In 1521, at the Diet of Worms, Luther gave a testimony which set in motion a chain of events. This splintered Roman Catholicism, plunged Europe into centuries of religious warfare, and transformed Europe's political, religious, and cultural landscape forever. After Luther's testimony at the Diet of Worms, Reformation was officially on the cards. What were the causes of the Diet of Worms? And what exactly went on? Let's find out!
Achieve better grades quicker with Premium
Geld-zurück-Garantie, wenn du durch die Prüfung fällst
Review generated flashcards
Start learning or create your own AI flashcards
Team Diet of Worms Teachers
In 1521, the Diet (assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire met in Worms, Germany. This momentous event is known as the Diet of Worms. Called by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, lecturer and theologian Martin Luther was summoned to respond to charges of heresy. Refusing to recant his views from the Diet of Worms, Luther was declared 'a notorious heretic' by Charles V, and his views were banned across the Holy Roman Empire. While many commentators state that the Protestant Reformation began in 1517, the Diet of Worms marked the first unmistakable division in the Roman Catholic Church.
Diet
Originating from the Latin 'dietas' meaning 'days work', a Diet is an assembly of officials who congregate to make laws and decisions. In 1521, the Imperial Diet was headed by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V and consisted of some of the most influential figures in the Holy Roman Empire.
Below is a brief timeline outlining the immediate events surrounding the Diet of Worms:
| Date | Event |
| 1517 | Martin Luther wrote his Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (The Ninety-Five Theses). |
| 1518 | Martin Luther was interrogated in Augsburg over his Ninety-Five Theses. |
| 1520 | Pope Leo X released a Papal Bull entitled the 'Exsurge Domine'. In this Bull, he disputed forty-one of the statements in Luther's Theses. |
| Martin Luther was excommunicated. | |
| 1521 | Martin Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms. |
| Charles V passed the Edict of Worms. | |
| 1524 | The German Peasants' War. |
The reason that Martin Luther was summoned to the Diet of Worms was not remarkable nor dramatic. While there were many firebrand opponents of the Roman Catholic Church in the early 16th century, Luther was not one of them. A lecturer and theologian, Luther's summoning to the Diet of Worms stemmed from an academic response to a Dominican friar called Johann Tetzel.
At the crux of Martin Luther's Christian beliefs was the notion that only faith and repentance could bring about salvation. Luther vehemently opposed the sale of indulgences – the action of clergy receiving money in return for absolving one's sins.
In 1517, one of the key causes of the Diet of Worms was Luther's claim that Dominican friar Johann Tetzel received a large amount of money from an aristocrat in return for absolving a future sin.
Fig. 1 - Johann Tetzel
As a result, Martin Luther sent a collection of theses to the Archbishop of Mainz, hoping to prompt an academic discussion about indulgences. This collection of theses was called the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences and has become known more widely as Luther's Ninety-Five Theses.
In 1517, Martin Luther wrote the Disputation on the Power and Efficacy of Indulgences (Ninety-five Theses) while teaching at the University of Wittenberg. In this work, Luther asserted that faith and repentance were the keys to salvation before critiquing the material corruption and indulgence within the Church.
Why does not the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with his own money rather than with the money of poor believers? 1
- Martin Luther
In 1518, Pope Leo X summoned Martin Luther to Rome. While there were calls among the Church hierarchy for Martin Luther's punishment, Frederick III of Saxony came to Luther's aid.
Fig. 2 - Martin Luther and Cardinal Catejan
Frederick III was a figure of great importance in the Holy Roman Empire; he helped appoint the Holy Roman Emperor and was also a prince. Because he was a prince, Frederick felt a duty of care towards Luther, arranging for him to appear in Augsburg instead of Rome. While the papacy wasn't ordinarily one to cede power to secular figures, they needed Frederick's assistance in choosing the next Holy Roman Empire and the war against the Ottomans.
After three days of interrogation by Cardinal Cajetan, Luther returned home to Wittenberg.
On 15 June 1520, Pope Leo X countered Luther's Ninety-Five Theses with a Papal Bull entitled 'Exsurge Domine'. The Exsurge Domine disputed forty-one of the statements in the Theses and threatened Luther with excommunication if he refused to recant.
Papal Bull
A Papal Bull is an official document issued by the Pope.
Fig. 3 - Exsurge Domine
Martin Luther refused to recant his views, instead deciding to publicly burn a copy of the Exsurge Domine on 10 December 1520. As a result of his actions, Luther was excommunicated on 3 January 1521.
Excommunication
The official exclusion of someone from the Christian Church. Throughout 16th century Europe, excommunication was considered one of the worst punishments. Excommunication meant an eternity in hell and alienation from society.
