All Religious Events
Diet of Augsburg(A.D. 1530) The Diet, resembling a form of Medieval Great Council for the Holy Roman Empire, was convened irregularly at different locations. Notably,... more
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Anabaptists in the Netherlands(A.D. 1530) Melchior Hoffman brings Anabaptism to the Low Countries (Netherlands and Belgium). more
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Anabaptist pause in Holland(A.D. 1531) Melchior Hoffman declares a moratorium on adult baptisms in an attempt to appease his powerful opponents. more
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Zwingli Killed(A.D. 1531) Zwingli is killed in the battle of Kappel in Switzerland. more
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Dutch Anabaptists executed(A.D. 1531) The first Dutch Anabaptists are executed. more
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Schmalkald League(A.D. 1531) Protestant princes form the political and military alliance in Germany called the “Schmalkald League” for a defense against the likeli... more
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War Between CantonsThe reformation movement spread to several cantons (geo-political territories like states or counties). Cantons loyal to Catholicism place an embargo ... more
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Thomas More(A.D. 1532) Henry VIII gains control over the English clergy, which inspires Thomas More to resign as Lord Chancellor. more
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Truce of Nuremberg(A.D. 1532) The Holy Roman Emperor, in response to a military offensive by the Ottoman Empire, made a temporary peace with Protestant nobles who had a... more
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Anabaptist growth in Netherlands(A.D. 1533) Adult baptisms resume in the Netherlands and their number proliferates rapidly. more
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Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn(A.D. 1533) Henry VIII secretly marries Anne Boleyn, ecclesiastical appeals to Rome are outlawed, Thomas Cranmer is appointed Archbishop of Canterbury... more
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royal supremacy(A.D. 1534) A law enacted by the English Parliament in 1534 at Henry VIII’s behest that made the king the supreme head of the Church in England. The... more
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Luther’s Complete German Bible(A.D. 1534) Luther publishes his complete German Bible. more
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Act of SupremacyAct passed in 1534 by Parliament under Henry VIII’s direction declaring the king to be, “the only supreme head on earth of the Church of England,... more
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Reign of Pope Paul III(A.D 1534–1549) more
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City of Münster(A.D. 1534–1535) Revolutionary Anabaptists take over the city of Münster in an attempt to create a utopia in anticipation of the second coming of C... more
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Ignatius Loyola begins(A.D. 1534) Ignatius Loyola assembles his first followers in Paris. more
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Affair of the Placards(A.D. 1534) The Affair of the Placards turns King of France against his previous open-minded approach to religious reforms and leads to intensified me... more
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Luther’s Galatians commentary(A.D. 1535) Luther's doctrine of justification is more fully articulated in his lectures that form the basis of his "great" Galatians commentary which... more
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English Catholics Executed(A.D. 1535) Thomas More, John Fisher, and several Roman Catholic priests and monks are executed for refusing to take the English oath of supremacy. more
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Calvin begins his work(A.D. 1536) John Calvin begins his work as a reformed pastor, teacher, and theologian in Geneva, shortly after he publishes his first edition of Insti... more
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Menno Simons is baptized(A.D. 1536) Menno Simons is baptized and begins ministering among the surviving Dutch Anabaptists after the Anabaptist fiasco in the city of Münster ... more
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English Monasteries dissolved(A.D. 1536) King Henry VIII begins to suppress and dissolve the English monasteries. more
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Erasmus dies(A.D. 1536) Erasmus, the prince of the humanist, dies. more
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Concilium de emendanda ecclesia(A.D. 1537) The papally commissioned Concilium de emendanda ecclesia denounces abuses and urges reforms in the Roman Catholic Church. more
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Calvin is exiled(A.D. 1538) John Calvin is exiled from the city of Geneva and moves to Strasbourg. more
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Thomas Becket Shrine destroyed(A.D. 1538) The shrine of Thomas Becket of Canterbury is destroyed by a mob in England. more
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Act of Abolishing Diversity of Opinion more
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Act of the Six Articles(A.D. 1539) The Act of the Six Articles reinforces Henry VIII’s hostility to Protestantism in England. more
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Jesuits order(A.D. 1540) Pope Paul III formally approves of The Jesuits order. more
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Calvin back in Geneva(A.D. 1541) Calvin is invited back to Geneva and publishes his treatise, Institutes, in French. Geneva city council accepts his Ecclesiastical Ordinan... more
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Diet of Regensburg(A.D. 1541) Lutheran and Catholic theologians meet at the Diet of Regensburg and agree on a formula for justification but remain divided on other doct... more
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Roman Inquisition(A.D. 1542) refers to the final primary inquisition known as the Roman Inquisition which commenced in 1542. more
