Martin Luther

Not to be confused with Martin Luther King

Martin Luther
Born	10 November 1483 Eisleben, Mansfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Died	18 February 1546 Eisleben, Mansfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Nationality	German
Known for	Protestant Reformation

Martin Luther (10 November 1483 – 18 February 1546) was a German cleric who started the Protestant Reformation in 1517. He criticized the feudal authority of priests and the Catholic Church's sale of indulgences and believed salvation depended on personal religious convictions rather than participation in organized religion. The Holy Roman Empire brought him to the Diet of Worms in 1521, where they threatened to execute him for heresy. However, many German princes supported Protestantism, and Luther condemned the German peasant uprising of 1524–25, encouraging feudal lords to kill rebellious peasants, even though some radical Protestants supported the revolt.