The Reformation in Western Europe During the 16th century, widespread religious reformation took place in Western Europe. It was between Catholics and Protestants. The Reformation is a 16th-century religious movement characterized ultimately by the rejection or modification of certain Roman Catholic doctrines and practices and the establishment of Protestant churches. This particular Reformation separated Western European Christians into Protestants and Catholics. Some of the major Reformations of the 16th century were the Catholic Reformation, the Genevan Reformation, the German Reformation, the English Reformation, and the Swiss Reformation, also known as the Zwinglian Reformation. They all shared some similar characteristics, while also having some different ones. During the 16th century corruption was widespread throughout Western Europe. Clergymen, popes and priests all sinned equally. Greed, sex, abuse of power were just some of these abuses. The Reforms sought to eliminate these abuses. In each of these reforms, the royal family played an important role. With the Catholic Reformation, which took place in Spain and Italy, Queen Isabella of Spain brought the church more under the control of the crown than ever before. The reason for the Reformation was to raise the intellectual and moral standards of the church. In the German Reformation, Martin Luther was the leader and divided the church into two groups: Catholic and Protestant. He had protested that some members of the clergy were selling indulgences (temporary forgiveness of sins) without making it clear that people also had to be sincerely repentant of those sins. He is most famous for his list of 95 indulgences which he posted on the door of the Catholic church. In Switzerland Zwinglian led the Swiss Reformation. It broke traditional standards. He said, “A church without a magistrate is mutilated and incomplete.” Relics and images have been abolished; all paintings and decorations were removed from the churches and replaced by whitewashed walls. He also had music removed from the sermon because he felt it was a distraction from the word of God. (Spielvogel 471) The English Reformation occurred due to Henry VIII's desire to divorce his wife, seeking one who could give him a child. The Geneva Reformation (I don't understand this part because it's in Switzerland, so isn't it the same thing as the Swiss Reformation?) was led by John Calvin. Calvin applied the ideals of purity, simplicity, and devout religious faith. All these Reforms took power away from the churches and placed it under the crown. No one's power will be greater than that of the crown. All of these Reforms sought to eliminate corruption, sin, and all other wrongdoings from the world