Reformation

The Reformation was a major religious revolution in Western Europe in the 16th century, led by Martin Luther and John Calvin and other Protestants. The self-described "reformers" (who "protested") objected to the doctrines, rituals and ecclesiastical structure of the Roman Catholic Church) and created new national Protestant churches. The Catholics responded with a Counter Reformation, led by the Jesuit order, which reclaimed large parts of Europe, such as Poland. In general, northern Europe became Protestant, and southern Europe stayed Catholic, while fierce battles that turned into warfare took place in the center.

Bibliography

• Bainton, Roland H. Here I Stand: A Life of Martin Luther (reprint 1995) excerpt and text search
• Beard, Charles. Martin Luther and the Reformation in Germany Until the Close of the Diet of Worms (1896) 468 pages; complete text online this Charles Beard is not the American historian
• Chadwick, Owen. The Reformation (1990) excerpt and text search
• Collinson, Patrick. The Reformation: A History (2006) excerpt and text search
• Hillerbrand, Hans J., et al. eds. The Oxford Encyclopedia of the Reformation (1996) vol. 1:296 pp., vol. 2:506 pp., vol. 3: 491 pp., vol. 4:484 pp., ISBN 0-19-506493-3
• MacCulloch, Diarmaid. The Reformation (2005), 864pp; very well received syntheis excerpt and text search
• Smith, Preserved. The Age of the Reformation (1920) 861 pages; complete text online free