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The '''Diet of Worms''' was a council of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] in the city of [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. The council was held because of [[Martin Luther]] and the [[Protestant Reformation]]. It lasted for five months in early 1521. The Emperor, [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] led the council. Other councils (called Imperial Diets) were held in Worms in the years 829, 926, 1076, 1122, 1495, and 1545, but the most important Diet of Worms was in 1521.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130102175338/http://www.worms.de/downloads/Chronik.pdf Chronik der Stadt Worms] Internet Archive</ref>
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[[File: Лютер_в_ВормсеLuther at the Diet of Worms.jpg |thumb|right| thumbupright=1.5|''Luther at the Diet of Worms'', by [[Anton von Werner]], 1877]] ▼{{Other uses}}{{short description|Imperial assembly of the Holy Roman Empire}}
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▲[[File:Лютер_в_Вормсе.jpg|right|thumb|''Luther at the Diet of Worms'', by [[Anton von Werner]], 1877]]
The '''Diet of Worms of 1521''' ({{lang-de|Reichstag zu Worms}} {{IPA-de|ˈʁaɪçstaːk tsuː ˈvɔʁms|}}) was an [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|imperial diet]] (a formal deliberative assembly) of the [[Holy Roman Empire]] called by Emperor [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] and conducted in the [[Imperial Free City]] of [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. [[Martin Luther]] was summoned to the Diet in order to renounce or reaffirm his views in response to a [[Papal bull]] of [[Pope Leo X]]. In answer to questioning, he defended these views and refused to recant them. At the end of the Diet, the Emperor issued the '''Edict of Worms''' (''Wormser Edikt''), a decree which condemned Luther as "a notorious [[Heresy in the Catholic Church|heretic]]" and banned citizens of the Empire from propagating his ideas. Although the [[Protestant Reformation]] is usually considered to have begun in 1517, the edict signals the first overt schism.
The diet was conducted from 28 January to 25 May 1521 at the Heylshof Garden, with the Emperor presiding.<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130102175338/http://www.worms.de/downloads/Chronik.pdf Chronik der Stadt Worms] Internet Archive</ref> Other imperial diets took place at Worms in the years 829, 926, 1076, 1122, [[Diet of Worms (1495)|1495]], and 1545, but unless plainly qualified, the term "Diet of Worms" usually refers to the assembly of 1521.
== Background ==
In June 1520, [[Pope Leo X]] wrote the [[Papal bull]] [[Exsurge Domine]] ("Arise, O Lord"), in which he talked about 41 problems he saw in Martin Luther's [[Ninety-five Theses]] and his other works. Because of this, the Holy Roman Emperor told Martin Luther to come to the diet. He promised that he would give Luther safe passage to and from it. The Diet started on 23 January 1521. Martin Luther was told that he had to either take back what he had said or defend it.
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[[File:Summons_for_Luther_to_appear_at_the_Diet_of_WormsSummons for Luther to appear at the Diet of Worms.jpg|thumb|Summons for Luther to appear at the Diet of Worms, signed by Charles V. The text on the left was on the reverse side.]]
In June of the previous year, 1520, [[Pope Leo X]] issued the [[Papal bull]] ''[[Exsurge Domine]]'' ("Arise, O Lord"), outlining forty-one purported errors found in [[Martin Luther]]'s [[Ninety-five Theses]] and other writings related to or written by him. Luther was summoned by the emperor. Prince [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony]] obtained an agreement that if Luther appeared he would be promised safe passage to and from the meeting. This guarantee was essential after the treatment of [[Jan Hus]], who was tried and executed at the [[Council of Constance]] in 1415 despite a promise of safe conduct.
== EdictEvents of Wormsthe Diet == ▼[[Emperor Charles V]] commenced the [[Imperial Diet (Holy Roman Empire)|Imperial Diet]] of Worms on 23 January 1521. Luther was summoned to renounce or reaffirm his views. When he appeared before the assembly on 16 April, [[Johann Eck]], an assistant of the [[Archbishop of Trier]] ([[Richard von Greiffenklau zu Vollrads]] at that time), acted as spokesman for the emperor.
