Second Schmalkaldic War

The war can be regarded as a continuation of the First Schmalkaldic War (1546–1547), in which Charles V and Maurice of Saxony jointly defeated the Schmalkaldic League of almost the same Protestant German princes. This previous conflict was settled by the Augsburg Interim, which left both camps unsatisfied, especially the princes who were forced to reconvert themselves and their population to Catholicism, although winning some concessions.

Background

Discontent was growing in the Holy Roman Empire over the decisions made at the 1548 Augsburg Diet, the so-called Geharnischter Reichstag ("armour-clad Diet"). In the north, the Protestant princes secretly formed an alliance by the Treaty of Torgau of 22 May 1551. They included inter alia John Albert of Mecklenburg, Albert of Prussia, William of Hesse-Kassel, and Albert Alcibiades of Brandenburg-Kulmbach. They sought to defend Protestantism and the "Teutonic Liberty" (teutsche Libertät), which meant the freedom of the Imperial Princes. They also planned to liberate Philip of Hesse, who was incarcerated by the emperor in 1547. After laying the first contacts with Henry II, France declared war on the emperor in the autumn of 1551, and invaded Germany up to the Rhine. Furthermore, in the Treaty of Chambord 15 January 1552, France promised financial and military aid to the princes, for which they were prepared to relinquish the Three Bishoprics of Metz, Verdun, and Toul, near the border, to the French king.