Chapter Thirteen. Anabaptists and the early modern state: A long-term view

Abstract

In the 1780s the Dutch Mennonite community was divided politically. Some leaders stressed what they believed were biblical values of Christian non-resistance and obedience to the state, while others joined an armed revolt against the Calvinist-dominated Orange family oligarchy. The revolt failed to unseat the regime, and rebel leaders, including several Mennonite preachers, fled the Dutch Republic. The general narrative of the dynamic relations between Anabaptists and the early modern state is fairly straightforward, at least at first glance. While mutual antagonism was typical of the early sixteenth century, later generations of territorial rulers were more accepting of religious diversity and Anabaptists were more accepting of established secular authority. This chapter charts the transformation of relations between Anabaptists and rulers until the beginning of the nineteenth century. The focus is on German- and Dutch-speaking territories of the Empire, the Swiss cantons, and the United Provinces. Keywords: Anabaptists; biblical values; Christian; Dutch Mennonite community; modern state; Orange family oligarchy; territorial rulers