Religious Reformation and State Power

I. Introduction: Politics of Northern Europe before the Renaissance

A. Growing Power of the Habsburgs

B. Resisting the Habsburgs

II. The Northern Renaissance

A. Republic of Letters

B. Erasmus (Desiderius Erasmus, 1466-1536)

- Brethren of the Common Life

III. The Reformation

A. Martin Luther

- On the Freedom of the Christian Man (1520)

B. Jean Calvin

- predestination

IV. Wars of the Reformation

A. Within the German States

B. Council of Trent (1545-1563)

C. Wider European Wars

D. Treaty of Westphalia (1648)

V. Making Powerful States

A. Controlling Laws

B. Controlling Nobles

C. Controlling Revenue

VI. Conclusion: Powerful and Centralized European States

Key Terms

Habsburg dynasty

Charles V

Erasmus (Desiderius Erasmus)

Brethren of the Common Life

Martin Luther

Jean Calvin

predestination

Council of Trent

Society of Jesus

Treaty of Westphalia

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