Luther Key Dates

Question 1

1516

Answer 1

Tetzel and indulgences - rebuilding of St Peter’s / Archbishop of Mainz’ debts - Luther angered

Question 2

31st October 1517

Answer 2

95 Theses

Question 3

1518

Answer 3

Luther branded as heretical by Pope Leo - Frederick the wise persuades Cajetan to debate Luther instead of Luther being sent to Rome.

Question 4

1519

Answer 4

Charles V becomes emperor. Luther debates Eck at Leipzig

Question 5

1520

Answer 5

Luther publishes key works - questioning sacraments. Pope Leo issues exsurge domine - warning Luther he will be excommunicated unless he recants in 60 days. Luther calls the Pope the antichrist. Luther’s three pamphlets published.

Question 6

Name Luther’s 3 pamphlets and their contents

Answer 6

To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation - in German and at the request of legal officers of the elector Frederick the Wise. The purpose was partly political; Luther needed to garner support.
He addressed this pamphlet to everyone in authority in Germany: Charles, the Princes, Nobles and Knights. He asked these “temporal authorities” to start the reform since spiritual authorities (the Church) had failed to do so.
Luther said that the Church had drawn up walls to protect itself from reform

On the Babylonian captivity of the church - addressed to the clergy and humanists. Luther didn’t only attack papal abuses but called for a revolutionary attack on the sacraments and the whole basis of Catholicism.

Concerning Christian Liberty - written in German, the least combative and gentlest. Luther wanted to share liberation he felt in the knowledge that Christ would save those who truly believed aka sola fide

Question 7

1521

Answer 7

Diet of Worms - Charles calls Luther a heretic. Edict of Worms issued - banning of writings of Luther.

Question 8

1521-22

Answer 8

Luther at Wartburg Castle - “kidnapped” by Frederick and taken there. New Testament translated there.

Andrew Carlstadt / Gabriel Zwilling and the Zwickau Prophets.

Enacted their literal interpretation of Luther’s writings in his absence at Wartburg. Mass denounced / secular clothing / clerical marriage condoned - Carlstadt marries 15 year old.

December 1521 Prophets radicalized by Thomas Muntzer - made radical prophecies - “no impious or wicked sinner would be left alive.” Believers baptised like adults.

Zwilling led iconoclasm, burning religious images. Luther returns to stop extremism.

Question 9

1522-23

Answer 9

Knights Revolt - imperial knights were a fading relic of the middle ages. Stirred into action by Ulrich Von Hutten - revolt led by Franz von Sickingen. Archbishop of Trier was target - they fail. Luther silent = passive threat.

Question 10

1524-25

Answer 10

Peasants Revolt - landlords raising prices / enclosure / restriction of poaching and fishing = hardship and discontent. Mainly a rural revolt. 15,000 strong armies with no clear goal. Luther’s ideas posed hope to the peasants. Luther very angry - writes “against the robbing, murdering hoardes of peasants”.

Question 11

1530

Answer 11

Augsburg Confession - Melancthon makes 28 confessions to outline the Lutheran faith and defend Lutheranism against misinterpretation of faith. Wanted Catholics to accept - so moderate that Eck approved.

Question 12

1526

Answer 12

German Mass - sermon at heart of ceremony - eucharist moved to second half of ceremony, as word of God more important. Localities often allowed to keep Catholic details of congregation, making “pill of Protestantism easier to swallow”. Transubstantiation remained in contention and dispute.

Question 13

1529

Answer 13

Catechisms - upon Frederick’s death in 1525, his brother John the Steadfast became Elector of Saxony. Worried about the radical preachings that had led to the Peasants Revolt he ordered a full inspection of the churches, effectively re-establishing Catholic episcopal visitations. Luther and his colleagues published detailed instructions. Luther was shocked at the ignorance in his own area, even amongst clergy. Almost pagan beliefs in some areas - ignorance and interpretation of scripture to suit own interests.

Question 14

1531

Answer 14

Schmalkaldic League was a defensive alliance of Lutheran princes within the Holy Roman Empire.

Question 15

1532

Answer 15

Religious Truce of Nuremberg - Charles feared Ottoman attack, so in return for men and money agreed to allow the Schmalkaldic League peace. Charles leaves Germany for 8 years.

Question 16

1530’s in general

Answer 16

Spread of Lutheranism accelerates - Schmalkaldic League gains new members / money - Charles denounced heresy but was distracted by other issues and allowed it.

Question 17

1539

Answer 17

Frankfurt Interim - Charles promises no action against Protestants for 6 months.

Question 18

1540

Answer 18

Philipp of Hesse bigamy scandal - Hess was one of Luther’s main princely supporters. Luther advises because of his unhappy marriage that he marries a second woman - damaging to Luther’s reputation.

Question 19

1541

Answer 19

Colloquy of Regensburg - Charles uses Philip’s bigamy to urge Protestants and Catholics to work out religious differences. Luther / Pope condemned this venture. No compromise was made. Charles decides force must be used but still defers war.

Question 20

1541-44

Answer 20

The League revives - with Charles absent and distracted with Ottomans / French Lutheranism spreads further, despite Luther playing a lesser role shortly before his death.

Question 21

1546

Answer 21

Luther dies

Question 22

Describe First diet of Speyer, and Recess of Speyer, 1526

Answer 22

Caused by the incompatibility between the Edict of Worms and growing Protestantism. Charles unable to attend due to Ottomans and French threats. Instead, the Diet was held under Archduke Ferdinand I of Austria, in the name of his older brother the Emperor. Ferdinand was instructed to bring the two sides together. Ferdinand concludes “every State shall so live, rule, and believe as it may hope and trust to answer before God and his imperial Majesty.” (The recess) Merely an armistice in Charles’ eyes, not an attempt to annul the Edict of Worms. Practical impacts led to growing Protestant cause. Catholic princes sought to undermine Lutheranism by addressing causes of anti-clericalism, but this did not detract from the doctrinal appeal of Lutheranism and shed light on clerical abuses.

Question 23

Describe the Edict of Worms

Answer 23

The Edict of Worms was a decree issued on 26 May 1521 by Emperor Charles V, declaring: For this reason we forbid anyone from this time forward to dare, either by words or by deeds, to receive, defend, sustain, or favour the said Martin Luther.

Question 24

Describe the Second Diet of Speyer, and revoking of the recess in 1529

Answer 24

Revoked the recess and enforced the Edict of Worms. Banned Zwinglianism and condemned performers of adult baptism to death. The majority of princes were catholic and angry at the spread of heresy - in response the Lutheran minority withdrew from the diet. 14 cities and princes published a “protestation” declaring that the diet had no right to annul a unanimous decision. Philip of Hesse, leading Lutheran prince, attempted to negotiate a united front between Lutherand / Zwinglians at his castle in Marburg - but Marburg Colloquy failed - Protestants vulnerable. However, Ottoman army bound for Vienna in May distracted Ferdinand and the Habsburgs, saving Lutheranism.

Question 25

What was Zwinglianism

Answer 25

A protestant reform movement named after its founder, Zwingli - based in Zurich and developed independently of Luther, and was influential in South Germany. It was more radical than Lutheranism - no images were allowed in church, no music was allowed the Eucharist was purely symbolic.