Liberty and Religious Strife of the 16th Century

King Charles V of Spain was a foreigner who did not speak Spanish. He brought outsiders into Spain to be in charge. This created a dissonance between the people and the ruling body. The Spanish wanted Charles to learn the language and to have locals in power. While Charles left for the coronation the Spanish revolted.

During the Spanish Revolt, the nobles realized that not only would the King be cut down to size by the mobs, but they too would also be weak and powerless. So, they had to unite with the King’s forces to stop the revolt. When King Charles returned, everyone was exhausted, so he had control.

The Dutch Revolt was a result of King Philip II's aggressive leadership against the Protestants. The demonstration effect showed that religious tolerance, respect for private property and equalization of law birthed a prosperous and rich society. The Dutch demonstrated this to all of Europe while Phillip's aggressive behavior demonstrated the opposite. The free Dutch were on the rise while Spain was in decline.

The contenting parties in the French wars of religion were the Protestant Huguenots and Catholics, each fighting to be the sole religion. The most memorable point in the wars was the St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre in 1572. Catholic mobs killed 5,000-30,000 Protestant Huguenots throughout France. The wars finally ended with The Edict of Nantes. The Edict of Nantes is an act of religious tolerance enacted by Henry of Navarro, the King of France. The Edict established rights for the Huguenots.

Meanwhile, in England, Elizabeth I was thought to be lenient on religion. She loved the elaborate rituals of the Catholic mass. She felt she was the highest authority, so she was against the papacy. She maintained the rituals and organization of the Catholic church. She abolished mass and sacrifices to the Father. During her reign, The Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, a guide for the Church of England, were introduced by Parliament.