ABSTRACT
In the sixteenth century German lands were dominated by religious turmoil and violence. The Holy Roman Empire had become divided along religious lines: some of the Imperial cities, such as Strasbourg, Augsburg, Nuremberg and Frankfurt, and many of the free cities had become Protestant, while others remained Catholic. Continuous outbreaks of violence and acts of war were eventually ended through the Peace of Augsburg, a treaty negotiated in 1555. This peace was particularly important, given the threat from attack by the Turks on the western front of the Empire. This ensured compromises between the princes of the city-states and the Emperor. Their main priorities were to ensure religious peace and domestic security. The treaty resulted in a precarious peace for the next few decades. 1 However, religion was the vehicle of conflict rather than the substance. There was instability in the governance of the Holy Roman Empire itself, with questions regarding the Emperor’s role and his authority in the mixed religious and culturally diverse Empire.
