Martin Luther

Martin Luther was born to Hans and Margarethe Luther in Eisleben, Saxony. His father was a miner and later a smelter, while his mother was known for her piety and strict discipline.

Luther begins his formal education at the Latin school in Mansfeld, where he receives a rigorous classical education. This is a significant step in his early intellectual development.

Luther enrolls at the University of Erfurt to study law, but he soon shifts his focus to philosophy and the liberal arts. He earns a bachelor's degree in 1502 and a master's degree in 1505.

After a life-threatening experience during a thunderstorm, Luther decides to enter the Augustinian Monastery in Erfurt. He takes his vows and begins his life as a monk and theologian.

Luther is ordained as a Catholic priest and celebrates his first Mass. He continues his theological studies and becomes a Doctor of Theology in 1512.

Luther is appointed Professor of Theology at the University of Wittenberg. He begins to question the practices of the Catholic Church, especially the sale of indulgences.

On October 31, 1517, Luther posts his 95 Theses on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, challenging the Church's practices and sparking the Protestant Reformation.

Luther is summoned to the Diet of Worms to defend his teachings. He refuses to recant and is declared an outlaw by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V. This marks a pivotal moment in the Reformation.

Luther marries Katharina von Bora, a former nun. They have six children together and their marriage is seen as a model for Protestant clergy, challenging the celibacy of the clergy.

Luther completes and publishes the German translation of the Bible, making the scriptures accessible to the common people and furthering the spread of the Reformation.

Martin Luther dies in Eisleben, the town of his birth. His death marks the end of a life that profoundly transformed the religious and cultural landscape of Europe.