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Peace of Crépy(A.D. 1544) Charles V and Francis I are able to devote more attention to the suppression of heresy after they settle their dispute and enter into The ... more
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Jesuits College(A.D. 1544) The Jesuits establish their first college in Germany. more
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Ursulines approved(A.D. 1544) Pope Paul II formally approved of the Ursulines. more
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Council of Trent(A.D. 1545–1563) The Roman Catholic council of bishops held in the city of Trent near the border Austria and Italy over two decades between 1543 and... more begins
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Inquisition in the Netherlands(A.D. 1546) Charles V reorganizes the Inquisition in the Low Countries. more
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Luther dies(A.D. 1546) Luther dies while visiting his home town to mediate a dispute between local aristocrats. more
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Chambre Ardente(A.D. 1547) Henry II establishes the chambre ardente in France after the death of Francis I. more
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Schmalkaldic war(A.D. 1547) Emperor Charles V defeats Protestant princes of Germany in the Schmalkaldic war. John Frederick, the Electoral Saxony and protector of Lut... more
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Council of Trent is suspended(A.D. 1547) more
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Augsburg InterimCharles V imposes the oppressive Augsburg Interim (A.D. 1548) on the subjugated Lutheran principalities in Germany and restores the Roman Catholic Chu... more
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Book of Common PrayerThe official prayer book of the Church of England and is the basis for their common beliefs. It was first published under King Edward VI in 1549, with... more
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Francis Xavier(A.D. 1549) Francis Xavier, a Jesuit, becomes the first Catholic missionary to Japan. more
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Reformed Efforts in England(A.D. 1549) The Church of England adopts Reformed Protestant measures. more
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Bloody Placard(A.D. 1550) In the Netherlands Charles V issues the century’s most comprehensive anti-heresy legislation known as the “Bloody Placard.” more
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Edict of Chateaubriand(A.D. 1551) Henry II issues France’s most extensive anti-heresy edict known as the Edict of Chateaubriand. more
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Cranmer’s Book of Common Prayer(A.D. 1552) Thomas Cranmer's publishes his Book of Common Prayer in England. more
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Jesuits German College in Rome(A.D. 1552) Jesuits establish the German College in Rome to train parish priests for Germany in an attempt to counter the Lutheran influence. more
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Mary Tudor becomes Queen of EnglandMary Tudor becomes queen of England (A.D. 1553) and restores Roman Catholicism after the death of Edward VI. more
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Mary Tudor marries Philip IIA.D. 1554 Mary Tudor marries Philip II of Spain. Catholic Reginald Pole returns from Italy to become the Archbishop of Canterbury and many Protestants... more
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Peace of AugsburgIs the treaty reached between the emperor Charles V and the German princes in A.D. 1555 that allowed for the existence of Lutheran churches under the ... more
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Calvinist Churches in France and the Netherlands(A.D. 1555) The first organized Calvinist Reformed churches are established in France and the Low Countries. more
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Mennonites and Waterlanders split(A.D. 1555) Mennonites and Waterlanders begin to split over the issue of banning and shunning. more
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England executes Protestants(A.D. 1555) England begins to execute unrepentant Protestants. more
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Paul IV becomes the new pope(A.D. 1555) more
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Elizabeth I becomes queen of England(A.D. 1558) Mary Tudor dies and Elizabeth I becomes queen of England. more
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John Knox publishes(A.D. 1558) Scotland’s John Knox publishes several treatises in Geneva. more
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Elizabethan Settlement(A.D. 1559–1663) Refers to Queen Elizabeth I’s rejection of Roman Catholicism while limiting the reformation of the English Church essentially cre... more
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Francis II king of France(A.D. 1559) Henry II of France dies and is succeeded by Francis II. more
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Protestants in England(A.D. 1559) Protestantism is reestablished in England under Queen Elizabeth I more
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John Knox in Scotland(A.D. 1559) John Knox returns to Scotland and leads a Protestant rebellion. more
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Vestiarian controversy(A.D. 1550–1565) Marked the emergence of the Puritan movement in the 1560s when various members of the Church of England objected to the clergy’s ... more
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Scotland Protestant Rule(A.D. 1560) England’s military intervention in Scotland against France allows Scotland to adopt Protestantism through the Reformation Parliament. more
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Mary Stuart in Scotland(A.D. 1561) Mary Stuart returns to Scotland from France. more
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Frederick III(A.D. 1463–1525) was an Elector from Saxony who famously protected Martin Luther from the Holy Roman Emperor, the Pope, and others. Although Frederi... more