Most of the important things in the Diet happened between 16-18 April. On 16 April, Martin Luther got to the city of Worms. He was told to come to the Diet at 4 p.m. on the 17th, and given a lawyer. After a day of arguing about his works, he was told that he was acting like a heretic. On the 18th of April, he went home. But [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony]] thought that someone might kill him, so he faked a highway ambush and used this as a reason to hide Luther in one of his castles.[[File:Luther-in-Worms-auf-Rt.jpg|thumb|Luther in Worms, colorized woodcut, 1577]]<ref>{{cite book |title=History of the Christian Church |last= Schaff|first= Philip|year=2015 |publisher=Arkrose Press |isbn= 978-1346209654 |page=145}}</ref><ref name="Oberman">Oberman, Heiko, ''Luther: Man Between God and the Devil'', New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-300-10313-1}}.</ref>
== MartinThe LutherEdict of Worms ==
By 23 May 1521, [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, Archduke of Austria, King of Spain (Castile and Aragon), King of Germany, King of Italy, Lord of the Netherlands, and Titular Duke of Burgundy]] had had enough of all of this Martin Luther business, so he wrote:
[[File:Luther-in-Worms-auf-Rt.jpg|thumb|Luther in Worms, colorized woodcut, 1577]]
The main events of the Diet of Worms relating to [[Martin Luther|Luther]] took place from 16 to 18 April 1521.
: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. On the contrary, we want him to be apprehended and punished as a notorious heretic, as he deserves, to be brought personally before us, or to be securely guarded until those who have captured him inform us, whereupon we will order the appropriate manner of proceeding against the said Luther. Those who will help in his capture will be rewarded generously for their good work.
On 16 April, Luther arrived in [[Worms, Germany|Worms]]. He was told to appear before the Diet at 4 p.m. the following day. Dr. Jeromee Schurff, Wittenberg professor in [[Canon law of the Catholic Church|canon law]], was to act as Luther's lawyer before the Diet. The Pope was not at the Diet of Worms.
:In Simple English: Because of this, we are not going to let anyone after this help Martin Luther or keep him safe or defend him or his ideas or agree with him. Instead, we want him to be arrested and punished as a very bad person who does not have the same religious beliefs as we do (he deserves this) and to be taken to us or to be guarded until the people who arrest him tell us and when they tell us we will have a trial against him. Anyone who arrests him will be given several good things for their good work.
On 17 April, the imperial marshal, Ulrich von Pappenheim, and the herald, Caspar Sturm, came for Luther.<ref>{{cite book|title=History of the Christian Church|last=Schaff|first=Philip|publisher=Arkrose Press|year=2015|isbn=978-1346209654|page=145}}</ref> Pappenheim reminded Luther that he should speak only in answer to direct questions from the presiding officer, [[Johann Eck]]. Eck asked if a collection of books was Luther's and if he was ready to revoke their heresies. Dr Schurff said: "Please have the titles read". There were 25 of them, probably including ''[[The 95 Theses]]'', ''Resolutions Concerning the 95 Theses'', ''On the Papacy at Rome'', ''Address to the Christian Nobility'', ''The Babylonian Captivity of the Church'', and ''[[On the Freedom of a Christian]]''. Luther requested more time for a proper answer, so he was given until the next day at 4 p.m.{{Citation needed|date=March 2023}}
After that, he ended the Diet of Worms.
