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What alliance did Philip form with Elector John of Saxony in 1526?
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Philip
Philip, 17th-century etching.
In May 1526, Philip the Magnanimous, Landgrave of Hesse, formed a defensive alliance with Elector John of Saxony to protect the interests of the new Protestant faith against Catholic opposition. This agreement, which other northern and eastern German princes subsequently joined, is known as the Torgau League (Torgauer Bund).12
Philip was the first to recognize that the security of the Reformation depended on the political and military unity of Protestant sovereigns and towns. This alliance served as a foundational step in his ongoing efforts to unite the Protestant estates, eventually leading to the formation of the Schmalkaldic League in 1531.13