
On 19 April 1529, six
princes
A prince is a Monarch, male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary title, hereditary, in some ...
and representatives of 14
Imperial Free Cities petitioned the
Imperial Diet at
Speyer
Speyer (, older spelling ; ; ), historically known in English as Spires, is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in the western part of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the r ...
against an
imperial ban
The imperial ban () was a form of outlawry in the Holy Roman Empire. At different times, it could be declared by the Holy Roman Emperor, by the Imperial Diet, or by courts like the League of the Holy Court (''Vehmgericht'') or the '' Reichskammerg ...
of
Martin Luther
Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
, as well as the
proscription
Proscription () is, in current usage, a 'decree of condemnation to death or banishment' (''Oxford English Dictionary'') and can be used in a political context to refer to state-approved murder or banishment. The term originated in Ancient Rome ...
of his works and teachings, and called for the unhindered spread of the
evangelical faith.
The "Protestants"
The Six Princes
#
John the Steadfast of Wettin,
Elector of
Saxony
Saxony, officially the Free State of Saxony, is a landlocked state of Germany, bordering the states of Brandenburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Thuringia, and Bavaria, as well as the countries of Poland and the Czech Republic. Its capital is Dresden, and ...
#
George the Pious of Hohenzollern,
Margrave
Margrave was originally the Middle Ages, medieval title for the military commander assigned to maintain the defence of one of the border provinces of the Holy Roman Empire or a monarchy, kingdom. That position became hereditary in certain Feudal ...
of
Brandenburg-Ansbach
#
Ernest I the Confessor of Brunswick-Lüneburg,
Duke
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of Royal family, royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and above sovereign princes. As royalty or nobi ...
of
Lüneburg-Celle and his brother
#
Francis, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, Duke of
Gifhorn
Gifhorn () is a town and capital of the district of Gifhorn (district), Gifhorn in the east of Lower Saxony, Germany. It has a population of about 42,000 and is mainly influenced by the small distance to the more industrial and commercially import ...
#
Philip I the Magnanimous,
Landgrave
Landgrave (, , , ; , ', ', ', ', ') was a rank of nobility used in the Holy Roman Empire, and its former territories. The German titles of ', ' ("margrave"), and ' ("count palatine") are of roughly equal rank, subordinate to ' ("duke"), and su ...
of
Hesse
Hesse or Hessen ( ), officially the State of Hesse (), is a States of Germany, state in Germany. Its capital city is Wiesbaden, and the largest urban area is Frankfurt, which is also the country's principal financial centre. Two other major hist ...
#
Wolfgang of Ascania,
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. The ...
of
Anhalt-Köthen
Anhalt-Köthen was a Princes of the Holy Roman Empire, principality of the Holy Roman Empire ruled by the House of Ascania. It was created in 1396 when the Principality of Anhalt-Zerbst was partitioned between Anhalt-Dessau and Anhalt-Köthen. T ...
The 14 Imperial Free Cities
#
Strassburg
Strasbourg ( , ; ; ) is the Prefectures in France, prefecture and largest city of the Grand Est Regions of France, region of Geography of France, eastern France, in the historic region of Alsace. It is the prefecture of the Bas-Rhin Departmen ...
#
Augsburg
Augsburg ( , ; ; ) is a city in the Bavaria, Bavarian part of Swabia, Germany, around west of the Bavarian capital Munich. It is a College town, university town and the regional seat of the Swabia (administrative region), Swabia with a well ...
#
Ulm
#
Konstanz
Konstanz ( , , , ), traditionally known as Constance in English, is a college town, university city with approximately 83,000 inhabitants located at the western end of Lake Constance in the Baden-Württemberg state of south Germany. The city ho ...
#
Lindau
Lindau (, ''Lindau am Bodensee''; ; Low Alemannic German, Low Alemannic: ''Lindou'') is a major Town#Germany, town and Lindau (island), island on the eastern side of Lake Constance (''Bodensee'' in German) in Bavaria, Germany. It is the capital ...
#
Memmingen
Memmingen (; Swabian German, Swabian: ''Memmenge'') is a town in Swabia (Bavaria), Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. It is the economic, educational and administrative centre of the Danube-Iller region. To the west the town is flanked by the Iller, the ...
#
Kempten
Kempten (; ) is the largest town of Allgäu, in Swabia, Bavaria, Germany. The population was about 68,000 in 2016. The area was possibly settled originally by Celts, but was later taken over by the Romans, who called the town ''Cambodunum''. K ...
#
Nördlingen
#
Heilbronn
Heilbronn () is a List of cities and towns in Germany, city in northern Baden-Württemberg, Germany, surrounded by Heilbronn (district), Heilbronn District.
From the late Middle Ages on, it developed into an important trading centre. At the begi ...
#
Reutlingen
Reutlingen (; ) is a city in Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is the capital of the eponymous Reutlingen (district), district of Reutlingen. As of June 2018, it had an estimated population of 116,456. Reutlingen has a Reutlingen University, univ ...