On 18 April, Luther, saying that he had prayed for long hours and consulted with friends and mediators, presented himself before the Diet. When the counselor put the same questions to him, Luther first apologized that he lacked the etiquette of the court. Then he answered, "They are all mine, but as for the second question, they are not all of one sort." Luther went on to place the writings into three categories: (1) Works which were well received even by his enemies: those he would not reject. (2) Books which attacked the abuses, lies and desolation of the [[Christianity|Christian]] world and the papacy: those, Luther believed, could not safely be rejected without encouraging abuses to continue. To retract them would be to open the door to further oppression.<ref name="Oberman2">Oberman, Heiko, ''Luther: Man Between God and the Devil'', New Haven: Yale University Press, 2006, {{ISBN|0-300-10313-1}}.</ref> "If I now recant these, then, I would be doing nothing but strengthening tyranny".<ref name="Oberman2" /> (3) Attacks on individuals: he apologized for the harsh tone of these writings but did not reject the substance of what he taught in them; if he could be shown by [[Bible|Scripture]] that his writings were in error, Luther continued, he would reject them. Luther concluded by saying:
{{quote|Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason (for I do not trust either in the pope or in councils alone, since it is well known that they have often erred and contradicted themselves), I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted and my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot and will not recant anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.<ref name=Brecht>[[Martin Brecht|Brecht, Martin]]. ''Martin Luther''. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–1993, 1:460.</ref>}}
According to tradition, Luther is said to have declared "Here I stand, I cannot do otherwise", before concluding with "God help me. [[Amen]]."<ref name="christiainitytodayHIS">{{cite web|last=Coffman|first=Elesha|date=1 April 2002|title='Hier stehe ich!'|url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2002/aprilweb-only/4-8-52.0.html|access-date=20 January 2021|work=Christianity Today}}</ref>
[[File:Luther_statue,_Martin-Luther-Denkmal,_Worms.JPG|thumb|Luther statue in Worms]]
According to Luther, Eck informed Luther that he was acting like a [[Heresy in the Catholic Church|heretic]]:
{{quote|"Martin," said he, "there is no one of the heresies which have torn the bosom of the church, which has not derived its origin from the various interpretation of the Scripture. The Bible itself is the arsenal whence each innovator has drawn his deceptive arguments. It was with biblical texts that [[Pelagius]] and [[Arius]] maintained their doctrines. Arius, for instance, found the negation of the [[Pre-existence of Christ|eternity of the Word]]—an eternity which you admit, in this verse of the [[New Testament]]—''Joseph knew not his wife till she had brought forth her first-born son''; and he said, in the same way that you say, that this passage enchained him. When the fathers of the [[council of Constance]] condemned this proposition of [[John Huss]]—''The church of Jesus Christ is only the community of the elect'', they condemned an error; for the church, like a good mother, embraces within her arms all who bear the name of Christian, all who are called to enjoy the celestial beatitude."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://law2.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/luther/lutherbyluther.html#secondnarrative|title=Life of Luther (Luther by Martin Luther)|author=Martin Luther}}</ref>}}
Private conferences were held to determine Luther's fate, but he was not arrested at Worms. Through negotiations by his prince, [[Frederick III, Elector of Saxony|Frederick III]], Luther had been given a letter of safe conduct to and from the hearing. After his dismissal he departed for his home in [[Wittenberg]]. However, fearing for Luther's safety, Frederick III sent men to fake a highway attack and abduct Luther, hiding him away at [[Wartburg]] Castle.
TheHowever, 1522because andLuther 1524was [[Dietshidden ofin Nuremberg]]Wartburg attemptedCastle, tonothing executeever thehappened judgement of the Edict of Worms against Luther, but theyto failedhim.<ref>1899 [https://books.google.com/books?id=H3NBAAAAYAAJ&dq=Nuremberg+Convention+%281522-1523%29&pg=PA350 Lutheran Cyclopedia] article titled "Nuremberg Convention"</ref> ▼The Edict of Worms was a decree issued on 25 May 1521 by [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Emperor Charles V]].
It was the culmination of an ongoing struggle between Martin Luther and the [[Catholic Church]] over reform, especially concerning the practice of donations for [[indulgences]]. However, there were other deeper issues that revolved around both theological concerns:
* On a theological level, [[Martin Luther|Luther]] had challenged the absolute authority of the [[Pope]] over the Church by maintaining that the doctrine of [[indulgences]], as authorized and taught by the Pope, was wrong.<ref name="Noll">{{cite book|title=Turning Points: Decisive Moments in the History of Christianity|last=Noll|first=Mark A.|publisher=Baker Academic|year=2000|isbn=978-0-8010-1159-7|location=Grand Rapids, MI|page=160|orig-year=1997}}</ref>
