Divine Lexicon

Term

Schmalkaldic War

A 1546–1547 conflict where Holy Roman Emperor Charles V unsuccessfully attempted to use force to impose religious unity on the Protestant Schmalkaldic League.

Filed underChurch History

Definition

(1546 – 1547) A war fought between the Protestant Schmalkaldic League and the Catholic armies under Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, who, having failed to achieve religious unity of his subjects at the Diet of Augsburg in 1530, sought to impose it by force. Charles V won but was unable to suppress the Protestant movement.

Sources

  1. 1.Mark, Joshua J. “Schmalkaldic War.” World History EncyclopediaLinkOriginal citation: Mark, Joshua J.. "Schmalkaldic War." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified January 28, 2022. https://www.worldhistory.org/Schmalkaldic_War/.

Last revised August 14, 2026