The Reformation was a new radical time where religion was questioned and Protestantism was formed and became popular. The main leader was Martin Luther and it began in Germany. The ideas of Luther spread to a wide variety of people, and eventually moved across Europe. All types of people started to re-examine the Catholic Church, and what they really believed in. Preachers and the general hatred for clergymen were the major flame of the Protestant Reformation. Politics however did interfere and affected and was affected by this new radical time period. The Habsburgs, and wars in Germany mostly helped the spread of the Reformation, as did the major ruling classes in England and throughout Europe.
In the late 15th century, the Hapsburgs were just beginning to rise up in Germany. When Charles V became emperor, he inherited much of Europe and gave them unity. He was devoted to also finding religious and political unity for this part. But in Germany, nationalistic feelings started to rise against the disliked wealthy Italian papacy. The general people felt that the church was corrupt, leading them to seek out another religion for them. Ironically, the princes also supported Luther though. They used his ideas of religion to try and keep the majority of the money in their own German area rather than sending it to Rome, therefore giving them more political independence. But this Protestant movement affected politics more than politics affected it. It turned Germany into a political disaster making the goal of common unification even further from reality. While the wars did advance the knowledge people had of Protestantism, it more or less helped with fragmentation. This definitely was not helped when Charles V declared the Peace of Augsburg, making the choice of religion up to the princes.
In England, people started to become more disconnected with the Catholic Church, but not necessarily more Protestant.
