Douglas Miller, The German Peasants’ War 1524-26 (Helion, 2023)
When does a widespread but disconnected insurgency constitute a war? Some argue that when it comes to the revolts in German regions of the Holy Roman Empire between 1524 and 1526, it doesn’t, despite their similarities. Douglas Miller disagrees, and in this book, Miller lays out his thesis for a war that redirected the path of German sociopolitical history.
Miller takes us into the German lands of the Holy Roman Empire in the 16th Century where the peasant farmers carried more than their fair share of the social burden. This was also a time of religious and social turmoil. It is no surprise then to find a peasantry regularly on the edge of rebellion. Miller highlights that warfare too was changing, moving away from feudal elitism based on mounted knights to infantry based armies fighting with pikes. Firearms and artillery also played a more prominent role. We then move on to the military organisation of the peasant armies, including logistics and command. Miller notes the use of mercenary landsknechts on both sides. With the stage set, Miller takes us into the fighting, beginning with the war in the southwest in 1524 followed by Swabia the following year. Indeed, there were few regions that escaped the ravages of class warfare as it raged on into 1526. The effects of all this were catastrophic with devastation across great swathes of countryside and over 100,000 peasants killed or wounded. The peasants lost and retribution was harsh. Miller concludes with an analysis of how the Peasant rebellions caught fire but lacked overall leadership and were ultimately crushed by better equipped and organised armies under strategic control.
This is an excellent introduction to a complex series of rebellions that Miller argues constituted a general war. You don’t need to favour the Marxist view of history to lean towards Miller making his case; these rebellions had much in common and the ruling elites seem to have understood the general threat to their status. Miller’s engaging writing is complemented by many wonderful contemporary illustrations, battle maps and colour strategic maps, and colour plates of peasant banners and soldiers from both sides. The end result is a standout account of the Peasants’ War, and it is highly recommended for students of this period.