Ordinarily, Martin Luther's actions would have seen him arrested and executed. However, Emperor Charles V had recently promised that his subjects would receive fair and impartial trials. Instead of arrest and execution, Luther was summoned to stand before the Diet of Worms.
Fig. 4 - Holy Roman Emperor Charles V signed the above summons for Luther to appear at the Diet of Worms
On 17 April 1521, Martin Luther stood before the Diet of Worms. When asked to renounce his Ninety-Five Theses, he requested more time to deliberate.
Fig. 5 - The Diet of Worms
The following day, Martin Luther stood again before the Diet of Worms. No further deliberation was necessary; Luther refused to renounce his views unless Scriptural or logical evidence was provided. Bound by his beliefs, he stated:
Here I stand; I can do no other. 2
After being excommunicated by Emperor Charles V, Martin Luther found himself in grave danger. Consequently, he spent nine months in hiding at Prince Frederick's castle at Wartburg. However, being an enemy of both Church and state didn't deter Luther. If anything, it drove him to accelerate his reformist activity. Buoyed by his passion to challenge the Catholic Church, Luther used Erasmus' Greek New Testament to translate the New Testament of the Bible into German. This was a seismic contribution to the Reformation as it allowed everyday Germans to read the Bible in their native language.
Did you know? While Luther was in hiding, Emperor Charles V passed the Edict of Worms in response to Luther's actions at the Diet. The Edict of Worms declared Luther 'a notorious heretic', declared his supporters illegal, and banned his writings across the Holy Roman Empire. The Edict also declared Luther an enemy of the state and ordered his capture.
In an unexpected twist, the Edict of Worms had the opposite effect that Charles V had intended. Many leaders who had not been present at the Diet questioned its validity, and many secular rulers came out in support of Luther.
The Protestant Reformation was in full swing when Luther came out of hiding.
When Martin Luther returned to Wittenberg in 1521, the Protestant Reformation movement had developed beyond his control, demonstrating the true effects of the Diet of Worms. No longer a religious dispute, the crisis had breached the realms of politics, culture, and society. Luther was now not just a religious figure but a hero to anyone who opposed the Emperor. He would remain a figurehead throughout the Lutheran provinces of Germany and during the German Peasant's War and Thirty Years' War.
The Diet of Worms turned Martin Luther from an inauspicious theological critic into an ardent anti-Catholic revolutionary. It extinguished any possibility of resolution between the Catholic Church and its dissenters. Not only did the Diet lay bare the abuses of the Catholic Church, but it also gave dissatisfied peasants a figurehead under which to rally. The Reformation was the most critical of the effects of the Diet of Worms.
Fig. 6 - Luther and his Family
Luther's ideals quickly spread from the religious realm to any group in protest. Throughout the 16th century, Luther's ideology was appropriated by peasants during the Thirty Years' War, Imperial knights during the Knights' Revolt, and Lutheran princes during the Schmalkaldic War.
It's often easy to forget that the break-up of Roman Catholicism, countless European wars, and centuries of religious turmoil all stemmed from a mere theological critique.
Sign up for free to gain access to all our flashcards.
Why was the Diet of Worms important?
It established Martin Luther as the figurehead of the Protestant Reformation in Germany.
What was Diet of Worms?
The Diet of Worms was a council assembled by Holy Roman Emperor Charles V to address Martin Luther's heresy.
What happened to Luther after the Diet of Worms?
After the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther went into hiding at Prince Frederick's castle at Wartburg. It was during his nine-months in hiding, Luther translated the New Testament of the Bible into German.
What did Luther say at the Diet of Worms?
At the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther refused to recant his heretical views, stating 'Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise'.
What happened at the Diet of Worms?
At the Diet of Worms, Martin Luther refused to recant the views he expressed in his 96-Theses and was subsequently excommunicated from the Catholic Church.
At StudySmarter, we have created a learning platform that serves millions of students. Meet the people who work hard to deliver fact based content as well as making sure it is verified.
Lily Hulatt is a Digital Content Specialist with over three years of experience in content strategy and curriculum design. She gained her PhD in English Literature from Durham University in 2022, taught in Durham University’s English Studies Department, and has contributed to a number of publications. Lily specialises in English Literature, English Language, History, and Philosophy.
Get to know Lily
Gabriel Freitas is an AI Engineer with a solid experience in software development, machine learning algorithms, and generative AI, including large language models’ (LLMs) applications. Graduated in Electrical Engineering at the University of São Paulo, he is currently pursuing an MSc in Computer Engineering at the University of Campinas, specializing in machine learning topics. Gabriel has a strong background in software engineering and has worked on projects involving computer vision, embedded AI, and LLM applications.
Get to know Gabriel