Cunegonde's Kidnapping

By Benjamin J. Kaplan

Book Description

In the heart of eighteenth-century Europe, where Enlightenment ideals promised religious tolerance and rational discourse, a shocking act of faith ignited an unexpected religious war. Benjamin J. Kaplan reconstructs the extraordinary true story of Cunegonde, a young Catholic woman whose desperate attempt to prevent a baby's Protestant baptism sparked a violent conflict that would challenge everything we thought we knew about religious coexistence during this pivotal era.

Set in a remote border village between Dutch and German territories, this gripping historical account reveals how quickly interfaith tensions could explode into armed confrontation. When Cunegonde's arrest prompted fellow Catholics to stage a daring rescue mission, their actions unleashed a cycle of violence that transformed their community into a battleground of competing religious convictions.

Through meticulous research and vivid storytelling drawn from exceptional primary sources, Kaplan illuminates the complex realities of religious life in borderland communities, where spiritual dissenters found unique freedoms yet faced profound challenges. This microhistorical study exposes the gap between Enlightenment philosophy and lived experience, revealing how ordinary people navigated the treacherous waters of interfaith marriage and religious identity.

For readers seeking to understand how spiritual conviction intersects with social conflict, this compelling narrative offers profound insights into the enduring tensions between tolerance and faith, community and conscience.