Louis XIV- Commoner

Louis wants to be in total control! And the problem is...that he is! He has no sympathy or concern for us commoners and he is ruling selfishly. He created a centralized state that is absolutist. That is not going to be good for me and my fellow townspeople. The wars that he is waging are overwhelming our economy and are causing commonfolk like myself to sacrifice our lives and safety just to appease him. This way of life in unfair and unjust. We need a ruler that considers the effects his decisions have on all people - not just him and his court.

The Thirty Year's War

The Thirty Year's War was caused by many conflicts which include: religious tension, regional government vs. centralized government, and differing opinions between rulers. When King Charles got rid of Parliament, he faced much opposition from the members of Parliament and his subjects. Once he withdrew as king and created his own army, the Thirty Year's war began. The end of the Thirty Year's War came when the Peace of Westphaloa was signed which recognized Calvinism as a tolerated religion and stated that all of the subjects must follow their ruler's chosen faith. This meant that the ruler of each state would choose it's religion and foreign policy and the empire became autonomous. 

The Reformation

Martin Luther (1483 - 1546) was a monk who challenged many of the assumptions of medieval Christians. He thought that the church's requirements for receiving salvation were too demanding. He believed that salvation was God's gift to his followers who were faithful. He used the New Testament to back up his claims, and gained many supporters. He also challenged the Catholic church and their practices of selling indulgences to people. He did not believe that indulgences would forgive him of his sins - only God can do that. He knew that the only way to be forgiven was to ask for forgiveness, repent, and live a life of faith. The night before All Saints Day, Martin Luther nailed a copy of the Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the Castle Church at Wittenberg. His theses were a written and organized proclamation of his beliefs and they spread rapidly because of the new printing technology. Again, he gained followers and they separated from the Catholic church.