Background
In 1555, the Peace of Augsburg was signed, which confirmed the result of the First Diet of Speyer (1526) and ended the violence between the Lutherans and the Catholics in Germany.
It stated that:
- German princes (numbering 225) could choose the religion (Lutheranism or Catholicism) for their realms according to their conscience (the principle of cuius regio, eius religio).
- Lutherans living in an ecclesiastical state (under the control of a Catholic prince-bishop) could remain Lutherans.
- Lutherans could keep the territory that they had captured from the Catholic Church since the Peace of Passau (1552).
- The ecclesiastical leaders of the Catholic Church (bishops) that converted to Lutheranism had to give up their territory (the principle called reservatum ecclesiasticum).
Those occupying a state that had officially chosen either Lutheranism or Catholicism could not practice the religion differing to that of the state.
Although the Peace created a temporary end to hostilities, the underlying bases of the religious conflict remained unsolved. Both parties interpreted it at their convenience, the Lutherans in particular considering it only a momentary agreement. Further, Calvinism spread quickly throughout Germany, adding a third major Christian worldview to the region, but its position was not supported in any way by the Augsburg terms, since Catholicism and Lutheranism were the only permitted creeds.
Read more about this topic: Catholic League (German)
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