Title: Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants - Wikipedia
Headings: Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants
Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants
Contents
Context
The Peasants' War
Luther and the Peasants: Reluctant Inspiration
Luther and Müntzer: contrasts in leadership
The Twelve Articles of the Christian Union of Upper Swabia
Luther's writings
Admonition to Peace
Against the Murderous, Thieving Hordes of Peasants
Open Letter on the Harsh Book Against the Peasants
Aftermath: Luther and Protestantism
References
Further reading
Primary sources
Secondary sources

Content: Luther and Protestantism
4 References
5 Further reading
5.1 Primary sources
5.2 Secondary sources
Context
The Peasants' War
Ignited in 1524, the Peasants' War spread across the Germanic regions of the Holy Roman Empire during 1525 until its suppression in 1526. Many factors, including changes in social and economic structures, played a role in inciting the peasants to revolt. The move from an entirely agrarian economic base during the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries served as a backdrop to the development of new social classes, ones that could not and did not coincide with the traditional feudal hierarchy. Although initially the grievances cited by the peasants were essentially based on individual abuses on the part of government of the Church, this shifted as time went on, and would come to encompass these minor issues within a general dissatisfaction with the entire feudal order. Luther and the Peasants: Reluctant Inspiration
The relationship between the Protestant Reformation and the Peasants' War has long been a subject of debate. A traditional understanding in this matter is that the Peasants' Revolt stemmed from Martin Luther's doctrine of spiritual freedom and the application of his ideas as religious justification for social and political upheaval. It is true that Luther offered useful tools to the peasants: his focus on Sola Scriptura put emphasis upon the priesthood of all believers. This strengthened the idea of 'Godly law', that social constructs counter to Godly law could not command the allegiance of the people and justified rebellion.