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Question: Eruope: Analyze the causes of and the responses to the peasants' revolts in the German states, 1524-1526!.!?
Historical Background: In late 1524, peasants, craftsmen, and poor soldiers formed bands and pillaged throughout a large area of the Holy Roman Empire!. During the revolt, some of the rebel bands authored statements of grievances called Articles!. Although most bands did not coordinate their activities, several groups met in Memmingen, Swabia, during March 1525 at a gathering known as the Peasant Parliament!. After a series of battles, the authorities managed to suppress the revolts!. More than 100,000 rebels and others were killed!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
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Background
Before the 14th century, popular uprisings were not unknown (e!.g!., uprisings at a manor house against an unpleasant overlord), but they were local in scope!. This changed in the 14th and 15th centuries when new downward pressures on the poor resulted in mass movements of popular uprisings across Europe!. To provide an example of how common and widespread these movements became, in Germany between 1336 and 1525 there were no less than sixty phases of militant peasant unrest!.[1]
Most of the revolts were an expression of those below who desired to share in the wealth, status, and well being of those more fortunate!. In the end they were almost always defeated and the nobles ruled the day!. A new attitude emerged in Europe, that "peasant" was a pejorative concept, it was something separate, and seen in a negative light, from those who had wealth and status!. This was an entirely new social stratification from earlier times when society had been based on the three orders, those who work, pray and fight, when being a peasant meant being next to God, just as the other orders, now peasants were seen as almost sub-human!.
Causes
There were five main reasons for these mass uprisings including 1) an increasing gap between the wealthy and poor, 2) declining incomes of the wealthy, 3) rising inflation and taxation, 4) the external crises of famine, plague and war, and 5) religious backlashes!.
Rich and poor
The first reason was because the social gap between rich and poor had become more extreme!. The origins of this change can be traced to the 12th century and the rise of the concept of "nobility"!. How one dressed, behaved, manners, courtesy, how one spoke, what one ate, education, all became a part of the noble class making them distinct from others!. By the 14th century the nobles had indeed become very different in their behavior, appearance and values from those "beneath"!.
In urban centers, the early capitalist enterprises connected with long-distance trade and the textile industry had given rise to an urban underclass who were prone to riot in times when the price of bread was high!. The perpetual apprentices who could not purchase a mastership in the tightly-controlled guilds were quick to express their resentment, and in university cities, students might be enlisted!.
Inflation
The second reason was a crisis for the nobles with declining income!. By 1285 inflation had become rampant (in part due to population pressures) and nobles charged rent based on customary fixed rates, based on the Feudal system, so as the price of goods and services rose (from inflation), the income of nobles remained stagnant (effectively dropping)!. To make matters worse, the nobles had become accustomed to a more luxurious lifestyle that required more money!. To address this nobles illegally raised rents, cheated, stole, and sometimes resorted to outright violence to take what they wanted!.
Taxation
Thirdly, kings needed money to finance wars and resorted to devaluing currency, by cutting silver and gold coins with less precious metal, which resulted in increased inflation and in the end, increased taxations!.
External crisis
Fourth, the 14th century crisis of famine, plague and war put additional pressures on those on the bottom!. The plague drastically reduced the numbers of people who were workers and producing the wealth!.
Religion
Finally, layered on top of this was a popular ideological view of the time that property, wealth and inequality was against the teachings of God, as expressed through the teachings of the Franciscans!. The sentiment of the time was probably best expressed by preacher John Ball during the English Peasant Revolt when he said "When Adam delved and Eve span, who was then the gentleman!?"!. In other words, "gentleman" are nobles, all men are equal before God!. It was a cry for a leveling of society where no man is above any other!.
Hopes this help!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
The dickens you say! I never even knew the peasants of Germany were unhappy!.
I'd suggest doing a Google search and look to Wikipedia for information on what you're looking for!.
As far as the causes, I would assume that it would be along the standard lines: Lack of food, living space, oppression, fear, etc!.Www@QuestionHome@Com