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During the period of 1525 until 1648, wars of religion plagued Europe. However, it is important to recognize that while religion was presented as the reason for these wars, there were many other reasons that these wars occurred as well, such as land, money and economics, political power, natural resources, and more.
These wars included the Peasants' War of 1525 in the Holy Roman Empire, the Schmalkaldic War of the 1540s through 1555, an ongoing fight between the Holy Roman Empire and the Turks, the Reconquista of the Spanish versus Muslims, the Hussite rebellion, and missionaries and conquistadors versus Native Americans.
Religious fighting and warfare spread with Protestantism. The radical new doctrine in Germany brought other simmering social tensions to a boil; peasant revolts flared in 1525, resulting in chaos and bloodshed across Austria, Switzerland and southern Germany. Wealthy landowners were the target of downtrodden rebels demanding social equality and sharing of wealth in common. Armies loyal to ruling princes suppressed the revolt, and the leaders were executed. Martin Luther, chief initiator of the Reformation, turned against the rebels and defended the authorities' moves to put them down.
Henry IV Bourbon of France by Frans Pourbus the younger.
The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 declared the Prince's religion to be the official religion of a region or country (cuius regio, eius religio). This resulted in the acceptance of toleration of Lutheranism in Germany by Catholics. When a new ruler of a different religion took power, large groups had to convert religions. Most people found this to be realistic, and the process did not end until 1648.
In northern Europe (north Germany, Netherlands, and France), the middle class tended to be Protestant, which corresponded with their work ethic and philosophy. Peasants readily converted religions in order to obtain jobs.
With the Treaty of Cateau-Cambrésis in 1559, Spain and France agreed to stop fighting with each other in order to unite against their common Protestant threat, particularly Calvinism, which was considered more of a threat than Lutheranism.
In France, religious civil war took place from 1558 to 1598 between royalty (the Catholic League) and nobility (the Protestant Huguenots). The three leading families in the nation competed for control of France. These families were the Valois family, which was currently in power and was Catholic, the Bourbon family, which consisted of Huguenots, and the Guise family, who was also Catholic. Ultimately, the Bourbon family won the war, but Henry Bourbon of Navarre was unable to be crowned because the city of Paris shut itself down. Henry put Paris under a year of siege that killed 50,000 to 70,000 citizens. However, the siege came to an end because Philip II of Spain sent troops, resulting in Henry Bourbon converting to Catholicism and stating that, "Paris is worth a mass." The civil war in France was ended by the Edict of Nantes in 1598, which declared Catholicism the official religion in France. The Edict did, however, allow freedom to Protestants.
Henry IV could be described as a politique, or one who cares more about his nation's peace and prosperity than he does the enforcement of religious toleration.
