of rebellions between 1524-1526 caused by the harsh ruling of local rulers on peasants and the heavy influence of Luther. These revolts resulted in the death of many peasants and the turning of religious teachings within Lutheranism.
Many opinions were stated about the stance of rulers in the cause revolt, many sources claimed rulers to be harsh and cruel towards their subjects, resulting to their own subjects rebelling against them. One source from Caspar Nützel, a town councilor immediately points out the unfairness of the treatment from authorities to their subjects. Nützel discussed how authorities constantly treated their subjects in an absurd manner where it is described as “The authorities have torn out the hair of their subjects” in his letter to Duke Albert of Prussia (Doc. 6). The document describes the harsh treating from rulers towards their subjects which lead them to the revolt. The fact that Nützel would be honest about the cruelness from authority towards their subjects is understandable considering that Nützel himself is a town councilor, which is considered a form of higher ruling. Another source that adds on to Nützels opinion of rulers mistreating their peasants comes from a lay preacher, Sebastian Lotzer and Christoph Schappeler, a preacher. Lotzer and Schappeler supported this idea of an unfair ruling in the Twelve Articles of Swabian Peasants, they spoke about rulers forcing their subjects into doing services and tasks without any reward (Doc. 2). Again, this document shows another form of rulers treating their subjects harshly rulers not rewarding their peasants after doing tasks led them to the revolt. Along with this document supports Nützel, it may be a reliable source of information because it comes from a lay preacher – Sebastian Lotzer, who is not directly involved with the conflicts having it be unbiased towards both sides of the revolts. Both of these sources reflect how rulers mistreated their peasants with the harsh and unfair ruling and how it lead to the German peasant’s revolt.
The results of the Peasants’ Revolt left many changes in population and religion (Lutheranism). By the end of the revolt, an estimate of 70,000-100,000 of peasants died. Along with population decrease, views on Lutheranism were changed. It was believed by peasants that Luther was an ally of theirs and supported their actions. The peasants used Luther as an object of protest and many of the those rebelling followed the beliefs of Lutheranism. Luther had been associated with the peasants and had been seen as a source of why the rebellion was taking place, as told by Leonhard von Eck, the Chancellor of Bavaria (Doc. 1). Leonhard shows how the voice of Luther had an influence on the peasants during this time. This document was also written to another ruler, the Duke of Ludwig of Bavaria so it is clear why it would speak of peasants in the negative way and is slightly biased to please the audience. That idea was later confronted by Luther himself revealing he was not with the peasants and their violent behavior. Stating that anyone involved with the violence would be associating themselves with the devil, that quickly shut down any beliefs about Luther supporting the peasants (Doc. 5). This changed the view of the teachings of Luther, showing what was considered Christian and what condemned as unchristian. The document may be a reliable source because it comes from Martin Luther himself, a religious icon seen by peasants. Both of these document address Lutheranism and how it was involved and changed throughout the revolt.
In the sixteenth century, rebellions began to rise against rulers, one of them being the German peasants’ revolt, which was caused by the harsh ruling of local rulers on peasants and the heavy influence of Luther. Similarly, other peasants’ have occurred throughout history relating to the German peasant’s revolt. The Jacquerie in the fourteenth century France is also seen as caused by the harsh ruling from those in power. These German revolts later resulted in the death of many peasants and views of Lutheranism to change.