On the Regulatory Function and Historical Significance of the Peace of Augsburg (1555) in Religious Conflicts

In 1555, the Imperial Diet in Augsburg passed a resolution to extend the application of decrees concerning peace and order of the Holy Roman Empire to religious issues, trying to achieve religious peace and order of the Empire. The Peace of Augsburg (1555) explicitly recognizes the legal existence of Lutheranism and stipulates the “religious freedom” of Imperial Estates, “cuius regio, eius religio” principle, and its exceptions. However, due to the lack of effective mechanism and measures to guarantee the compliance with the Peace of Augsburg (1555), its regulatory function can only be realized through “commitment”. The Peace of Augsburg (1555) is mainly formulated to pursue the peace and order of the Empire and also reflects the fundamental principle of compromise. However, the concepts such as “religious tolerance” and “right protection” contained therein are not original intention of the Peace of Augsburg (1555) or the subjective wishes of all parties thereto.