Protestantism
in Italy and Spain

There was fierce opposition to the Reform Movement, so it never really took a permanent hold in these two countries. The Jesuits in Italy, and especially the Spanish Inquisition, were particularly adamant in their opposition to Reformed ideas.

Italy

  • The Trente Council
    The Trente Council © S.H.P.F.

The Dominican monk Savonarola (1452-1498) could be considered, to some extent, to be a precursor of Luther. In Florence he advocated austerity in the practice of religion and the removal of any pictures in places of worship. However, his influence was short lived – he ended up burnt at the stake.

In the XVIth century the ideas of the Reform Movement spread quickly. Many movements sprang up which were inspired by humanism : the most well-known, most powerful of these was spiritualism, led by Juan de Valdès, a Spaniard exiled in Italy. Venice opened its doors wide to the Reform Movement, with the University of Padua, which was close by, becoming the main centre where followers of all religious persuasions could engage in dialogue with each other.

In the duchy of Ferrara, Renée, the daughter of Louis XII, and a follower of Lefèvre d’Etaples, married Duke Hercule d’Este, who had joined the Reform Movement ; she welcomed into her home both Clément Marot and Calvin himself, just before he returned to Geneva. But the support she gave to the Reformers led to her being accused of heresy and summoned before the court of Inquisition. When her husband died, she returned to France.

The Reform Movement in Italy suffered several blows at the hands of the Inquisition and after the Council of Trent (1545-1563) it disappeared completely. Some people, for example numerous inhabitants of Lucques, felt they had to emigrate to Geneva, the Swiss cantons or Germany.

However, the Piedmont valleys, to the west of Turin, (also known as the “Waldensian valleys” after the early reformer Pierre Valdo) were an exception. These valleys had been obtained permission from their ruler, Duke Emmanuel-Philibert of Savoy, to hold public religious services which were different to that of their prince and of the majority of the population (the Treaty of Cavour, signed in June 1561). But apart from this unusual case, the Reform Movement was never really able to take a proper hold anywhere in Italy.

Spain

  • The Spanish Inquisition by Berrugete. St Dominic presiding an auto-da-fé © Collection privée

It can be said that Protestantism has never really existed in Spain. Even though Erasmus had a certain influence on Spanish spirituality, when Juan de Valdes tried to circulate a translation of Luther’s work, he did not make much headway. The Inquisition reacted violently, and after the great “book-burnings” of Valladolid and Seville (1559-1562), during the reign of Charles V, the “Reformed tradition” disappeared completely.

Associated notes

  • Protestantism in the Low Countries
    The history of Dutch protestantism basically consists of a long-drawn out battle against Spain, who held sway over the country in the second part of the XVIth century and at...

  • Protestantism in England in the 18th century
    The Industrial revolution brought with it many significant changes in society. Against this back ground the Methodist Revival movement was born. Talented preachers would address large crowds in the open,...

  • Protestantism in the Scandinavian countries
    At the beginning of the XVIth century, Scandinavia consisted of two kingdoms : one was made up of Norway and Denmark and the other Sweden and Finland. They both loosely belonged...

  • Protestantism in Belgium
    Although the Low Countries and Belgium (which was in fact part of the latter for several centuries) had shared a common history in the past, the consequences of the events...

  • Protestantism in Hungary
    By the end of the XVIth century, protestantism had spread throughout most of Hungary. Despite the opposition of the Counter-Reform movement in the XVIIIth century and persecution by the Habsbourgs,...

  • Protestantism in Switzerland
    Reformed protestantism is deeply rooted in Switzerland because of Calvin, who lived in Geneva and Zwingli, who lived in Zurich. The Swiss Confederation goes back to the XIIth century ; it...

  • Protestantism in Germany
    The Lutheran Reformation movement was a crucial event in German history. This theological and religious revolution had a major effect on German politics, language and culture. Today Germany has several...

  • Protestantism in England in the 20th century
    Throughout the 20th century the Church of England became progressively more and more independent from the State ; it was run on increasingly democratic lines, with the laity taking greater responsibility...

  • Protestantism in England in the 16th century (separation from Rome)
    Henri VIII’s divorce led to the start of a national Church supported by Parliament. After eleven years of religious turmoil following the king’s death, Anglicanism was established by Elizabeth I...