League of Dessau
The Dessauer Federation ( also Dessauer Alliance ) was a short-lived Association of Catholic rulers in northern Germany during the time of the German Reformation, who had to combat both of uprisings such as the dissemination of the teachings of Martin Luther prescribed. The covenant was made in Dessau on 19 July 1525.
Hosted by the strict Catholic princess dowager and regent Margaret of Münsterberg.
Background
The merger came a few weeks after the battle of Frankenhausen in Thuringia about, in which rebellious peasants had been overpowered. A vigorous campaign against the feed to Protestantism seemed to the Catholic sovereigns displayed. Although Luther personally quite friendly to the Princess feared a repeat of the peasant uprisings in their own country, which is why, contrary to the position of their own sons convened this covenant.
The Catholic Dessauer covenant was limited within Anhalt only to the Principality of Anhalt- Dessau, whereas the neighboring principalities of Anhalt- Köthen and Anhalt- Bernburg 1525-26 had already as second and third country in the world introduced the Reformation (after the Electorate process ). It was not until some time after the death of Princess Dessauer (1530) also led Anhalt- Dessau under her son George III. (Anhalt -Dessau ) one in 1534 the Reformation.
Follow
The already attached to the Protestant faith princes responded with the Torgau fret on the newly created situation.
The Dessauer covenant remained a striking effect, however, failed. It was no longer possible to motivate the Catholic princes in the south of the Holy Roman Empire accession. At the Diet of Speyer in 1526, the followers of both Christian faiths tried politically to communicate in Compromise ways. The Edict of Worms was lifted. The Recess contained the toleration of the new faith to a council.
Members
This alliance is the Catholics princes belonged to, among other things:
- Duke George of Saxony
- Brandenburg Elector Joachim I Nestor
- Archbishop Albrecht of Mainz and Magdeburg
- Eric I of Calenberg -Göttingen, Duke of Brunswick- Lüneburg
- Duke Henry II of Brunswick -Wolfenbüttel.