On This Day

The battle of Frankenhausen: German peasant army surrounded, 5,000 slaughtered ; ends the peasants' uprising

The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to...

The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It was Europe's largest and most widespread popular uprising before the French Revolution in 1789. The revolt failed because of intense opposition from the aristocracy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of the 300,000 poorly armed peasants and farmers. The survivors were fined and achieved few, if any, of their goals. Like the preceding Bundschuh movement and the Hussite Wars, the war consisted of a series of both economic and religious revolts involving peasants and farmers, sometimes supported by radical clergy like Thomas Müntzer.

Historical Significance

The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525.

Events Before

  1. Earl Henry III of Nassau weds Mencia de Medoza, 16-years old marquess

    Earl Henry III of Nassau weds Mencia de Medoza, 16-years old marquess

  2. Giovanni de Varrazano, a Florentine explorer in the service of King Francis I of France, lands around area of Carolinas

    Giovanni de Varrazano, a Florentine explorer in the service of King Francis I of France, lands around area of Carolinas

  3. Florentine navigator Giovanni Verrazano on a voyage for France is the first European to discover New York harbour

    Florentine navigator Giovanni Verrazano on a voyage for France is the first European to discover New York harbour

  4. Duke of Albany leaves Scotland

    Duke of Albany leaves Scotland

  5. Emperor Charles I bans German national synode

    Emperor Charles I bans German national synode

Events After

  1. Charles V and Francis I sign the Treaty of Madrid, forcing Francis to renounce his claims to Burgundy, Italy, and Flande

    Charles V and Francis I sign the Treaty of Madrid, forcing Francis to renounce his claims to Burgundy, Italy, and Flanders

  2. Holy Roman Emperor Charles V (26) marries Princess Isabella of Portugal (22), his 1st cousin, in Seville

    Isabella of Portugal (Portuguese and Spanish: Isabel de Portugal; 24 October 1503 – 1 May 1539) was the empress consort of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, King of Spain, Archduke of Austria, and Duke…

  3. First Battle of Panipat: Central Asian conqueror Babur defeats Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, establishing the Mughal Empire in In

    First Battle of Panipat: Central Asian conqueror Babur defeats Sultan Ibrahim Lodi, establishing the Mughal Empire in India

  4. Battle of Mohács: In a decisive battle, the Kingdom of Hungary is conquered by the Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Ma

    Battle of Mohács: In a decisive battle, the Kingdom of Hungary is conquered by the Ottoman Empire led by Suleiman the Magnificent

  5. Heavy storm strikes Dutch coast, killing large numbers

    Heavy storm strikes Dutch coast, killing large numbers

More from the 1520s

Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on May 15, 1525?
The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525. It was Europe's largest and most widespread popular uprising before the French Revolution in 1789. The revolt failed because of intense opposition from the aristocracy, who slaughtered up to 100,000 of the 300,000 poorly armed peasants and farmers.
Why is The battle of Frankenhausen: German peasant army surrounded, 5,000 slaughtere... significant?
The German Peasants' War, Great Peasants' War or Great Peasants' Revolt (German: Deutscher Bauernkrieg) was a widespread popular revolt in some German-speaking areas in Central Europe from 1524 to 1525.

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