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Martin Luther as Priest, Heretic, and Outlaw: The Reformation at 500
Luther the Outlaw
Declared a heretic by the church, the Holy Roman Empire now tried Luther as an outlaw. At the Diet of Worms, convened in April 1521, Luther held fast to his views. Despite some sympathy for Luther's cause among the assembled nobles, Emperor Charles V had little choice but to condemn him as an outlaw of the empire. In a staged "kidnapping," Luther's supporters spirited him away to Wartburg Castle in disguise and under an assumed name. While at the Wartburg, Luther later wrote a German translation of the Bible that would profoundly influence the German language. Meanwhile, he continued his busy writing schedule in defiance of church and state, and his allies in the print industry continued to spread his views. |