Martin Luther Timeline

Martin Luther is Born

Nov 10, 1483

Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Saxony to a town Councillor and copper refiner, Hans Luther.

Martin Luther Recieves Baccalaureate Degree

1503

Martin Luther was educated in the liberal arts at the University of Erfurt, at the time one of the most prestigious universities in the Holy Roman Empire.

Martin Luther Receives His Master's Degree

1505

Martin Luther received his Master's at the University of Erfurt, his education was heavily influenced by Scholasticism with Aristotle as one of his inspirations.

Martin Luther Joins a Monestary

Jul 17, 1505

After a thunderstorm scared him into becoming a monk Martin Luther, against his fathers wishes, abandoned studying law and instead entered the Order of the Hermits of St. Augustine in Erfurt.

Martin Luther Recieves his Doctorate

1512

Martin Luther earned a doctorate in Theology from a monastery in Wittenberg, soon after which he became a professor in biblical studies at the monastery. He also wrote the "95 Theses" soon after.

Martin Luther Teaches

Period: 1513 to 1516

From 1513-1516 Martin Luther studied and taught at the Wittenberg Monastery, where he had a number of administrative duties with both the Order of St. Augustine and the monastery.

"95 Theses" is Distributed in Germany

1517

Against Martin Luther's wishes, his "95 Theses" is distributed amongst Germany with the help of the advent of the printing press. This event also helped lay the foundation for the Protestant Reformation.

Martin Luther Takes Issue With Indulgences

1517

In the fall of 1517 Martin Luther took issue with a Dominican friar named Johann Tetzel, who preached about how the purchase of an indulgence could forgive all sins. So Luther contacted the Archbishop of Mainz with a copy of his "95 Theses", which was then sent to the Vatican to be checked for heresy.

Martin Luther Defends His Ideas

1519

After being ordered by the Pope to not defend his ideas as they were being reviewed by the Catholic Church. Martin Luther was drawn into a debate between his colleague, Andreas Bodenstein von Carlstadt, and a Papal defender, Johann Eck. Luther then joined the date between the two in Leipzig against the wishes of the Pope, which furthered the distance between him and the Papacy.

Martin Luther's Ideas Branded Heretical

1520

Following a rushed ecclesial proceeding against Martin Luther's "95 Theses" a Papal commission branded his ideas as heretical. After this a second less rushed commission branded them as offensive but not heretical. After this commission a third and final commission sent directly from Rome rebranded Luther's ideas as heretical.

Martin Luther is Asked to Recant His Ideas

Jun 15, 1520

Pope Leo X issued the "Exsurge Domine" against Martin Luther, which ordered Martin Luther to renounce his ideas expressed in the "95 Theses" in 60 days or face excommunication. In protest Martin Luther burned the Papal Bull on the 60th day of thee Bull.

Diet of Worms

Apr 17, 1521

Martin Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, the strongest man in Europe at the time. At the Diet Luther was again asked to recant his ides which, after a day of pondering, he refused to do and promply left the Diet out of fear of retribution.

Charles V Issues the Edict of Worms

May 5, 1521

After Martin Luther's refusal to recant his ideas expressed in the "95 Theses" Charles V became very angry with Martin Luther. At the end of the Diet of Worms Charles V declared Martin Luther an outlaw and ordered his capture. This edict was not very well enforced however because the rulers of the states constituting the Holy Roman Empire were afraid of peasant retribution.

Martin Luther Returns to Wittenberg

1522

In March 1522 Martin Luther returned to a turbulent Wittenberg where reform had progressed faster than he wanted. During this time Martin Luther lost control of the Reformation, as the Reformation became more and more politicized with the Edict of Worms.