Diet of Worms facts for kids
The Diet of Worms was a very important meeting held in the city of Worms. This meeting was about Martin Luther and the big changes happening in the church, known as the Protestant Reformation. It lasted for five months in early 1521. The leader of the meeting was the Emperor, Charles V. Other similar meetings, called Imperial Diets, happened in Worms before and after this one. But the 1521 Diet of Worms is the most famous and important.
Contents
Why the Meeting Happened
In June 1520, Pope Leo X wrote a special letter called a papal bull. It was named Exsurge Domine, which means "Arise, O Lord." In this letter, the Pope listed 41 problems he saw in Martin Luther's ideas. These ideas were first shared in his famous Ninety-five Theses and other writings.
Because of this letter, the Holy Roman Emperor told Martin Luther to come to the Diet (the meeting). The Emperor promised Luther that he would be safe traveling to and from Worms. The Diet began on January 23, 1521. Martin Luther was told he had to either take back what he had said or explain and defend his ideas.
What Happened at the Meeting
Most of the important events at the Diet took place between April 16 and 18. On April 16, Martin Luther arrived in the city of Worms. He was asked to come to the meeting at 4 p.m. on April 17. He was also given a lawyer to help him.
After a day of discussions about his writings, Luther was told that his ideas were like those of a heretic. A heretic is someone whose religious beliefs are very different from what the church teaches. On April 18, Luther went home. However, Frederick III, Elector of Saxony, a powerful prince, was worried someone might try to harm Luther. So, he pretended that Luther was attacked on the road. This gave him a reason to hide Luther safely in one of his castles.
The Edict of Worms
By May 23, 1521, Emperor Charles V had decided what to do about Martin Luther. He wrote a special order called the Edict of Worms.
The Edict said that no one was allowed to help Martin Luther. It also said that no one should protect him, support his ideas, or agree with him. Instead, the Emperor wanted Luther to be arrested and punished. He was to be treated as a very bad person who did not share the same religious beliefs as the church. Anyone who helped capture Luther would receive a good reward.
After writing this Edict, the Emperor officially ended the Diet of Worms. However, because Luther was hidden away in Wartburg Castle, he was never arrested or punished as the Edict demanded.
Images for kids
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Luther at the Diet of Worms, by Anton von Werner, 1877
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Luther in Worms, colorized woodcut, 1577
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Luther statue in Worms
See also
In Spanish: Dieta de Worms para niños
