What did the Peace of Augsburg officially recognize?

The Peace of Augsburg, established in 1555, officially recognized the division of Christianity in Germany, which was a significant outcome of the Protestant Reformation. It allowed for the coexistence of Catholicism and Lutheranism within the Holy Roman Empire, granting rulers the authority to determine the religion of their own territories—whether they would be Catholic or Lutheran.

This treaty was an important political resolution that sought to bring an end to religious conflicts and wars that had arisen from the Reformation, affirming the concept of "cuius regio, eius religio" (whose realm, his religion). By acknowledging this division, the Peace of Augsburg represented a pivotal moment in European religious history, as it set a precedent for the recognition of different Christian denominations and marked the beginning of a period where religious pluralism could take root in parts of Europe.