REFORMATION

 Reformation was a religious movement of the 1500s that led to Protestantism. It had a tremendous impact on social, political and economic life and its influences are still felt today. The movement started in 1517 when Martin Luther, a German monk, protested certain practices of the Roman Catholic Church. The movement divided the medieval Christians into two groups – Roman Catholics and Protestants.

There was moral decline in the church. The religious were not concerned about serving the people but wanted to increase their wealth. This led to corruption. Many Europeans did not like the interference of the Pope in their political matters. An indulgence controversy started whereby a person could buy his education and by reading the Bible the people began to challenge the authority of the church. They stopped paying taxes to the church.

Martin Luther did not like the Popes idea of indulgences. He believed that Christianity was following and practicing the teachings of Christ. He published 95 thesis in which he expressed his views. He pasted his thesis on the doors of the Wittenberg church in Germany.

The pope arrested Luther and excommunicated him. Many people began to follow Luther and his teachings.

Counter reformation was a movement to remove the defects in the Christian church and check the spread of Protestantism.

After the Reformation ‘The Church began to appoint Popes and priests (religious) who had a good moral character. A meeting of Popes and religious (Roman Catholic and Protestants) was held called the Council of Trent to control the spread of Protestantism.

The main aim of the reformation was emancipation in the field of religion, which brought emancipation in the field of human thought resulting in progress of science and philosophy. It promoted individualism. It made way for the Age of Enlightenment (17^th & 18^th centuries). The Spirit of Reformation produced philosophers and thinkers like Hume, Voltaire, Hegel, Karl Marx. Liberalism and Marxism in some way or the other were influenced by the Spirit of Reformation.

Before the reformation, Europe was held together by the universalism of the catholic church and by the claim of the Holy Roman Emperor to be the supreme secular (nonreligious) ruler.

After the reformation, Europe had several large Protestant Churches and some smaller Protestant Religious groups. All of them competed with the Cahtolic Church and with each other for the faith and allegiance of the people.

 

 

AGE OF ABSOLUTISM AND ENLIGHTENMENT

 The most outstanding feature of the 17^th and 18^th century was the flowering of Absolutism all over Europe. Absolute monarch was founded on the theory of Divine Right of Monarchs. Hence the monarchs enjoyed absolute powers.

Splendor: Some of these monarchs were not only absolute but ‘grand’ as well. Splendor and magnificence were almost a craze with them. Their royal courts were glittering with the lavish display of wealth, salons, parks, beautiful fountains, and other luxuries. Louis XIV of France, in fact, became a shining model of ‘Grand Monarchy’ in Europe.

Enlightenment: Most of the absolute and grand monarchs were ‘enlightened’ or ‘benevolent’. They wer progressive thinkers and introduced numerous reforms for the welfare of their subjects. They acted, in many respects, in a ‘fatherly’ way towards their subjects. Yet they were called despots for they tried to strengthen their autocratic power over their subjects. Frederick the Great of Prussia, Peter the Great of Russia, Jospeh II of Austria are illustrations of the enlightened despots in Europe. During their reign, art, architecture, learning and literature were whole heartedly patronized and trade, business, industry and commerce were fully encouraged. This was also known as the Age of Enlightenment i.e. in the political field we have enlightened and absolute despots, and in the cultural field we have the continuation of the Renaissance which we call Enlightenment.