Martin Luther

Martin Luther was born in Saxony, Germany in 1483. After studying law, he became an Augustinian monk. He then studied theology and became a teacher of it in the University of Wittenberg.

In 1517, John Tetzel began selling indulgences to people and the money received from those sales went to rebuilding St. Peter’s Basilica and the Archbishop of Mainz. Luther was aggrivated by this wrote a letter to the Archbishop in protest, but was ignored.

He wrote out the ninety-five thesis in Latin and nailed them to a church in Wittenburg. This thesis stated that the pope did not have power to forgive sins, indulgences did not forgive people for their sins and the pope should rebuild St. Peter’s Basilica using his own money.

After the thesis had spread in 1519, Pope Leo X sent John Eck to debate Luther in public. Leo told Luther to recant what he had said during the debate, but he refused to do so. He was sent a papal bull threatening that he would be excommunicated. Luther burned this document publicly and was excommunicated in 1521.

The Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, called a meeting with the German princes at worms to discuss Luther. This was called the Diet of Worms. Luther was given a chance to change his beliefs, but refused. After the meeting, Charles made the Edict of Worms, meaning Luther was an outlaw.

Luther was to be arrested for heresy and due to fear, Prince Fredrick of Saxony arranged a fake kidnapping of him. As Luther hid for a year, he spent his time translating the bible into German.

He married Catherine Von Bora and had six children. He died in 1546.