This title presents the European Reformation as seen through the life of an important but little-known participantPhilipp of Hesse, a nobleman who became a Reformation leader in Germany.
The Reformation was the most cataclysmic event in Western Christianity. An ideal resource for undergraduate history students and general readers, this title provides an accessible human narrative through the complex events of the period that many find bewildering. History comes alive and events unfold through the eyes of Philipp of Hesse, a German nobleman who ascended to becoming a key Reformation leader.
The book begins with a detailed survey of the Holy Roman Empire at the turn of the 16th century and provides chronological coverage of Philipp's life and role in the Reformation through to after his death in 1567, after which Calvinism rose within the empire. The chapters document how Philipp of Hesse knew every major figure of the German Reformation; participated in every major Reformation-era imperial diet; was present at every important event in the Lutheran-dominated, foundational period of 1521 to 1555; and became a leading Lutheran prince in the Holy Roman Empire. Additionally, the work thoroughly documents the connections between religion, politics, and society and explains the important role of the German nobility in the development of the Reformation.
David M. Whitfordis professor of reformation studies at Baylor University and an editor of the
Sixteenth Century Journal(SCJ).A readily accessible introduction. . . . Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels/libraries.
ChoicePreface
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1 1504A Prince of Hesse: Life at the Dawn of the Sixteenth Century
Chapter 2 1509The Landgrave of Hesse
Chapter 3 1521The Diet of Worms: Martin Luther and the Beginning of the Reformation
Chapter 4 The Reformation and the Peasants' War
Chapter 5 Crisis amid Reform
Chapter 6 A SealC,