ical Anabaptist kingdom of Münster (1535). Anabaptism,
however, proved extremely resilient, particularly in the
Netherlands under the leadership of Menno Simons
(1496–1561), whose followers became known as MEN-
NONITES.
The cultural and political effects of the Reformation
were profound if unpredictable. Ultimately, it may be said
to have assisted the process of nation-building by break-
ing the moral and economic power of the old Church—al-
though for a time Calvinism mounted its own challenge to
the developing trend towards absolutist monarchies. In
cultural terms, the negative impact of the reformers’ hos-
tility towards traditional religious art was balanced by
their encouragement of church music and the incentive
they provided for a new artistic tradition, as in the case of
Rembrandt. Certainly, the Reformation helped create the
magnificent diversification of European culture that
marked the succeeding centuries.
Further reading: Owen Chadwick, The Early Refor-
mation on the Continent (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford University
Press, 2001); Brian Cummings, The Literary Culture of the
Reformation: Grammar and Grace (Oxford, U.K.: Oxford
University Press, 2002); Arthur G. Dickens, Reformation
and Society in Sixteenth-Century Europe (London: Thames
& Hudson, 1966); Harold J. Grimm, The Reformation Era,
1500–1650 (New York: Macmillan, 2nd ed. 1973); Carter
Lindberg, The European Reformations (Oxford, U.K.:
Blackwell, 1996); Diarmaid MacCulloch, Reformation: Eu-
rope’s House Divided 1490–1700 (London: Allen Lane,
2003), as The Reformation: A History (New York: Penguin
Viking, 2004) ENGLAND: Patrick Collinson, The Religion
of Protestants: The Church in English Society 1559–1625
(Oxford, U.K.: Clarendon Press, 1982); Arthur G. Dick-
ens, The English Reformation (London: Batsford, 1964; 2nd
ed. 1989); Eamon Duffy, The Stripping of the Altars: Tradi-
tional Religion in England c. 1400–c. 1580 (New Haven,
Conn. and London: Yale University Press, 1992); ∼, Voices
of Morebath: Reformation and Rebellion in an English Village
(New Haven, Conn. and London: Yale University Press,
2001); Felicity Heal, Reformation in Britain and Ireland
(Oxford, U.K.: Clarendon Press, 2003); Norman Jones,
The English Reformation: Religion and Cultural Adaptation
(Oxford, U.K.: Blackwell, 2001) GERMANY: C. Scott
Dixon, The Reformation in Germany (Oxford: Blackwell,
2002); Robert W. Scribner, The German Reformation (Lon-
don: Macmillan, 1986; 2nd ed. Basingstoke: Palgrave
Macmillan, 2003); ∼, For the Sake of Simple Folk: Popular
Propaganda for the German Reformation (Cambridge, U.K.:
Cambridge University Press, 1981; 2nd ed. Oxford, U.K.:
Clarendon Press, 1994) NETHERLANDS: Phyllis M.
Crew, Calvinist Preaching and Iconoclasm in the Netherlands
(Cambridge, U.K.: Cambridge University Press, 1978).
Regensburg, Colloquy of (1541) A conference of
Roman Catholic and Protestant theologians convened by
Emperor CHARLES Vin the Bavarian city of Regensburg
(formerly Ratisbon). The Roman Catholic representatives
were Johann ECK, Julius Pflug (1499–1564), and Johann
Gropper (1503–59); Cardinal Gasparo CONTARINIwas
papal legate. The Protestants were represented by Martin
BUCER, Philipp MELANCHTHON, and Johann Pistorius the
Elder (1503–83). The quest for reconciliation on doctrinal
issues was largely successful, but the colloquy had no
practical outcome, mainly due to Luther’s implacable op-
position to any compromise with Rome.Regiomontanus (Johann Müller) (1436–1476) German
mathematician and astronomer
His Latin name derives from his birthplace, Königsberg.
Educated at Vienna university, Regiomontanus traveled to
Italy with Cardinal BESSARION in search of important
Greek scientific texts. After six years in Italy, and a brief
period at the Hungarian court of MATTHIAS CORVINUS, Re-
giomontanus settled in Nuremberg. He planned to set up
the world’s first printing press devoted primarily to the
publication of scientific texts, and a catalogue of 22 titles
was issued. Called to Rome in 1476 to advise on calendri-
cal reform he died suddenly, reportedly of poison, his pro-
gram scarcely begun. He did, however, complete the first
printed Ephemerides (1474), and his De triangulis (1533)
is one of the earliest works of modern trigonometry. He
also completed the Epitoma of his teacher Georg PEUR-
BACH, which finally appeared in 1496, long after the
deaths of both scholars; it was an important text in the as-
tronomical debates of the following century (see PTOLE-
MAIC SYSTEM), being read by Copernicus, among others.Régnier, Mathurin (1573–1613) French satirical poet
A nephew of Philippe DESPORTES, Régnier was born at
Chartres, entered the Church at the age of nine, and ac-
companied the Cardinal de Joyeuse on a number of diplo-
matic missions to Rome. His lack of discretion and
dissolute behavior, however, prevented him from fulfilling
his parents’ aspirations and from inheriting the lucrative
benefices enjoyed by his uncle. In 1609 he became a
canon of Chartres cathedral. In his Satires (1608–09) Rég-
nier imitated the style of the classical satirists Horace and
Juvenal and was heavily influenced by a number of other
Renaissance writers, notably ARIOSTO, RABELAIS, and RON-
SARD. He attacked the purist literary reforms proposed by
MALHERBEand, in lighter vein, painted lively and realistic
portraits of a wide range of characters from all walks of
life: poets and courtiers, prostitutes and procurers. His
13th satire, Macette, against religious hypocrisy, is gener-
ally considered his masterpiece.Reinhold, Erasmus (1511–1553) German astronomer
Appointed professor of mathematics at Wittenberg uni-
versity, Reinhold, together with his colleague RHETICUS,
became one of the first astronomers to embrace publicly44008 8 RReeggeennssbbuurrgg,, CCoollllooqquuyy ooff