The revolt of the Imperial Knights and the peasants' war: causes and outcomes; part played by Lutheranism and Luther's reaction; Luther's pamphlets of 1525; imperial diets, princes and cities; Lutheran-Catholic negotiations including the 1530 Augsburg Confession
Between 1522 and 1525, two violent uprisings shook the Holy Roman Empire. Luther's ideas inspired both revolts, but he publicly condemned the peasants. By 1530, Lutherans and Catholics tried to negotiate a settlement at Augsburg.
Real World
In his 1525 pamphlet 'Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants', Luther urged German princes to 'stab, smite and slay' the rebels — his willingness to side with authority over the poor permanently damaged his reputation among the rural poor and many humanists.
Exam Focus
The Augsburg Confession (1530) is often underused — cite it as evidence of Lutheran attempts at compromise, not just confrontation, when 'assess' questions require balance.
Essay Framework
Use PEEL to structure every paragraph. Tap each step for guidance and an example.
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