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Colloquy of Poissy(A.D. 1561) French Catholics and Huguenots fail to reach a settlement at the Colloquy of Poissy. more
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Massacre of Vassy(A.D. 1562) The Massacre of Vassy inaugurates the French Wars of Religion. more
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Council of Trent reconvenesThe Council of Trent reconvenes in March but is suspended a year later. more
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Heidelberg Catechism is published(A.D. 1563) more
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39 Articles(A.D. 1563) Queen Elizabeth I issues the 39 Articles, the official confessional document of the Church of England. more
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Counter-Reformation(A.D. 1563) The efforts of the Catholic Church to counter-act, denounce and undo the changes brought about by the Protestant Reformation. more
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Council of Trent concludes its work(A.D. 1563) more
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Tridentine canons(A.D. 1564) The pope approves the Tridentine canons and decrees. more
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Carlo Borromeo becomes the Archbishop of Milan(A.D. 1565) more
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Compromise of the Nobility(A.D. 1566) The Compromise of the Nobility, which mitigated anti-heresy measures, leads to the Iconoclastic Fury in the Low Countries . more
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Mary Stuart abdicates the throne of Scotland(A.D. 1567) more
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Council of Troubles(A.D. 1567) The Duke of Alva arrives in the Netherlands and punishes the Dutch for the iconoclastic fury through the Council of Troubles that he estab... more
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Frisian and Flemish Mennonites split(A.D. 1567) Frisian and Flemish Mennonites in the Netherlands separate. more
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English Catholic seminary in France(A.D. 1568) William Allen establishes the English seminary in France to train priests to work in England in anticipation that England will eventually ... more
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Dutch Revolt(A.D. 1568) William of Orange leads the Dutch Revolt against Spain that was provoked by the Spanish Duke of Alva’s harsh measures in his Council of ... more
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Synod of Dutch Calvinist(A.D. 1571) Emden hosts an important synod of Dutch Calvinist refugees. more
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Sea Beggars(A.D. 1572) The Dutch Calvinist “Sea Beggars” lead an offensive that liberates Holland from Spanish control. more
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St. Bartholomew’s Day massacres(A.D. 1572) Catholics kill several thousand Huguenots in France's St. Bartholomew's Day massacres. more
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Theresa of Avila(A.D. 1572) Theresa of Avila discusses how she realized the ultimate state of inner union with God that is possible in this life. John of the Cross ac... more
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Henry III becomes king of France(A.D. 1574) more
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Catholic Missionaries in England
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Spanish sack Netherlands(A.D. 1576) Unpaid Spanish soldiers mutiny and sack Antwerp in the Netherlands. more
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Religious Tolerance in the Netherlands(A.D. 1577) William I of Orange provides for Anabaptists to be tolerated in the Netherlands. more
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English College in Rome(A.D. 1578) Gregory XIII reestablishes the English College in Rome for the express purpose of training more English missionary priests. more
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Union of Utrecht(A.D. 1579) The Union of Utrecht establishes the Dutch Republic from the northern provinces of the Low Countries. more
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Book of Concord(A.D. 1580) The Formula of Concord is published as the Book of Concord together with other Lutheran confessional documents, including The Augsburg Con... more
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Formula of Concord(A.D. 1580) refers to The Formula of Concord which is a Luthern statement of faith written in 1580 that settled various doctrinal disputes within the ... more
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Act of Abjuration(A.D. 1581) The Dutch Act of Abjuration formally rejects the authority of Philip II over the Dutch Republic. more
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Matteo Ricci, a Jesuit missionary, enters China(A.D. 1582) more
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Catholic mission begins in Holland(A.D. 1582) more
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William of Orange is assassinated(A.D. 1584) The Dutch revolutionary, William of Orange, is assassinated in Delft. more
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Catholic League in France(A.D. 1584) The Catholic League in France is reinvigorated when the Duke of Anjou dies leaving the Huguenot Henry de Navarre as next in line to the th... more
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Southern Netherlands Catholic(A.D. 1585) Alessandro Farnese gains control of the southern Netherlands for Spain. more
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Guises family assassinated(A.D. 1588) At Henry III’s request, many of the French Guises family are assassinated. more
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Edict of Union(A.D. 1588) As part of the last of France’s Wars of Religion, King Henry III was obliged to sign the Edict of Union, uniting himself to the Catholic... more
