Peace of Augsburg

Quick Facts: Who was Peace of Augsburg?

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Peace of Augsburg

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Treaty establishing religious division in the Holy Roman Empire: Cuius regio, eius religio.

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Origins & Early Life

The Peace of Augsburg (German: Augsburger Frieden), also called the Augsburg Settlement, was a treaty between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and the Schmalkaldic League, signed on 25 September 1555 in the German city of Augsburg. It officially ended the religious struggle between the two groups and made the legal division of Christianity permanent within the Holy Roman Empire, allowing rulers to choose either Lutheranism or Roman Catholicism as the official confession of their state. Calvinism was not allowed until the Peace of Westphalia. The Peace of Augsburg has been described as "the first step on the road toward a European system of sovereign states." The system, created based on the Augsburg Peace, collapsed at the beginning of the 17th century, which was one of the reasons for the Thirty Years' War. The Peace elaborated the principle Cuius regio, eius religio ("whose realm, his religion"), which allowed the princes of states within the Holy Roman Empire to adopt either Lutheranism or Catholicism within the domains they controlled, ultimately reaffirming their sovereignty over those domains.

Career & Major Achievements

Subjects, citizens, or residents were generally forced to convert to their prince's religion, through a principle called ius reformandi. Those who did not wish to conform to the prince's choice were given a grace period in which they were free to emigrate to different regions in which their desired religion had been accepted. This principle is known as ius emigrandi. However, serfs were essentially excluded from this right to emigrate. Article 24 stated: "In case our subjects, whether belonging to the Augsburg Confession, should intend leaving their homes with their wives and children to settle in another, they shall be hindered neither in the sale of their estates after due payment of the local taxes nor injured in their honor." Charles V had made an interim ruling, the Augsburg Interim of 1548, on the legitimacy of two religious creeds in the empire, and this was codified in law on 30 June 1548 upon the insistence of the emperor, who wanted to work out religious differences under the auspices of a general council of the Catholic Church.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The Interim largely reflected principles of Catholic religious behavior in its 26 articles, although it allowed for the marriage of the clergy and the giving of both bread and wine to the laity. This led to resistance by the Protestant territories, who proclaimed their own Interim at Leipzig the following year. The Interim was overthrown in 1552 by the revolt of the Protestant elector Maurice of Saxony and his allies. In the negotiations at Passau in the summer of 1552, even the Catholic princes had called for a lasting peace, fearing that the religious controversy would never be settled. The emperor, however, was unwilling to recognize the religious division in Western Christendom as permanent.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1548: 1548 Milestone — " Charles V had made an interim ruling, the Augsburg Interim of 1548, on the legitimacy of two religious creeds in the empire, and this was codified in law on 30 June 1548 upon the insistence of the emperor, who wanted to work out religious differences under the auspices of a general council of the Catholic Church.
2. 1552: 1552 Milestone — The Interim was overthrown in 1552 by the revolt of the Protestant elector Maurice of Saxony and his allies.
3. 1555: 1555 Milestone — The Peace of Augsburg (German: Augsburger Frieden), also called the Augsburg Settlement, was a treaty between Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor and the Schmalkaldic League, signed on 25 September 1555 in the German city of Augsburg.

Notable Quotes by Peace of Augsburg

“The Peace of Augsburg has been described as "the first step on the road toward a European system of sovereign states."”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Peace of Augsburg

True or False: “Did the Peace of Augsburg grant legal recognition to Calvinism within the Holy Roman Empire?”

Answer (FALSE ❌): The treaty explicitly excluded Calvinism; it was not allowed until the later Peace of Westphalia.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Peace of Augsburg