Introduction to Modern German History 1. What‘s …...3.1 Hildesheim: The Empire in a Nutshell 3.2 North-West to South-East: Conflicts on the Fringes 3.3. Religious Polarization

Introduction to Modern German History

3. Confession, Faith, and Princely Power:1555 – 1618

Tobias Winnerling

Introduction to Modern German History: 3. Confession, Faith, and Princely Power: 1555 – 1618

3.1 Hildesheim: The Empire in a Nutshell3.2 North-West toSouth-East: Conflictson the Fringes3.3. ReligiousPolarization3.4 The Cologne War, 1583 – 15883.5 Life and Death andSocial Crises3.6. The workings ofthe Empire3.7. The Empire paralyzed: Confessio-nalization3.8. The Jülich-ClevesSuccession Crisis

Europe in 1555



Holy Roman Empire, 1555


Hildesheim

City, part of theHochstift (diocese) HildesheimProtestant since

1542, with a Catholic bishopMember of the

HanseNot really a free

imperial city, but almost independentDiocese of

Hildesheim withinthe Empire




Burgundy in 1477 Revolting Dutch provinces in 1582





Hungary betweenHabsburgs and Ottomans



From 1568 bothHabsburg linesentangled in conflictsBoth main conflict

areas(Netherlands, Hungary) situatedat the fringes ofthe EmpireMost of the Empire

relatively free frommilitary conflict



Council of Trent, engraving from 1565

EstablishesTridentineCatechismPositions

CatholicismagainstProtestantismStabilizes

papal authorityCatholic

confessiona-lization begins

Council of Trent 1545 – 1563



Book of Concord (“Konkordienbuch”),

Dresden 1580, title pageKalendarium Gregorianum

Perpetuum, Rome 1582



Ernest of Bavaria (1554–1612) asbishop of Hildesheim (Peter Weyher, 1573)

Gebhard, Freiherr zu Waldburg(1547–1601), Elector of Cologne

(Frank Hogenberg, 1584)



Electorate of Cologne, 1583

Gebhard zu Waldburg tries tosecularize the Electorate ofCologeAs this would influence the

Imperial Election, war breaksout (1583–1588)Spain and Bavaria support

Ernest of Bavaria, the Dutchand the Elector Palatine support Gebhard

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Elisabeth

3.1 Hildesheim: The Empire in a Nutshell3.2 North-West toSouth-East: Conflictson the Fringes3.3. ReligiousPolarization3.4 The Cologne War, 1583 – 15883.5 Life and Death and Social Crises3.6. The workings ofthe Empire3.7. The Empire paralyzed: Confessio-nalization3.8. The Jülich-ClevesSuccession Crisis


Joachim Brandis‘ Family: A Typical Pattern of Mortality

MargaretheAnna

JoachimElisabeth

Anna

Konrad

Joachim KasparHenning

JohannesJoachim Jacob

ElisabethAnthonius

Ursula

[Son]

[Son]Second Marriage: with Anna Weidemeier, 1587 – 1611

First Marriage: withAnna Kleineberges,1577 – 1585

Joachim

[Son]

Joachim Brandis had 18 children, 10 sons and 8 daughters; only 5 survived, 4 daughters and 1 son.

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Persons in the Family



Plague of 1597 Plague of 1608/9

Joachim Brandis‘ Family: A Typical Pattern of Mortality



1590s see an overall tightening of confessionaldiscipline

Example: In 1593, Joachim Brandis as mayor ofHildesheim is obliged to swear on the Book ofConcord and to sign a written vow:

„I Joachim Brandis the younger, mayor, avow with this my signature that I am devoted to the teachings set down in this Christian Book of Concord by heart, that I believe them in all points to be the salvific divine truth, and that I am determined by the help of God to stay true to them until my end and to profess so publicly for the glory of God. Given Hildesheim, September 27th 1593.”



The county of Hildesheim is composed of threeparties:City of Hildesheim (protestant)Estates of the bishopric (protestant)Bishop and cathedral chapter of Hildesheim

(catholic)

Problem: In case the county istaxed by the Empire (Imperial Contributions), who has to pay?Parties fight over the

contribution for about fiftyyearsThe Empire works slowly, but it

works



In 1588 the Imperial Chamber Court becomes blockedThe Aulic Court is

suspected of pro-Catholic judgementsThe Imperial Diet of

1597/8 almost endsinconclusivelyIn 1607 disputes

arise over theimperial executionagainst Donauwörth



United duchy ofJülich-Cleves-Berg



Wolfgang Wilhelm of Pfalz-Neuburg (1578–1653)

Johann Sigismund, Elector ofBrandenburg (1572–1619)

Christian II, Elector ofSaxony (1583–1611)

In 1609 duke Wilhelm V of Jülich-Cleve-Berg dies heirless Three princes vie for succession The Emperor, Spain, the Dutch Republic, England, andFrance enter the conflict, almost causing a major war



Further Reading:

Thomas A. Brady Jr.: German Histories in the Age of Reformations, 1400-1650, Cambridge 2009

ULB: 02 his m 255 b 812

https://katalog.ulb.hhu.de/Record/002243047

Documents

Introduction to Modern German History 1. What‘s …...3.1 Hildesheim: The Empire in a Nutshell 3.2 North-West to South-East: Conflicts on the Fringes 3.3. Religious Polarization