Early Modern Religious Communities in East-Central Europe: Ethnic Diversity, Denominational Plurality and Corporative Politics in the Principality of Transylvania (1526-1691) (Studies in Medieval and Reformation Traditions)

Conceived as another chapter in the European history of religions (Europäische Religionsgeschichte), this book deals with the intense dynamics of the overlapping political, ethnic, and denominational constellations in Reformation and post-Reformation Transylvania. Navigating along multiple narrative tracks, and attempting to treat the religious history of an entire region – over a limited time period – in a differentiated, polyfocal way, the book represents a departure from the master narratives of any singularly oriented religious history. At the same time, the present work seeks to contribute to laying the groundwork at the micro- and meso-contextual level of East-Central European confessionalization processes, and to developing interpretive models for these processes in the region. Frameworks -- The Region And Its Inhabitants -- Political And Economic Developments In The 15th And 16th Centuries -- The Reformation : Stages And Processes -- Under Catholic Princes -- Around The Turn Of The 16th Century -- The Rule Of Gábor Bethlen -- The Principality's Golden Age And Decline -- The Final Years -- Denominational Toleration And Confessionalization. By István Keul. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [277]-300) And Indexes. Frameworks The region and its inhabitants Political and economic developments in the 15th and 16th centuries The reformation : stages and processes Under Catholic princes Around the turn of the 16th century The rule of Gabor Bethlen The principality's golden age and decline The final years Denominational toleration and confessionalization. Navigating along multiple narrative tracks and treating the religious history of an entire region in a polyfocal way, this book offers an insight into the intense dynamics of the overlapping political, ethnic, and denominational constellations in Reformation and post-Reformation Transylvania.