page_title: Schmalkaldic League
section_title: Growth
hierarchical_section_title: Schmalkaldic League / Growth
context_page_description: The Schmalkaldic League was a military alliance of Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire during the mid-16th century. Although originally started for religious motives soon after the start of the Reformation, its members later came to have the intention that the League would replace the Holy Roman Empire as their focus of political allegiance. While it was not the first alliance of its kind, unlike previous formations, such as the League of Torgau, the Schmalkaldic League had a substantial military to defend its political and religious interests. It received its name from the town of Schmalkalden, which is located in modern Thuringia.
context_section_description: In December, 1535, the League admitted anyone who would subscribe to the Augsburg Confession, and Anhalt, Württemberg, Pomerania, as well as the free imperial cities of Augsburg, Frankfurt am Main, and the Free Imperial City of Kempten joined the alliance.
  In 1538, the Schmalkaldic League allied with the newly-reformed Denmark. In 1539, the League acquired Brandenburg, which was under the leadership of Joachim II Hector, Elector of Brandenburg. In 1545, the League gained the allegiance of the Electoral Palatinate, under the control of Frederick III, Elector Palatine. In 1544, Denmark and the Holy Roman Empire signed the Treaty of Speyer, which stated that during the reign of Christian III, Denmark would maintain a peaceful foreign policy towards the Holy Roman Empire.
caption: John Frederick I of Saxony by Lucas Cranach the Younger
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