Explain how the Peace of Augsburg, the Edict of Nantes, and the Peace of Westphalia all strengthened secular rulers.
(4 points)
1) Peace of Augsburg (1555): The Peace of Augsburg was a treaty that ended the religious conflict between Catholics and Lutherans in the Holy Roman Empire. It established the principle of "cuius regio, eius religio," which meant that the religion of the ruler would determine the religion of his subjects. This strengthened secular rulers by giving them the power to determine the religious affiliation of their territories. It allowed rulers to impose their own religion on their subjects, consolidating their authority and minimizing religious dissent.
2) Edict of Nantes (1598): The Edict of Nantes was issued by King Henry IV of France and granted religious freedom to the Huguenots (French Protestants) in the predominantly Catholic country. The edict recognized Catholicism as the official religion of France but allowed Protestants to practice their faith in specified areas and hold public office. This strengthened secular rulers by promoting religious tolerance, which helped stabilize the kingdom politically. It allowed secular rulers to maintain control over their territories by granting religious freedoms while still maintaining allegiance to the state.
3) Peace of Westphalia (1648): The Peace of Westphalia was a series of treaties that ended the Thirty Years' War, a religious conflict primarily between Protestants and Catholics in Europe. The treaties recognized the principle of state sovereignty and promoted the idea of non-interference in domestic affairs. This strengthened secular rulers by providing them with greater autonomy and independence from external religious authorities, such as the Pope. It established the concept of sovereignty, which allowed rulers to have complete control over their territories without interference from religious entities, thereby strengthening their secular power.