Post History
For most of its history, the Holy Roman Empire had laws against heresy. The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 recognized only Catholicism and Lutheranism, with each state picking one or the other. Everyone...
Question
church-history
#1: Initial revision
What was the status of non-Christians in the Holy Roman Empire?
For most of its history, the Holy Roman Empire had laws against heresy. The Peace of Augsburg in 1555 recognized only Catholicism and Lutheranism, with each state picking one or the other. Everyone else would have been a heretic, though a person who carefully kept quiet might have avoided punishment for personal beliefs. Many Jews lived in the HRE. They were sometimes (marginally) tolerated, often persecuted. What about Muslims and other non-Christians? The HRE had trade with the Ottoman Empire when it wasn't at war with it. What was the status of visiting Muslims? Were they tolerated as long as they were transients? Were Muslims allowed to live in any of the member states? The Holy Roman Empire lasted about a thousand years, and states and cities made their own laws, so I'm not expecting an all-encompassing answer. My interest is especially in the 16th century. Any information about how outsider religions were treated in the HRE would be helpful.