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German Peasants' War

Definition

The German Peasants' War was a widespread popular revolt in the German-speaking areas of Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It was the largest peasant rebellion in Europe's history.

Analogy

Think of the German Peasants' War like a school-wide protest against unfair rules. Just as students might rise up against policies they find oppressive, so too did the peasants rise up against social injustices and economic oppression.

Related terms

Serfdom: This is a status of many peasants under feudalism, specifically relating to manorialism. It was a condition of debt bondage and indentured servitude with similarities to slavery.

Martin Luther: A seminal figure in the Protestant Reformation, who initially sympathized with peasant grievances but ultimately distanced himself from them due to their violent methods.

Feudalism: A combination of legal, economic, military and cultural customs that flourished in Medieval Europe between the 9th and 15th centuries, which structured society around relationships derived from holding land in exchange for service or labor.