Lesson 2C.2.1

2C.2.1 Reformation Europe, 1531–1564 Quiz: AQA History, Unit 14

20 questions

Written by Revision Ninja · Last reviewed 11 October 2026

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Lesson 2C.2.1, Reformation Europe, 1531–1564: 20 multiple choice questions for the AQA History (7042), Unit 14: 2C The Reformation in Europe, c1500–1564, written with Revision Ninja.

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The 20 questions

  1. What was the Schmalkaldic League formed in 1531?

    • A confederation of Italian city-states opposed to papal taxation
    • A group of Swiss cantons that agreed to a common currency
    • An alliance of Protestant princes and cities in the Holy Roman Empire
    • A Catholic alliance of Habsburg princes against the Ottoman Empire

  2. Which principle was established by the Peace of Augsburg of 1555?

    • Cuius regio, eius religio, so that the ruler chose the religion of his territory
    • Religious toleration for all Christians, Lutheran and Catholic alike
    • The right of every individual to choose a faith freely
    • Papal supremacy over all secular rulers in the Empire

  3. Who founded the Society of Jesus, whose approval by Paul III in 1540 strengthened Catholic reform?

    • Teresa of Avila
    • Ignatius Loyola
    • Philip Neri
    • Francis Xavier

  4. Which council, which opened in 1545, set out Catholic doctrine and carried out reform?

    • The Council of Trent
    • The Lateran Council
    • The Council of Constance
    • The Council of Basel

  5. Which Genevan reformer established a system of church government and discipline through a consistory?

    • John Knox
    • Huldrych Zwingli
    • John Calvin
    • Martin Bucer

  6. In which city was the Spanish theologian Michael Servetus burned for heresy in 1553?

    • Wittenberg
    • Strasbourg
    • Geneva
    • Zurich

  7. Which German city was the centre of the Anabaptist rebellion of 1534-35?

    • Zurich
    • Strasbourg
    • Munster
    • Wittenberg

  8. Which Scottish reformer led the Protestant movement in Scotland, shaped by his time in Geneva?

    • Thomas Cranmer
    • James Hamilton
    • George Wishart
    • John Knox

  9. In which year did Charles V abdicate the Habsburg thrones, leaving them to his brother and son?

    • 1563
    • 1546
    • 1558
    • 1556

  10. In which year did Martin Luther die?

    • 1555
    • 1563
    • 1531
    • 1546

  11. Which battle in April 1547 saw Charles V defeat the forces of the Schmalkaldic League?

    • Lepanto
    • Pavia
    • Ravenna
    • Muhlberg

  12. In which year did Paul III establish the Roman Inquisition?

    • 1528
    • 1545
    • 1542
    • 1521

  13. Which pope opened the first session of the Council of Trent in 1545?

    • Clement VII
    • Paul III
    • Julius III
    • Pius IV

  14. How many periods of sessions did the Council of Trent hold between 1545 and 1563?

    • One
    • Two
    • Five
    • Three

  15. Which book by John Calvin, first published in 1536, became a key statement of Protestant doctrine?

    • The Ninety-Five Theses
    • The Institutes of the Christian Religion
    • The Confession of Faith
    • The Book of Concord

  16. Which 1541 document set out the system of church government and discipline in Geneva?

    • The Schmalkaldic Articles
    • The Ecclesiastical Ordinances
    • The Diet of Regensburg Articles
    • The Augsburg Confession

  17. What was the outcome of the Diet of Regensburg of 1541?

    • A failed attempt at religious reconciliation between Catholics and Protestants
    • The adoption of Calvinism as the religion of the Holy Roman Empire
    • A lasting agreement on the doctrine of justification that ended religious division
    • The excommunication of all Lutheran princes by the Pope

  18. Which best evaluates the Peace of Augsburg of 1555 for religious unity in the Empire?

    • It made Lutheranism the only legal religion in every territory of the Empire
    • It settled the confessional question for Lutherans but left Calvinists and religious minorities excluded
    • It ended religious division permanently by establishing toleration for all faiths
    • It ensured that the Papacy regained full authority over every German prince

  19. Which best explains the success of the Catholic Reformation by 1564?

    • Papal reform, the Jesuits, the Council of Trent and the support of secular rulers combined to restore Catholic discipline
    • The Emperor forbade all preaching of Protestant doctrine in his lands after 1520
    • The Protestant movement collapsed after the death of Luther, and Catholics faced no opposition
    • The Catholic Church gave up its doctrine of purgatory and accepted the Augsburg Confession

  20. Which best explains the spread of Calvinism across Europe in the second half of the sixteenth century?

    • Calvinism was limited to Scotland, where John Knox ended all other religious traditions
    • Calvinism spread only in Geneva, where its influence stopped at the city walls
    • Calvinism was imposed on all of Europe by the Holy Roman Emperor after 1555
    • Calvinist ideas spread through printed works and networks of exiles, reaching France, the Netherlands, Scotland and Poland

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