MUNZER, THOMAS (c. 1489-1525)

This article appears in Volume V19, Page 14 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

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MUNZER, THOMAS (c. 1489-1525) , German religious enthusiast, was born at Stolberg in the Harz near the end of the 15th century, and educated at

Leipzig

LEIPZIG

and Frankfort, graduating in theology. He held preaching appointments in various places, but his restless nature prevented him from remaining in one position for any length of time. In 1520 he became a preacher at the

church

of St Mary, Zwickau, and his rude eloquence, together with his attacks on the monks, soon raised him to influence. Aided by Nicholas Storch, he formed a society the principles of which were akin to those of the Taborites, and claimed that he was under the direct influence of the Holy Spirit. His zeal for the purification of the

Church

by casting out all unbelievers brought him into conflict with the governing

body

BODY

of the town, and he was compelled to leave Zwickau. He then went to Prague, where his preaching won numerous adherents, but his violent language brought about his expulsion from this city also. At Easter .1523 Munzer came to Allstedt, and was soon appointed preacher at the church of St John, where he made extensive alterations in the services. His violence, however, aroused the hostility of Luther, in retaliation for which Munzer denounced the Wittenberg teaching. His preaching soon produced an uproar in Allstedt, and after holding his own for some time he left the town and went to Muhlhausen, where Heinrich Pfeiffer was already preaching doctrines similar to his own. The

union

of Munzer and Pfeiffer caused a disturbance in this city and both were expelled. Munzer went to Nuremberg, where he issued a writing against Luther, who had been mainly instrumental in bringing about his expulsion from Saxony. About this time his teaching became still more violent. He denounced established governments, and advocated common ownership of the means of life. After a tour in

south

SOUTH
SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

Germany he returned to Muhlhausen, overthrew the governing

body

BODY

of the city, and established a communistic

theocracy

THEOCRACY (Gr. Oeoeparia, the rule of God, from Oebr, god, and -Kparca, Kpare v, to rule)

. The Peasants' War had already broken out in various parts of Germany; and as the peasantry around Muhlhausen were imbued with Munzer's teaching, he collected a large body of men to plunder the surrounding country. He established his camp at

Frankenhausen

FRANKENHAUSEN

; but on the 15th of May 1525 the peasants were dispersed by Philip, landgrave of Hesse, who captured Munzer and executed him on the 27th at Muhlhausen. Before his
death he is said to have written a

letter

LETTER (through Fr. lettre from Lat. littera or litera, letter of the
alphabet
- ALPHABET (see also WRITING)
; the origin of the Latin word is obscure; it has probably no connexion with the root of linere, to smear, i.e. with wax, for an inscription with a stilus)

admitting the justice of his sentence.
His Aussgetritckte Emplossung des falschen Glaubens has been edited by R. Jordan (MMuhlhausen, 19ot), and a life of Munzer, Die Histori von Thome Miintzer des Anfengers der doringischen Uffrur, has been attributed to Philip Melanchthon (Hagenau, 1525). See G. T. Strobel, Leben, Schriften and Lehren Thoma Mii.ntzers (Nuremberg, 1795) ; J. K. Seidemann,

Thomas

Munzer (

Leipzig

LEIPZIG

, 1842); O. Merx,

Thomas

Munzer and Heinrich Pfeiffer (Gottingen, 1889); G. Wolfrau, Thomas Miinzer in Allstedt (Jena, 1852).

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