Saturday, October 8, 2011

Why did Lutheranism appeal to the princes?

            
            For the princes, converting to Lutheranism was a great opportunity to have positive effects on what they owned. By only following Lutheranism, they would have more land and be wealthier. Princes only followed Lutheranism because of what it had and because they also wanted to be wealthier. Princes followed Lutheranism for many reasons but, the main reasons were to get more land and money.

The princes no longer had to divert revenues to Rome or ecclesiastical taxes. That means that the princes no longer had to pay taxes to rome nor the church. Instead of paying taxes to rome, the princes charged taxes to become more wealthier. Taxes gave the money and money lead to wealth and wealth lead to power.

Lutheranism gave princes lots of lands. Lutheranism allowed princes to shut down monasteries and seize their land and wealth. More land meant more money and more money meant more power. This is one of the main reasons princes converted to Lutheranism, so that they would have more land.

Lutheranism allowed the princes to choose there own minsters. That relieved them from struggles of from local bishops. They chose the minsters and didn't have to worry about any struggles of power because their the ones who chose them.

The princes finally saw that the Catholic Church was focusing on money and power rather than helping people. They realized that buying indulgences doesn't work and are sinful and that it is not fair for the poor because they might not afford them. They also believed that Jesus is the head of the church and the pope. So they finally converted to Lutheranism.

Lutheranism gave the princes wealth and power that the Catholic Church didn't provide or offer. The princes preferred Lutheranism because it gave the more power and wealth that they couldn't dream of.The princes automatically converted for the money and the power. They saw that the Catholic Church is wrong in many ways so they converted.



1 comment:

  1. 95/100 - An excellent answer with great structure,evidence and explanation. Be careful to understand that their worries about the Catholic church meant they were worried about going to hell. Converting was about saving their souls going to hell.

    T - Why converting saved their souls

    ReplyDelete