#
Isny
#
St. Gallen
#
Weissenburg
#
Windsheim
"Protestants" withdrawing their initial support
#
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
#
Frankfurt am Main
Frankfurt am Main () is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Hesse. Its 773,068 inhabitants as of 2022 make it the List of cities in Germany by population, fifth-most populous city in Germany. Located in the forela ...
Cause
Eight years earlier,
Martin Luther
Martin Luther ( ; ; 10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German priest, Theology, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Order of Saint Augustine, Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Reformation, Pr ...
was banned by the
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire, also known as the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation after 1512, was a polity in Central and Western Europe, usually headed by the Holy Roman Emperor. It developed in the Early Middle Ages, and lasted for a millennium ...
at the
Diet of Worms
The Diet of Worms of 1521 ( ) was an Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire), imperial diet (a formal deliberative assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire called by Emperor Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V and conducted in the Imperial Free City o ...
of 1521.
Emperor Charles V
Charles V (24 February 1500 – 21 September 1558) was Holy Roman Emperor and Archduke of Austria from 1519 to 1556, King of Spain (as Charles I) from 1516 to 1556, and Lord of the Netherlands as titular Duke of Burgundy (as Charles II) fr ...
wanted to end the religious unrest between the
Catholic
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
majority and the
evangelical
Evangelicalism (), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism, is a worldwide, interdenominational movement within Protestantism, Protestant Christianity that emphasizes evangelism, or the preaching and spreading of th ...
minority at the
Second Diet of Speyer. Lutheran Heresy and the resulting religious strife did not figure in his political plans.
The
Edict of Worms
The Diet of Worms of 1521 ( ) was an imperial diet (a formal deliberative assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire called by Emperor Charles V and conducted in the Imperial Free City of Worms. Martin Luther was summoned to the diet in order to reno ...
had been suspended in 1526 when the
Diet of Speyer decided that every prince should hold whichever religious beliefs he could justify before his King and God.
Three years after the Diet of 1526, on the 1 March 1529,
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
Kings and Emperors
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
Others
* Charles V, Duke ...
announced the
second Diet of Speyer. He again let himself be represented by his brother
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...
, since he could not personally appear due to the ongoing war with France.
In his opening address, Ferdinand gave the decision of the Emperor: the annulment of the Diet's decision in 1526, recognition of "great mistakes and misunderstanding", and the threat of Imperial ban against "seduction by false beliefs". Until clarification from another
council
A council is a group of people who come together to consult, deliberate, or make decisions. A council may function as a legislature, especially at a town, city or county/shire level, but most legislative bodies at the state/provincial or natio ...
all further new developments would remain forbidden. He also made further declarations:
''"Those that until now have followed the Edict of Worms should continue to do so. In the areas where this has been deviated from, there shall be no further new developments and no-one shall be refused Mass. Finally, the sects which contradict the sacrament of the true body and blood, shall absolutely not be tolerated, no more than the Anabaptists."
On 19 April, the majority of representatives accepted the revocation of the 1526 edict. The evangelicals were told that they should yield "to the fair and proper decisions" of the majority. At this point the evangelical princes left the hall. When they returned somewhat later, Ferdinand wanted to leave the hall and refused to listen to them. So their objection was read out: they protested against the decision of the majority, to undo the decision of the 1526 Reichstag. Ferdinand demanded that they "accept and obey the decision".
The Protestant delegates refused to be bound by secular authority in matters of faith. Protestant delegates were worried that the Imperial edict would allow princes of a majority faith to war against what was deemed as heretical faiths. The result of such a ruling would entail lawlessness and warfare. Protestant delegates argued that faith is a personal fight that must be respected. Such a belief was revolutionary as it implied that secular authority and personal relationship to God was separate, and ones convictions could not be encroached upon was a controversial stance that future protestants would fight on. On 20 April they presented th
"Letter of Protestation" which Ferdinand refused to accept. Therefore, it did not come to be read out, but was printed and made public.
The "Letter of Protestation" was signed by Johann, Elector of Saxony, Georg, Margrave of Brandenburg, Ernst, Duke of Braunschweig-Lüneburg, Philipp, Landgrave of Hesse, and Wolfgang, Prince of Anhalt.
At the final sitting of the Diet on 24 April, the "decision of the Diet" was once more read out, but no word was said of the protest by the evangelical princes. In response the councils of the evangelical princes and the agents of the Free Cities met on 25 April and drew up
''Instrumentum Appellationis'' in which complaints against the decision of the Diet were once more summarised. This text was brought to the Holy Roman Emperor by an embassy. Since this Diet in
Speyer
Speyer (, older spelling ; ; ), historically known in English as Spires, is a city in Rhineland-Palatinate in the western part of the Germany, Federal Republic of Germany with approximately 50,000 inhabitants. Located on the left bank of the r ...
the adherents of the reform movement became known as "
Protestant
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
s", and thus the protestation of the Princes and Free Cities has been seen as the birth of
Protestantism
Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that emphasizes Justification (theology), justification of sinners Sola fide, through faith alone, the teaching that Salvation in Christianity, salvation comes by unmerited Grace in Christianity, divin ...
