Explain how the Peace of Augsburg, the Edict of Nantes, and the Peace of Westphalia all strengthened secular rulers. Use trusted sources, and write a 4 sentence paragraph at a high school writing level.
The Peace of Augsburg, the Edict of Nantes, and the Peace of Westphalia all strengthened secular rulers by granting them the power to choose the religion of their subjects within their territories. The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 allowed German rulers to decide between Catholicism and Lutheranism, while the Edict of Nantes in 1598 granted religious toleration for French Protestants. The Peace of Westphalia in 1648 expanded these principles to include Calvinism and officially recognized the sovereignty of secular rulers over religious matters. These agreements solidified the authority of secular rulers and marked a shift towards religious tolerance and state sovereignty in Europe. (Source: history.com)
