Martin Luther

Martin Luther (1483–1546) was a German Augustinian friar whose challenge to Catholic Church corruption sparked the Protestant Reformation — one of the most consequential events in Western history. His 95 Theses (1517), challenging the sale of indulgences, spread rapidly through Europe thanks to the printing press (invented 60 years earlier). His translation of the Bible into German standardized the German language. Luther's core theological innovation was 'sola fide' (faith alone saves, not good works or church mediation) — a direct challenge to Church authority. The Reformation he inspired split Western Christianity permanently, created dozens of Protestant denominations, and contributed to the Thirty Years' War (1618–1648), which killed a quarter of Germany's population.