Soon after the Peasant Revolts of 1525, Luther joined forces with the German princes to bring about what was later known as the Magisterial Reformation. It was an interesting move, controversial though very much in keeping with the social structure that had been created as a result of undiluted Papal power holding sway over Europe for a period of about 1000 years.

A hallmark of Papal authority has always been the combination of church and state. Bypassing popular grassroots movements and the ideals of independent thought and freedom of conscience, the church had always used the arm of the state to enforce her wishes on the people.

Luther now chose a similar, albeit less forceful and tyrannical, path. Luther appealed directly to the German princes in charge of the various territories that made up the Holy Roman Empire. Instead of preaching to the people, Luther worked to convert the princes so that the churches in their territories would become state-controlled churches that adopted Lutheran teachings.

This move was a significant turning point in the German Reformation. By appealing to the princes Luther politicized a grassroots movement. The strategy worked and many of the German princes who accepted Luther's teaching converted their state churches to Lutheranism almost overnight. While some of the princes sincerely accepted the teachings of the Reformation others accepted Luther's teachings as a means to throwing off the unbridled power of Rome and seizing greater control of their own territories.

The move brought with it both benefits and unforeseen complications plunging Germany into war and chaos long after Luther had died.