See Also: Peasants' War(encyclopedia)
Peasants' Revolt(encyclopedia)
Peasants' Revolt, the(dictionary)

Peasants' War (sh)




(1524-25) Peasant uprising in Germany.

Inspired by reforms brought by the Reformation, peasants in western and southern Germany invoked divine law to demand agrarian rights and freedom from oppression by nobles and landlords. As the uprising spread, some peasant groups organized armies. Although the revolt was supported by Huldrych Zwingli and Thomas Muntzer, its condemnation by Martin Luther contributed to its defeat, principally by the army of the Swabian League. Some 100,000 peasants were killed. Reprisals and increased restrictions discouraged further attempts to improve the peasants' plight.