What if the Council of Trent had gone differently?

The Catholic Church reforms its abuses, hardens its doctrine and organises a fightback.

If it had gone differently: The Catholic Church never reforms or re-centralises; without a Counter-Reformation the confessional map stays fluid.

The real history on Wikipedia ↗

Later turning points that leaned on the Council of Trent. Change it in the game and the ripples reach all of these.

1. 1600The Scientific Revolution. Without it, Natural philosophy stays deferential to the ancients; no method, no acceleration.
2. 1618The Thirty Years' War. Without it, Central Europe is spared its worst depopulation; the Holy Roman patchwork holds together longer.
3. 1648The Peace of Westphalia. Without it, Sovereignty stays contested; overlapping empires and churches keep claiming the same ground.