[ClearCase_guy]

A creditable case can be made that the Renaissance came to an end -- and the Modern Age began -- as the Protestant Reformation made alterations in societies and government across Europe.

You can say good things about the Modern Age, and you can say bad things about the Modern Age.

What we see now (in a great many respects) is the closing of the Modern Age -- and with that will come a whole new series of alterations in societies and government across Europe and the world.

[Cronos]

not really. The Modern age began in the mid 1700s with the Industrial Revolution in the triangle that is formed between London, Paris and Amsterdam --> Anglican, Catholic and Calvinist

Catholic France, Bavaria (Remember Rudolf Diesel was Catholic.

The Modern Age was more due to Gutenberg's press (and incidently Gutenberg was Catholic ) in the 1400s than to the Protesters in the late 1500s.

the Protestant revolution in Germany led to the creation of Calvinist Prussia -- and its militaristic motto.

This Prussian motto is what conquered the Germans and gave ALL Germans the false stereotype we know them by and which caused WWI and WWII.

so if you mean those profound changes, ok. Also in Scandanavia, there were no profound changes, the monarchy remained and inthe UK despite Cromwell trying to found his own dynasty, the English brought back Charles II and it was only during the George years and accelerated during the Victorian years when the kings did not speak English or spend much time in England (George I and II) or the queen was in mourning for Prince Albert, THOSE were the times when England created the parliamentary system we know today