In 1524 the peasants of central Germany rose up against the nobility in the name of Luther. By this time Luther had published his Ninety-Five Theses, breaking away from the Catholic Church and it’s authority. Much like Luther and the Church, the peasants didn’t like the noble authority rose up against the nobles. The nobles fought back with ruthless and crushing armies. There were many causes of the peasants revolt. The ideas of Martin Luther and the hatred toward nobles and serfdom were major parts of cause of the revolt. The removal of serfdom, the punishment of nobles involved, and their portrayal as devils were all responses to the peasants revolt.
Martin Luther was one cause of the peasant revolt. Martin Luther himself was more of an …show more content…
In order please the peasants and end the revolt quicker, The Memmingen Town Council wrote, “ The council will release and absolve its subjects from such serfdom that the council controls. In return the peasants shall pay us a reasonable amount of money ( Doc 3).” The purpose of the letter to the Articles of the Peasants of Memmingen was let them know that yes, there was no longer serfdom, but they are not “off the hook” they still need to pay the money to their lord for the money they lost, due to the end of serfdom. This was to regain control over their …show more content…
After getting blamed as it’s cause by multiple sources, Luther didn’t want to lose his support, who were the German noble that the peasant were revolting against. In order to retain his support he wrote Against the Murdering, Thieving Hordes of Peasants. In Which he wrote, “ The peasants for got their place, violently took matter into their own hands, and are robbing and raging like mad dogs…. Anyone who consorts with them goes to the devil with them and is guilty of all evil deeds that they commit.” Luther wrote this to ensure his nobles that he was loyal to them and was no breaking from noble authority, only from Church authority.
The 1524 German peasants revolt is similar to the civil rights movement. Both “revolts” were about gaining rights and going against the main authority. For, example in Selma, Alabama Martin Luther King Jr. attempted to march from Selma to Montgomery, in protest, raising awareness of how difficult it was be black and vote in the South. The authority, or the police, tried to stop their march using violence, just like when the peasant revolt was shut down by the nobles forces. Though their goals were different their tactics were similar gain more rights for themselves and better their