Timeline

age of refon

c. 1520

Luther’s 95 theses are posted on the door of the Wittenberg Castle

c. 1520

Luther debate John Ecks, a theologian, on the authority of the pope. Ulrich Zwingli begins his teaching of Protestantism in Switzerland.

c. 1520

Pope Leo I excommunicates Luther. Luther declared an outlaw by Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms.

c. 1520

Peasants’ rebellion in Germany partly stirred by Luther’s writing. Luther condemns their actions.

c. 1530

Henry VII Of England petitions Pope Clement II for a divorce from Catherine of Aragon.

c. 1530

German Lutheran princes meet at the Diet of Speyer to protest imperial decrees against their faith and the Marburg Colloquy happened between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli at this time.

c. 1530

Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Crammer annuls the marriage of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon.

c. 1530

Ulrich Zwingli killed.

c. 1535

The Act of Supremacy recognizes Henry VIII as the head of the Church of England. The English Reformation is complete.

c. 1535

John Calvin publishes The Institutes of Christian Religion in Geneva.

c. 1540

Six Articles are passed by the British Parliament reaffirming many sacraments of the Catholic Church.

c. 1540

The Jesuits founded by Ignatius Loyola (1534) are recognized and encouraged by Rome to fight the spread of Protestantism.

c. 1540

John Knox begins the Calvinist Movement in Scotland.

c. 1545

Pope Paul III calls the Council of Trent, which reaffirms traditional Catholic doctrines on seven sacraments and authority of the pope.

c. 1550

Parliament repeals the Six Articles.

c. 1550

The British Parliament adopts the Anglican mass and Book of Common Prayer as the models for the new state religion.

c. 1555

Peace of Augsburg allows German princes the right to choose the religion of their subjects. There is no mention of Calvinism.

c. 1560

Elizabeth I of England ascends to the throne and reigns for 45 years.

c. 1570

William of Orange leads a rebellion against Spanish powers.

c. 1585

William of Orange is assassinated.

1588

Spanish Armada is defeated by the English.

c. 1590

Reign of Henry of Navarre (Henry IV of France) begins; he converts to Catholicism in 1593.

1598

Edict of Nantes is passed, granting religious toleration to the French Protestants (Huguenots).

1618

The Thirty Years War Begins.

1620

Holy Roman Emperor Ferdinand II defeats the Bohemians at the Battle of White Mountain.

c. 1630

Gustavus Adolphus, Swedish Protestant King, wins a military victory at Luetzen, though he is fatally wounded.

1648

Peace of Westphalia is signed; Thirty Years War ends and the Netherlands wins independence from Spain.

1509

Erasmus writes in Praise of Folly

1572

St. Bartholomew’s Day Massacre, where French Catholics killed French Huguenots during the French Wars of Religion.