Reservatum ecclesiasticum facts for kids
The reservatum ecclesiasticum was a special rule from the Peace of Augsburg in 1555. This rule, whose name means "ecclesiastical reservation" in Latin, was about religious freedom in the Holy Roman Empire.
It was different from the main rule of the Peace, which was cuius regio, eius religio. This Latin phrase means "whose land, his religion." For most lands ruled by princes or dukes, this meant that the ruler's religion became the religion of everyone in his territory. If the prince was Catholic, his land was Catholic. If he was Lutheran, his land was Lutheran.
However, this rule didn't work the same way for lands ruled by church leaders, like prince-bishops or abbots. These areas were always Catholic because their leaders were chosen by the Church, not through family inheritance.
The reservatum ecclesiasticum rule said that if a church leader, like a prince-bishop, changed his religion to Lutheranism, he would immediately lose his job and his power. The land he ruled would not become Lutheran. Instead, his position would become empty, and a new Catholic leader would be chosen to replace him.
This rule was put into the Peace of Augsburg by the Emperor, even though Protestants didn't fully agree with it. But Protestants accepted it because they also got another important rule called the declaratio Ferdinandei. This rule protected Protestant knights and long-standing Protestant towns and communities, even in areas where the reservatum ecclesiasticum applied.
| Date | 1555 |
|---|---|
| Location | Augsburg |
| Participants | Ferdinand, King of the Romans acting for Charles V. Delegates from the Imperial Estates |
| Outcome | (1) The principle of cuius regio, eius religio established religious conformity within a single state. Two confessions of faith were acceptable: Catholicism or the Augsburg Confession (Lutheranism). Any other expression of faith was heretical. (2) The principle of reservatum ecclesiasticum protected religious conformity within the ecclesiastical estates, but it did not clearly state how this was to be protected. |
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Why Was This Rule Important?
The reservatum ecclesiasticum was a big deal because it tried to keep church-controlled lands Catholic, even if their leaders changed their minds about religion. It showed how complicated religious differences were in Europe during that time.
The Cologne War: A Test of the Rule
In 1583, the rule was put to the test. The Archbishop-Elector of Cologne, named Gebhard Truchsess von Waldburg, became a Protestant (specifically, a Calvinist). He tried to keep his important job and his land, even though the rule said he should lose it.
This led to a fight known as the Cologne War. Gebhard got help from the Dutch Republic and another German region called the Electorate of the Palatinate. But the war was won by the Catholic side. Gebhard's Catholic replacement, Ernest of Bavaria, got support from his brother and from Philip II of Spain. The Spanish army helped take back the territory. Ernest's victory proved that the reservatum ecclesiasticum rule was still in effect.
Protestant Concerns and Future Conflicts
Even after the Cologne War, Protestants were still unhappy about the reservatum ecclesiasticum. They felt it was unfair.
Later, around 1613, the new Emperor Matthias and his advisor, Melchior Klesl, wanted to bring everyone back together under the Emperor's power. They hoped to end the religious groups that had formed, like the Protestant Union and the Catholic League.
However, the Protestant Union met and decided they would not break up as long as the Catholic League existed. They also wanted their long-standing complaints to be fixed, and the reservatum ecclesiasticum was one of their main concerns. This disagreement over religious rules, including this one, helped set the stage for future conflicts in the Holy Roman Empire.
See also
In Spanish: Reservatum ecclesiasticum para niños
