One major effect the Reformation had on Western Europe was that it destroyed religious unity. Before this, Western Europe was Catholic but with the emergence of Protestant reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox and other such leaders, new faiths started to emerge and this caused a division with some countries that practicing Protestant faith like Germany, Holland and England while others remain Catholic like Italy, France and Spain. Unfortunately it also caused these countries to fight one another due to the difference of their faiths.