In contrast to the knights the princes were already fairly independent and as a result were slow to make any official connections between themselves and Luther’s cause. Most did so in the late 1520s and early 1530s, for example Philip of Hesse, John of Saxony and Albrecht of Prussia all officially adopted Lutheranism around this time. Doing so allowed them to increase their political power due to growing independence from Rome, and in this way adopting Luther’s message was advantageous to them, they could use it to boost their political importance. They used Luther’s message to some extent to advance their political cause, but in quite a passive manner, they did not attempt to actively redefine it in any way, simply adopting it was enough.
In the cities, such as Erfurt and Ulm, official adoption of the Lutheran message (by the local leading merchants and other central figures) allowed increase of local political power. Decisions were no longer made by higher powers; instead residents of the city had some influence, for example electing city councils. Luther’s message allowed the cities that converted more political power and more freedom, and so to an extent they were using it for their own cause. However, like the princes, the cities were not interpreting Luther’s message differently to how he intended in order to suit themselves.
The peasants were presented Luther’s message by Thomas Muntzer, who suggested to them that Luther was encouraging them to fight for political freedom, for example not to have their ‘God-given’ rights taken away from them by authority figures. They used Luther’s message as an excuse to rebel and demand liberation in the Twelve Articles of Memmingen produced by the peasant army service, which requested conventional peasant rights. They substantiated their political desires with Luther’s religious view to try and increase the legitimacy, claiming religious and political freedom was closely linked. In this way they were using Luther’s message to a broad extent, perceiving it as a way of gaining liberation and hence advancing their own political cause.
Economically Luther’s message was beneficial to different groups as it allowed them, rather than the church, to have control of their financial situation, which was symbolic of their power and status. Acceptance of Luther’s message appealed to a sense of anti-clericalism and gave an excuse not to pay taxes to the church. For the knights this was important because they felt they were economically declining; yet still had to pay high taxes without receiving any benefits. Adopting Luther’s message prevented this, and for some also brought about material gains through looting in the Knights War (1522), so in this way the knights used Luther’s message to quite a large extent to advance their economic cause.
The princes also made financial gains through Luther’s message, which in turn led to an increase in power and independence. By accepting Lutheranism the princes could use the money that would have been spent on taxes to Rome on their own cause, for example military protection. However the princes were not just using Luther’s message to economically advance their own cause, 60% of the value of the monastic lands was given back to charity, for example funding for the poor. Philip of Hesse built schools, a hospital and a university, which strongly complies with the Lutheran doctrine, and hence lessens the extent to which the princes were using Luther’s message for their own cause, and increases the extent to which they were simply putting it into practice. However it could be argued that doing so was a way to advance their own cause as it increased reputation and status, but this is more subtle and hence harder to prove.
The cities also used Luther’s message to gain materially by receiving Catholic property. However, like the princes, the use of the message to advance their own economic cause was lessened in some cases by justification through scripture, for example Leisnig, where the money was used charitably. In the situation of the princes and the cities the extent to which Luther’s message was used is difficult to judge because it differs widely between cases.
The economic cause of the peasants is evident in the Twelve Articles. They used Luther’s ideas of individual freedom and purity of scripture from the New Testament to devise their demands of fairer allocation of resources and common ownership of water and forests. They also felt that their financial status did not allow them to have money to be given in taxation to the church and used Luther’s idea of the priesthood of all believers to support this. They used Luther’s message to a great extent in attempt to advance their own cause by presenting it as spiritually justified.
Adoption of Luther’s message in a social context was a way of different groups increasing their social status. The importance of the knights was declining and they craved maintenance of an important social position and a united Germany. They used Luther’s message to try to attain these through propaganda and the Knights War (led by Von Sickingen), which was fought under the idea of the Lutheran concept of social change. They attempted to use Luther’s message to a great extent to advance their social cause, but were unsuccessful and defeated in 1522 by the Archbishop of Trier.
The princes used Luther’s message in order to further their already high status and decrease the control that was had over them by Rome. They suppressed the freedom of the peasants through scare tactics; 10,000 rebelling peasants were killed under the guise that they had misinterpreted Luther’s message, anarchy was not what was desired. This way of using Luther’s message was supported by Luther himself, which indicates that it was not just a way to advance the cause of the princes. However the princes were advancing their cause to quite a large extent, as suppressing the peasants rebellion ensured maintenance of their social position.
The social interest of the cities in Luther’s message was educational. Many city people were educated and hence receptive of Luther’s ideas, they wanted the city to convert so the message could be taught. This was not using the message to advance their own cause as such, in this case Luther’s message was their social cause and therefore they attempted to advance it by teaching it
The peasants used Luther’s message and name to rebel against their poor living conditions and the idea that they were ‘owned’ by their landlords. They yearned for social justice and saw Luther’s message as a manifesto of this, which resulted in the Peasants War (1524 – 1526). This is clearly use of Luther’s message to advance their own cause to a huge extent, as Luther condemned the war as lacking in spirituality a few weeks after it began. Ultimately it was put down by the Swabian League, made up of princes and other higher status people.
Though Luther’s message was obviously a religious one, to some groups this was the least significant reason to adopt it. This was the case of the knights, many of whom were corrupt and had little religious interest, they merely saw Luther’s message as a way to increase their importance.
The princes also lacked religious interest, for example evidence shows that Philip of Hesse did not have significant interest in theology. Adopting Luther’s message (in the late 1520s and 1530s) was a way of avoiding being controversial in religious matters. This advanced their cause to a small extent but was not particularly significant.
The religious interest of the cities in Luther’s message was greater, they had seen the corruption of the Church and had strong anti-papal and anti-clerical feelings, as well as some Humanist ideals. Through converting to Lutheranism they were exercising and advancing their own religious cause, using Luther’s message to do so, but they were not adapting it in any way.
The peasants had strong religious interest in Luther’s message, which is evident in the Twelve Articles. They wanted to follow the religion that suited them due to its doctrines of Sola Fide, the purity of a return to scripture and the ability to elect their own minister. They believed in Luther’s spiritual message and as a result attempted to advance not only their religious cause, but their social, political and economic causes also to a great extent, believing that all were connected.
In conclusion Luther’s message was used to various extents by different groups to advance their own cause. The knights and the peasants actively used Luther’s message (the former through propaganda and the Knights War, the latter with the Twelve Articles and the Peasants Rebellion) in an attempt to improve their economic, political and social positions in society. The emphasis was on the cause as opposed to care for the message. Yet these attempts were not ultimately successful. In contrast the higher status cities and princes did not have to adapt Luther’s message in such a way to advance their own cause. For these groups just adopting Lutheranism was enough to somewhat improve their standing. The degree to which Luther’s message was used depended on the group’s perception of the necessity of improvement for its cause.