1. Reformation Timeline
(condensed from the 45 page version!)
Please read through this and use different colors to highlight or circle references to the following people.
Martin Luther, John Calvin, Henry VIII, any Anabaptist, Charles V. You will need five colors in all. The
dates and events you absolutely must know are in bold.
1440 Lorenzo de Valla published a work which invalidated the Donation of Constantine.
1455, March Gutenberg had printed approximately 180 copies of the Bible in Mainz; 145 on paper and
the rest on vellum.
1505, June Martin Luther encountered a thunderstorm, made vow for safety ("Help me, St. Anne! I will
become a monk!"), and came through without harm; he wrote his father that the thunderstorm and vow
were the will of God
1508 Julius pressured Michelangelo to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel;
1509 Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon are married.
1514 Erasmus published another edition of The Praise of Folly.
1515 Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York, became Lord Chancellor of England and a Cardinal.
1515 Francois I was King of France to 1547.
1515 2 years after becoming pope, Leo X had spent all the money he had inherited from Julius II.
1516 The indulgence for the rebuilding of St. Peter's, Rome, was issued; Tetzel was made
subcommissary for the collection in the regions of Madgeburg and Halberstadt.
1517 Tetzel traveled near Wittenberg and preached on indulgences.
1517, October 31 Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses on the church door in Wittenberg.
1517, November The Pope issued a statement suggesting war on the Turks with 80,000 men.
1518, November 9 A new papal decree on indulgences was drawn up, including a portion which stated the
pope's right to issue indulgences.
1519 Tetzel died.
1519, June 28 Charles I unanimously elected Holy Roman Emperor, becomes Charles V;
1520, August Luther's "Address to the Christian Nobility" appears; 4000 copies sold in 2 weeks; it was
written in German; Luther dedicated a summary to Emperor Charles V at the request of Frederick.
1521 Henry VIII was named “Defender of the Faith” by Pope Leo X for his opposition to Luther.
1521, January 18 Charles receives a formal bull of excommunication against Martin Luther, Decet
Romanum Pontificem, with instructions to read it at the Diet and that any territory, city, or church that
protected Luther would also be under the ban
1521, January 27 Diet of Worms officially opened.
1521, April 17 Luther came before the Diet at 4 in the afternoon; present were Charles, the seven electors,
spanish troops, princes, bishops, etc. in the midst of which was a table loaded with books; he was asked if
he had written these books and if he would recant.
1521, April 18 Luther was not called before the Diet until night; he stated that he could not recant
and then added "Here I stand. I can do no other. God help me! Amen."
1522, March 6 Eating of the wurst during Lent by Leo Jud, Heinrich Aberli, Bartlime Pur. Probably ate
also: George Binder, Hans Utinger, Hans Hottinger, Wolf Ininger, Lorenz Hochrutiner, and Hans
Ochenfuss. Zwingli was there but did not eat.
1522, September Luther's translation of the New Testament into German appeared.
1524 Peasants' War, to 1526.
1524 France invades Italy and recaptures Milan.
1524, December Jean Le Clerc, a wool-carder of Meaux, tore a copy of a papal bull banning Luther from
the cathedral door and affixed instead a declaration that the Pope was Antichrist.
1525, May 29 Eberli Bolt, a preacher, became the first known Anabaptist martyr when he was burned at the
stake in Schwyz, Swit., by the Catholic Church.
1525, June 13 Luther and Katherine von Bora (Katie) are married.
1526, March 7 A new law was passed giving a sentence of death to any Anabaptist who baptized another.
1527 The Imperial forces sack Rome.
1527, May 20 Anabaptist Sattler was executed by burning after being tortured.
1527, May 28 Sattler's wife was drowned in the Neckar; (Ferdinand, the Catholic king of Austria had
pronounced that the third baptism (drowning) was the best medicine against the Anabaptists).

2. 1527, August The Plague comes to Wittenberg; Luther and Katie stayed and cared for the sick; during this
time Luther pens "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God," both the words and the music.
1529 1531 It is from this period that T.H.L. Parker dates Calvin's conversion to Protestantism
1529 The Turks attempt unsuccessfully to lay siege to Vienna.
1529 Thomas Wolsey is dismissed by Henry VIII because he was not able to arrange the Pope’s approval
to Henry’s divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
1529 Thomas More is appointed Lord Chancellor.
1530, June 25 The Confession of Augsburg (first formal listing of Protestant beliefs) was presented to
Charles V; although mainly the work of Melanchthon, Luther gave his approval.
1530, October The Protestant princes agree to resist the Catholics if they should attack.
1530, December The Protestant forces began meetings at Schmalkalden which would eventually lead to an
alliance aganist the Catholic regions and the emperor.
1531 A brief outline of Copernicus's theory of a sun-centered universe was published.
1531 The Confession of Augsburg was published.
1532 More resigns over the issue of Henry VIII’s divorce.
1532, August Thomas Cranmer became Archbishop of Canterbury.
1533 Henry VIII marries Anne Boleyn.
1533 Pope Clement VII excommunicates Henry VIII.
1534 The Act of Succession is passed; everyone must swear allegiance to Henry VIII as head of the
Church of England.
1534 Munster incident and massacre of ana-baptists
1534 Ignatius Loyola laid the foundations of the Society of Jesus when he and 6 others vowed poverty,
chastity, and a pilgrimmage to Jerusalem.
1534 The Act of Supremacy made Henry VIII head of English Church
1534 Luther's complete German Bible appeared.
1534 Paul III, Pope from 1534-1549.
1534, October 13 Paul III elevated to Pope; he would have 3 sons and a daughter
1535 More is executed for failing to swear the Oath of Supremacy.
1536 Henry beheads Anne Boleyn and marries Jane Seymour.
1536 Cromwell directs the suppression of monasteries and confiscates their land
1536 The English Ten Articles –defining the Anglican Church beliefs - are adopted.
1536, February 28 Led by Calvin; The Council of Two Hundred in Geneva issued a series of prohibitions
forbidding blasphemy, oaths, card playing, and strictly regulated the sale of intoxicants and the reception of
strangers into taverns.
1536, John Calvin's "Institutes of the Christian Religion" is published
1536, In Geneva, Calvin required every town member’s presence at the sermon under penalty of a fine, and
the recognition of any festival save Sunday prohibited.
1537 The future Edward VI is born to Henry and Jane Seymour; she dies after giving birth
1539, June The English Six Articles (against Lutheranism) are adopted.
1540 Cromwell is beheaded for not signing the Act of Supremacy (treason)
1541 John Knox brings the Reformation to Scotland.
1542 Paul III reestablished the Inquisition.
1544 Charles V was able to break up the Schmalkaldic League.
1545 The Council of Trent begins.
1546, January 26 At a dinner party at his own home after drinking wine Pierre Ameaux discussed his
dislike of Calvin calling him an evil man and preacher of false doctrine. One of the guests reported the
speech to the Little Council and Ameaux was imprisoned.
1546, April 8 After Calvin's appeal to the Councils of Geneva, Pierre Ameaux was sentanced to make a
tour of the city, bareheadeded, torch in hand, and on his knees beg mercy of God and the government.
1549 The Book of Common Prayer in England unites the Protestant worship services.
1558 Charles V died at his monestary.
1564 William Shakespeare born.
1564 Galileo Galilei born.
1564 Michelangelo died.
1564, January 26 The decrees of the Council of Trent were confirmed.