1555- The Protestant Reformation instigated a spate of religious turmoil and warfare throughout Europe, since few states and officials could agree on the fate of the two intertwined yet conflicting ecclesiastical disciplines. Wars between Italy, Spain, Germany and the Turks marked the period until the Peace of Augsburg. The Peace …

1520

In response to Martin Luther's strong condemnation of church doctrine, Holy Roman Emperor Charles~V, 1519- 1556 convened a meeting to force Luther to recant his heretical stance. Undaunted, Luther stood fast, and proclaimed that [paraphrase] he had arrived at his beliefs based on the word of God, and …

1483- 1546 - Martin Luther was an educated man who dedicated himself to monastic life at the age of twenty-two. Luther became obsessed with a simple question: What is the minimum one must do to attain salvation? Luther believed that church doctrine set an impossible task before anyone wishing to attain …

1513- Spearheaded by Martin Luther, the Protestant Reformation set about to answer the question about what one must do to attain salvation. Luther believed that church theology which included the seven sacraments set an impossible task before good people who might deserve salvation. Luther's idea was that the "justice of …

1503- 1513 - Julius II was a Renaissance Pope who was very involved in both war and politics. Julius is sometimes called the "warrior-pope," since he personally led armies. Many Christians criticized these activities.

1453- The city of Constantinople fell to the Turks after being sieged for several months. This event and the rapid spread of the Turkish people throughout the east, allowed the Turks to exert considerable pressure on the western kingdoms.