Martin Luther

  • 1483

    Early Life

    Martin Luther was born in the year 1483. He was born in Modern Germany in the province of Saxony.
  • 1502

    Education

    He completed his first level of education this year. He needed this first level of higher education to pursue his career as a lawyer.
  • 1505

    Education Continued

    This year he completed his secondary higher education. This degree gave him the ability to practice law, the profession he was originally meant to do.
  • 1512

    Beginning of Religious Thinking

    Martin Luther received a doctorate of theology this year. This was his first motion into the deeper world of religious thinking.
  • 1516

    Questioning His Faith

    These years, in his pursuit of religious ideas, Luther began to wonder about his interpretation of of religion and began to think about how religion should be more free and not enslaving.
  • 1517

    95 Theses

    The year that Luther rocked Europe. This year, he posted the 95 theses that shook the entire Catholic church.
  • 1519

    Luther Attacks the Pope

    Luther starts to directly challenge the pope. He claims that the bible does not give the pope the authority to interpret scripture.
  • 1520

    The Pope Retaliates

    The pope strikes back. He gives Luther the ultimatum to repeal his statements, or be excommunicated.
  • 1521

    Luther on the Run

    Secular councils convicted Luther of heresy. He goes on the run and is sheltered by sympathetic nobles and friends.
  • 1522

    Reformation

    Luther returns to Saxony, and forms his very own Lutheran church. He is supported by German princes and is protected by them. He begins to grow his church and ultimately starts the reformation.