TR3.5

Holy Roman Empire in the 1500s

Houjun Liu 2021-09-27 Mon 12:00

1 The Holy Roman Empire

Attempted to adopt the model of European universality => one church, one emperor.

But… They didn't! Because…

1.1 Reasons for non-universality

@KBhHIST201Kissinger

  1. Lack of transportation and communication systems made tying large countries together difficult
  2. HRE had separation between church and state, which makes the authority less authoritative
  3. Pope + emperor constantly fought
    • Need constitution to settle
    • Enabled fuetal rulers to enhance autonomy
    • Hasburg dynasty + combination with Spanish royalty => Über powerful HRE => Almost centralized nation
    • Yet, eventually weakened pope brought end to religious universality, which brought end to that centralized Europe idea

Meanwhile, in France… KBhHIST201RaisonDeEtat

1.2 Counter-Reformation

A process of "revving Catholic universality".

See KBhHIST201CounterReformation

1.3 Emperor Ferdinand II

Practiced the… well… opposite of KBhHIST201RaisonDeEtat => Religion

  • Morality > state interest
  • Refused to treaty with Muslim Turks + Protestant Swedes
  • "Less concerned with the Empire's welfare than that of the will of God … The state existed to serve the religion … for Ferdinand" – KBhHIST201Kissinger
  • Edict of reinstatution => Demanded land taken by protestants since 1555 be returned