Reformation, Counter Reformation and Religious War 1500–1650ad

Abstract

By the middle of the fifteenth century Germany was seething with dissatisfaction with the Church. Because of the weakness of German central political power the Papacy had a much stronger position than in England, France and Spain where the Church was much more ‘national’. Thus the Papacy was still able to appoint French and Italians to German bishoprics and, since less money was coming from the countries with ‘national’ churches, it was demanding increased contributions from Germany.