.
The decision of the Reichstag was protested by

#Elector
John the Steadfast of Saxony
#
Gregor Brück
Gregor Brück (1485–1557) was a 16th-century figure of the Reformation, and Saxon Chancellor. He is also known by his latinised name Gregorius Pontanus. His role in the early 16th century in Germany, as legal advisor to Martin Luther, may ...
(Pontanus), Chancellor of Elector John
#
Philipp Melanchthon
Philip Melanchthon (born Philipp Schwartzerdt; 16 February 1497 – 19 April 1560) was a German Lutheran reformer, collaborator with Martin Luther, the first systematic theologian of the Protestant Reformation, an intellectual leader of the ...
, companion of Elector John
#
Simon Grynaeus, companion of Philipp Melanchthon
#
Johann Agricola, chaplain of Elector John
#Landgrave Phillip of Hesse
#Erhard Schnepf, chaplain of Philip of Hesse
#Margrave George of Brandenburg-Ansbach
#Duke Ernst of Braunschweig-Lüneburg
#Duke Franz of Braunschweig-Lüneburg
#
Johann Förster, Chancellor of Dukes Franz and Ernst of Braunschweig-Lüneburg
#Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt
#Count William of Fürstenberg
#Bürgermeister Christoph Tetzel, representative of Nürnberg
#Bürgermeister Christoph Kreß, representative of Nürnberg
#Bürgermeister Bernhard B(P)aumgärtner, representative of Nürnberg
#Councillor Jakob Sturm, representative of Straßburg
#Guildmaster Matthias, clergyman, representative of Straßburg
#Bürgermeister Bernhard Besserer, representative of Ulm
#Bürgermeister Sebastian Hagelstein, representative of Windsheim
#Bürgermeister Josef Weiß, representative of Reutlingen
The decision of the Reichstag was voted for by
#Holy Roman Emperor
Charles V Charles V may refer to:
Kings and Emperors
* Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor (1500–1558)
* Charles V of Naples (1661–1700), better known as Charles II of Spain
* Charles V of France (1338–1380), called the Wise
Others
* Charles V, Duke ...
,
#
Ferdinand
Ferdinand is a Germanic name composed of the elements "journey, travel", Proto-Germanic , abstract noun from root "to fare, travel" (PIE , "to lead, pass over"), and "courage" or "ready, prepared" related to Old High German "to risk, ventu ...
, imperial commissioner and representative of Charles V
#Grand Chancellor Bernhard Cles,
Bishop of Trent, imperial commissioner
#Freiherr
Georg Truchsess von Waldburg, vice-regent of King Ferdinand
#Dr. Johann Faber, canon of Konstanz and Basel
#Probst Balthasar von Waldkirch, imperial commissioner
#
Frederick II, Elector Palatine, imperial commissioner
#
William IV, Duke of Bavaria, imperial commissioner
#Leonhard von Eck, chancellor of Duke Wilhelm IV. of Bavaria
#
Louis X, Duke of Bavaria
#
Eric I, Duke of Brunswick-Lüneburg, imperial commissioner
See also
Approximate original German of the Protestation of 19 Aprilon p. 50 of the edition ed. J. Ney
original German of the Appellation of 25 Aprilon p. 27 of the edition ed. J. Ney. "Approximate original," I say, because according to Ney, “The protesting princes retained apparently no copy of the Protestation written down in a hurry and handed over to the Reichstag. For this reason , only the ‘approximate’ content of the Protestation handed over on the 19 April could be included in the Instrument of Appellation"
Ney, p. 50, note 1 cf
Ney, pp. 12 ff.. According to Eike Wolgast's entry in the ''Oxford encyclopedia of the Reformation'' ("Speyer, Protestation of"), "On 12 April 1529 the evangelical rulers submitted a written declaration to the diet that constituted an early draft of the subsequent protestation. . . . On 19 April . . . the first protestation followed. It was rejected. Accordingly, the evangelical estates presented a second protestation on 20 April which repeated the previous day's arguments in greater detail. . . . The protestation received legal status through the appeal that the Protestant princes and imperial cities lodged before two notaries in Speyer on 25 April 1529. This appeal contained a report on the proceedings between majority and minority and all important documents. The text was immediately disseminted in print," etc. (vol. 4, p. 104).
* An English translation of the Protestation.
*
Speyer Memorial Church, consecrated in 1904 in honor of the Protestation.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Protestation At Speyer
Speyer
1529 in Christianity
1529 in politics
1529 in the Holy Roman Empire
History of Rhineland-Palatinate
Reformation in Germany