The Peasants' War was a German revolt from 1524 to 1526 in which the peasantry and the lower classes of the towns rose up against their feudal overlords. It was caused by the growing economic, religious, and judicial oppression to which the lower classes of Germany were subjected by the nobles and clergy. Fighting between peasants and retainers of the nobles broke out in 1524 in Stuhlingen, and the insurrection rapidly spread over much of central, western, and southern Germany except Bavaria; it also was strong in Austria. In 1525 the peasants formulated their demands, which included the right to choose their own ministers, the abolition of serfdom, the right to fish and kill wild game, the abolition of many kinds of feudal dues, and the guarantee of fair treatment in courts presided over by the feudal nobles. The revolt was particularly violent in Thuringia, where it was made a religious issue by the sect of Anabaptists, headed by the German religious leader Thomas Munzer. Munzer was successful in overthrowing the feudal regime and in maintaining for a time a community of peasants in which all property was commonly owned; in 1525, however, he was defeated decisively and executed. By the end of 1525, after both sides had committed atrocities and thousands were killed, the nobles in the SwabianLeague succeeded in putting down the rebellion everywhere in Germany; the revolt continued into the following year in Austria. The peasants of Germany won no concessions by their revolt; in Austria the nobles abolished a few of the evils that brought it about. Paradoxically, it was the opposition of Martin Luther, whose principles were adopted by the dissatisfied peasants and lent inspiration to the revolt, that contributed to the defeat of the peasants. Luther, sympathetic with their aspirations, was adamantly against their armed revolt. Research Peasants' War
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Research Peasants' War
