Melchiorite

Melchior Hofmann was a German mystic and lay preacher who significantly influenced the Anabaptist movement with his zealous doctrines about the end times. A furrier by trade, Hofmann initially worked as a Lutheran missionary but was eventually drawn to Anabaptism in Strasbourg. He predicted the end of the world in 1533 and believed he would usher in the New Jerusalem with Christ.1

Hofmann's followers, known as Melchiorites, were particularly influential in Münster, Germany, where their radical apocalyptic beliefs led to a violent takeover in 1533. Although Hofmann was imprisoned and died before his prophecies came true, Melchiorite groups persisted for a time before disappearing into the broader Anabaptist movement. The Anabaptists themselves were a radical fringe movement of the Protestant Reformation, advocating for adult baptism and the separation of church and state. They were often persecuted for their beliefs, including their pacifism and refusal to swear oaths.123