An Introduction to the Reformation, Lesson #4: The Political Context of the Reformation

The Reformation might never have happened, and almost certainly would never have succeeded, without the tense political rivalries that racked Europe in the 16th century: between Pope and Emperor, France and Spain, England and the Continent. This lecture provides an overview of the main power players in the early sixteenth century, and how their conflicts set the stage for Luther's reform to reverberate far beyond Wittenberg.