League of Torgau

(Also called Gotha - Torgau Torgauisches alliance or coalition ), the Torgau covenant was a response to the Protestant princes Dessauer Federation, the Association of Catholic rulers in northern Germany during the German Reformation. The original contract for Torgau covenant was (according to another source on March 5, 1526) signed in Gotha between Hesse and Elector of Saxony on 27 February in 1526. This agreement was the basis for some subsequent alliance accessions in Torgau, where the Ernestine line of the Wettin family resided. With the Torgau covenant for the first time constituted a Protestant Association.

Background

After leaks of information about the formation of the Catholic community of interest Elector John of Saxony and the Landgrave Philip of Hesse sat down together in Gotha. They vowed to each other to assist if there was the implementation of a new church order in their countries or in matters of faith difficulties or military assistance will need.

A delicate situation arose in Magdeburg. The citizens were mostly devoted to Lutheranism, but had with Cardinal Albrecht an archbishop whose declared intention to fight the " Lutheran sect" was. He was, therefore, from the very beginning when anti-Protestant Dessauer covenant.

As a defense against the archbishop measures, Magdeburg allied with the Elector John of Saxony and the Landgrave Philip of Hesse on May 4, 1526 Torgau. John of Saxony invited the Reformation -minded prince to a meeting to Magdeburg, to consult together on the regional political constellation. Then the Magdeburg agreement dated June 12, 1526 came with the accession of other, inclined toward the Protestant faith, princes established to the Torgau covenant. The latter would prove to be the basis for all future political and military enterprises of the Lutheran side.

Follow

The combined in Torgau Confederation princes acted with more success than its counterpart in Dessau. 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.

On the second Diet of Speyer in 1529 and the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, however, the tide turned in favor of the Catholic side, especially since the Emperor Charles V. held at the traditional belief Codex. Therefore, the Protestant side joined together in 1531 to the Smalcald League, which replaced the Torgau covenant.

Members

Torgau Federation of Protestant princes belonged to, among other things:

  • Elector John of Saxony
  • Landgrave Philipp I of Hesse
  • Duke Henry V of Mecklenburg -Schwerin
  • Duke Albrecht VII of Mecklenburg- Güstrow (up to 1530)
  • Duke Albert I of Brandenburg -Ansbach
  • Duke Ernst the Confessor, Duke of Brunswick and Lüneburg
  • Duke Franz of Brunswick -Lüneburg
  • Duke Philip I of Brunswick - Grubenhagen
  • Count Albrecht VII of Mansfeld
  • Prince Wolfgang of Anhalt- Köthen
  • City ​​of Magdeburg
League of Dessau Protestant Reformation Landgraviate of Hesse Albert of Mainz Henry V, Duke of Mecklenburg Albrecht VII, Duke of Mecklenburg Philip I, Duke of Brunswick-Grubenhagen
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