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Henry III is assassinated(A.D. 1589) Henry III is assassinated in France as retaliation for the murder of the Guises that he ordered, resulting in the Protestant Henry de Nava... more
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Henry de Navarre converts to Catholicism(A.D. 1593) In a compromise with the Catholic League, Henry de Navarre converts to Catholicism and assumes the French throne as Henry IV. more
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Congregatio de Auxiliiswas a series of formal debates held in Rome between 1598–1607 regarding the nature and extent of divine grace in an effort to resolve a bitter contr... more
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Molinists and Thomists(A.D. 1598–1607) Catholics debate Molinists and Thomists positions on the help of grace without conclusion and appeal to the pope who allows both po... more
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Edict of Nantes(A.D. 1598) The French Wars of Religion end with the Edict of Nantes that establishes limited toleration of Huguenots in France. more
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Tudor Line(A.D. 1603) The English crown passes from the Tudor to the Stuart line upon the death of James I. more
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Protestant Union(A.D. 1608) The Protestant Union is formed under the leadership of Frederick IV to counter aggressive Catholicism in the Holy Roman Empire. more
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Jesuits in South America(A.D. 1609) Jesuit establish their first Reductions in South America. more
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Catholic League in Germany(A.D. 1609) Maximilian of Bavaria establishes the Catholic League in Germany in response to the establishment of the Protestant Union. more
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Treatise on the Love of God(A.D. 1616) Francis de Sales publishes his major work, Treatise on the Love of God. more
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Defenestration of Prague(A.D. 1618) The Defenestration of Prague triggers the Thirty Years’ War. more
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Thirty Years’ War(A.D. 1618-1648) A very bloody war fought in central Europe from A.D. 1618 to 1648 over religious, political and economic issues. The war ended when T... more
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Arminianism(A.D. 1618–1619) Reformed theologians reject Arminianism and formulate the five points of Calvinism at the Synod of Dordt in Holland. A Protestant t... more
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Synod of Dordtwas a conference of Dutch Reformed theologians held in A.D. 1619 to address Arminianism and formulated the five points of classic Calvinism, represent... more
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Battle of the White Mountain(A.D. 1620) Catholic forces under Johann Tilly win a decisive victory over Protestants in the Battle of the White Mountain. more
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Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith(A.D. 1622) Pope Gregory XV tries to centralize Catholic missionary efforts by creating the Sacred Congregation for the Propagation of the Faith. more
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Huguenots lose(A.D. 1629) The Huguenots lose their final military stronghold In France. more
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Charles I rules England(A.D. 1629) Charles I begins to rule in England. Many English are concerned with his Catholic leanings. more
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Edict of Restitution(A.D. 1629) The Edict of Restitution signals the height of the Counter-Reformation during the Thirty Years’ War. more
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Battle of Breitenfeld(A.D. 1631) Protestant forces win a major victory under the Swedish King, Gustavus Adolphus, at the Battle of Breitenfeld. more
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Swedish King Gustavus Adolphus dies(A.D. 1524) more
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Peace of Prague(A.D. 1635) The Peace of Prague ends the Swedish participation in the Thirty Years’ War. more
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Short Parliament & Long Parliament
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English Civil War(A.D. 1642) The first civil war begins in England, between forces loyal to the King and the parliamentarians. more
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Presbyterian church(A.D. 1646) England establishes a Presbyterian church order after the parliamentarian victory in the first civil war. more
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Westminster Confession accepted(A.D. 1647) Parliament accepts the Westminster Confession which becomes the most important Reformed confessional document originally written in Englis... more
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Peace of Westphalia(A.D. 1648) The Peace of Westphalia ends the Thirty Years’ War in Germany. It reinstitutes the Peace of Augsburg and includes various forms of the R... more
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Cambridge Platform(A.D. 1648) The Cambridge Platform in New England establishes the Congregationalist form of church governance. more
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Charles I is executed(A.D. 1649) England is proclaimed a Republic when King Charles I is executed by order of the Rump Parliament. more
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EnlightenmentA broad term for 18th century European intellectual developments, including deism and other movements critical of orthodox Christianity, that are char... more
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Pope condemns Jansenism(A.D. 1653) The Jansenist controversy comes to a head in France when the pope condemns five propositions based on Jansen’s book, Augustinus. more
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Tolerant state church in England(A.D. 1654) Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England, establishes an inclusive and tolerant state church. more
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