Between 6 and 7 pm, October 6th 1528, in a German convent, noises were heard coming from the cloister door. Someone was pushing it. The next morning a veil was discovered by the back-garden gate.
Ursula of Münsterberg, the granddaughter of King George of Bohemia, daughter of Victor, the late Duke of Münsterberg, had escaped the convent with two companions.
Ursula’s story is one which grips readers even today yet, in many ways, it is not that unusual. We know that during the Reformation, many women left convents after reading the works of Luther and Calvin, seeking refuge with Reformers across the continent. But what is unique about Ursula’s story is that it is so well documented. Because of this, Ursula’s story gives us a glimpse into the lives of other women who decided to leave the convent – or in some cases, stay there.
Ursula was born between 1491-1495 straight into one of the noblest families in Europe. Like many of these noble families, it would also become a family bitterly divided by the Reformation.
Ursula lost both of her parents when she was very young – her mother in 1496 and her father in 1500. Ursula was sent to live with her cousins, George, Duke of Saxony and his brother Heinrich. Later, between the ages of 9 and 15, Ursula was sent to a convent where she became a nun in the Order of St Mary Magdalene. From Ursula’s later writings, we know that the convent did not agree with her. She was not the strongest in health and found the fasting, nightly vigils and penitential way of life difficult to endure.
Here is were Ursula was when Luther began writing and publishing. Back in Saxony, her family had divided. Duke George was firmly anti-Reformation, but it appears that his younger brother Duke Heinrich and his wife, Duchess Katherine were secret supporters. On the other side of the family, Frederick the Wise, Elector of Saxony and his heir John, were both open supporters and protectors of Luther.
Like many convents, Ursula’s soon encountered an issue with Lutheranism. After Ursula’s escape in 1528, the remaining sisters were interviewed revealing the full extent of this issue and the large part Ursula had played in creating it. It came to light that since her arrival, the convent had had three separate chaplains who taught Lutheran doctrine. The last came to them at Ursula’s specific request with the help of her cousin, Duke Heinrich and his wife, Duchess Katherine. From the third chaplain, the nuns had been taught that justification came through faith alone and good works were only the fruit of faith, but meritless on their own.
Ursula was also blamed for the smuggling of Lutheran books into the convent. Though no one claimed she worked alone – Duchess Katherine and a number of sisters were also implicated – it appears that Ursula arranged for Luther’s books to be rebound and then smuggled into the convent through the choir window.
Ursula’s activities had an effect on the convent. After her escape, 77 sisters remained and only one third were estimated as being truly Catholic, with another third being Lutheran and the last third undecided. Yet, despite being quite successful in her clandestine activities, Ursula still decided to leave.
The appointment of a new and more relaxed abbess gave her the opportunity. With the sisters given greater freedom and privacy, Ursula realised that she would not raise any suspicion if she was not found in her cell. So, on October 6th, 1528, Ursula made her move, fleeing first to a pastor at Leisnig and then to Wittenberg, where she became of one many refugees housed by Luther and his wife (another runaway nun) Katherine von Bora.
Hearing of their cousin’s escape, it didn’t take Duke George and Duke Heinrich long to work out where she’d gone. So, they demanded that John, Elector of Saxony, whose territory she was in, send her back. Instead, John warned Ursula of her cousins’ knowledge before making it clear to George and Heinrich that he would support Ursula, not them, in this matter.
After a long correspondence, John ended the matter by writing:
“We would like you to know that in our school at Wittenberg nothing is preached but the pure word of God and the gospel. It is a Christian synagogue. We assure you that we had no hand in her escape.”
George and Heinrich had also heard that Ursula had written an apology explaining why and how she left the convent. Afraid that this would distress other sisters or encourage more to leave, they asked John to ensure that it was not published. Instead, John sent them two copies.
The pamphlet later appeared fresh from the printing presses complete with a preface by Luther – (I have transcribed sections of this below). The text reveals her reasons for leaving, as well as casting light onto the real struggle faced by women who had to choose between the faith they’d always known and the new ‘heretical’ teachings they now believed. It was never an easy decision.
After this, we do not know what happened to Ursula or where and when she died. But we do know what happened at her old convent. As early as 1524, Luther had decreed that not everyone had to leave the monastic life, so long as they were there by choice and free to pursue the true teachings of the Gospel. It appears that the Lutheran nuns at Ursula’s old home were one such group who decided to remain. After the death of their relaxed abbess, they elected Barbara Schönberg, leader of the Lutheran sympathizers. The effects of Ursula’s smuggling lived on.
A bar was placed across the choir window.
Ursula of Münsterberg highlights the role played by women in the Reformation even within the convent. Despite being at the mercy of men with more authority – spiritually, financially and socially- Ursula used everything she had at her disposal to further the cause of the Reformation.
While many today, especially within the post-Reformation Church, have a tendency to think of convents as places of spiritual darkness and female subservience. Ursula reminds us that we should not underestimate the role these nuns played in the Reformation, whether it was within or outside the cloister.
“We were constrained by conscience that we might escape the inescapable judgement of God upon all who reject his eternal and true Word. We have not acted lightly nor without consideration. Our defence will not impress those who take offense at the crucified Christ, whom we confess to be the power and wisdom of God (1 Cor. 1:23-24). The reasons for our leaving our the texts: “go ye into all the world and proclaim the Gospel” (Mark 16:5); “God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whoever believeth on him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16); “The just shall live by faith” (Heb. 2:4)…You see that our salvation rests only on faith. Our conscience has been greatly troubled and our flesh corrupted. The only hope lies in faith…There is only one way to relieve our conscience and that is to make a clean break. We have suffered such torments of spirit that we could no longer hold on… We had hoped for relief from the princes. None came. We had hoped for help from the preacher, but we were told not to heed what he said…Our salvation is no light a thing that we should sell it for human favour, for we know that here we have no abiding place (Heb. 13:14)…Dear friends, brother and sisters in Christ, these are the reasons we are ready to let go body, life, honor and goods.”
Further reading: Roland Bainton, Women of the Reformation: In Germany and Italy; Kirsi Stjerna, Women and the Reformation; Merry Wiesner-Hanks, Convents Confront the Reformation : Catholic and Protestant Nuns in Germany.
Image shows the Duchy of Münsterberg coat of arms. Ursula’s official titles included: Duchess of Münsterberg and Troppau, and Countess of Glatz.
Not Just Wives and Mothers: The Women of Church History 
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