The End of the Münster Rebellion

Lindsay Graham· Host0:00

[music] It's April 5th, 1534, outside Munster, a German city in the Holy Roman Empire. 43-year-old Bishop Franz von Waldeck emerges from a tent into glorious sunshine. It's Easter Sunday, and normally Bishop Waldeck would be preparing for religious services that mark the most important festival in the Christian calendar. But this year, Bishop Waldeck isn't at church, he's leading an army. Two months ago, a religious uprising occurred in the city of Munster. A radical sect known as Anabaptists took over the town and expelled anyone who refused to convert to their version of Christianity. This was unacceptable to Franz von Waldeck. He's not only the local Catholic bishop, he's also the region's ruler. So now he's come to Munster to return the city to what he views as the one true Christian faith, and he's prepared to use force to do it. He set up camp outside Munster and deployed his army to besiege the city. Now, as he watches on, the city gates begin to open. Bishop Waldeck praises God that the rebellious subjects of Munster have chosen this holy day to surrender. But his celebrations are cut short when he sees a dozen horsemen gallop out of the gates. They have their weapons drawn, and they're heading straight for the bishop's tent. The bishop's soldiers rush to meet the threat, forming a defensive line.