* Luther maintained that salvation was by faith alone (''[[sola fide]]'') without reference to [[good works]], [[alms]], [[penance]], or the [[Catholic Church|Church's]] [[Catholic sacraments|sacraments]]. Luther maintained that the sacraments were a "means of [[Grace in Christianity|grace]]", meaning that while grace was imparted through the sacraments, the credit for the action belonged to God and not to the individual.<ref>{{cite web|last=Graebner|first=Augustus Lawrence|title=Outlines of Doctrinal Theology|url=http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/graebneral/soteriology.txt|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120121113340/http://www.ctsfw.edu/etext/graebneral/soteriology.txt|archive-date=21 January 2012|access-date=15 February 2012|publisher=Concordia|location=Saint Louis, Missouri|page=161}}</ref>
== Other decisions ==
The Diet of Worms was also the occasion for [[Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor|Charles V]] to reform the administration of [[Holy Roman Empire|the Empire]]. Given the vast domains of the [[House of Habsburg]], the Emperor was often on the road and needed deputies (such as the [[Governor of the Habsburg Netherlands|Governors of the Netherlands]] and the [[Regent of Spain|Regents of Spain]]) for the times he was absent from his territories.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=arSYDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA36|title=The Holy Roman Empire: A Historical Encyclopedia [2 volumes]|last1=Pavlac|first1=Brian A.|last2=Lott|first2=Elizabeth S.|publisher=ABC-CLIO|year=2019|isbn=978-1440848568}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GwV_DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA50|title=History of the German speaking nations|last1=Kanski|first1=Jack J.|date=2019|isbn=978-1789017182|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XsQeBAAAQBAJ&pg=PA25|title=The Emperor Charles V|last=Rady|first=Martyn|date=2014|publisher=Routledge|isbn=978-1317880820}}</ref>
Charles V elevated his younger brother [[Emperor Ferdinand I|Ferdinand]] to the status of [[Archduke]] as Imperial Lieutenant. As such, Ferdinand became regent and governor of the [[Austrian hereditary lands]] of Charles V as well as his representative in Germany. Ferdinand's role as chairman of the German [[Imperial government]] was never really implemented and ended in 1523 with the dissolution of the body. Ferdinand's rule of the Austrian lands in the name of the Emperor was confirmed with the secret ''Habsburg compact of Brussels'' (1522), according to which Charles also agreed to favor the election of Ferdinand as [[King of the Romans]] in Germany (which took place [[Imperial election, 1531|in 1531]]). Following the abdications of Charles V in 1556, Ferdinand succeeded Charles as Emperor and became ''[[suo jure]]'' Archduke of Austria.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />
== Aftermath ==
When Luther eventually emerged from the Wartburg, the emperor, distracted with other matters, did not press for Luther's arrest. Ultimately, because of rising public support for Luther among the German people and the protection of certain German princes, the Edict of Worms was never enforced in Germany. However, in the Low Countries (comprising modern-day [[Belgium]], [[Luxembourg]], and the [[Netherlands]]), the Edict was initially enforced against Luther's most active supporters. This could be done because these countries were under the direct rule of Emperor Charles V and his appointed regent, [[Margaret of Austria, Duchess of Savoy]] (and Charles's aunt). In December 1521, Jacob Proost, prior of the [[Augustinians|Augustinian]] monastery in [[Antwerp]], was the first Luther-supporting cleric to be arrested and prosecuted under the terms of the Worms Edict. In February 1522, Proost was compelled to make public recantation and repudiation of Luther's teachings. Later that year, additional arrests were made among the Augustinians in Antwerp. Two monks, [[Jan van Essen and Hendrik Vos]], refused to recant; on 1 July 1523, they were [[burned at the stake]] in Brussels.<ref>Brecht, Martin. Martin Luther. tr. James L. Schaaf, Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1985–93, 2:102ff.</ref>
▲The 1522 and 1524 [[Diets of Nuremberg]] attempted to execute the judgement of the Edict of Worms against Luther, but they failed.<ref>1899 [https://books.google.com/books?id=H3NBAAAAYAAJ&dq=Nuremberg+Convention+%281522-1523%29&pg=PA350 Lutheran Cyclopedia] article titled "Nuremberg Convention"</ref>
==References==
{{Reflistreflist}}
== External links ==
* {{In Our Time|Diet of Worms|p0038x8z|Diet_of_Worms}}
* [http://www.bartleby.com/268/7/8.html Luther's Statement at Worms] from Bartleby
* [https://archive.org/stream/martinlutherand00beargoog#page/n425/mode/1up "The Diet of Worms"] by [[Charles Beard (Unitarian)|Charles Beard]] Chapter IX of ''Luther and the Reformation in Germany'' 1896<!-- the below link was found to be disconnected on 30 May 2008 ---><!--
* [http://www.leedstrinity.ac.uk/histcourse/reformat/theologo/hill6210.htm "Translation of the Edict of Worms"] from: Hans. J. Hillerbrand ed., ''The Reformation in Its Own Words'', London 1964.
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{{Martin Luther}}{{Christian History|collapsed}}{{authority control}}{{reflist}}
[[Category:Holy Roman Empire]]
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