Martin Luther

1483 – 1546 · died at about 63^[1][2]

Philosophy & Thought

Fun Facts About Martin Luther

• Martin Luther's wife, Katharina von Bora, was one of 12 nuns he helped escape from a convent by having them smuggled out in herring barrels.^[1]
• By one account, Luther became a monk because of a thunderstorm: when lightning struck near him, he cried out to Saint Anna and vowed to become a monk.^[1]
• Luther's father wanted him to become a lawyer. The family name was originally Luder, later Luther.^[1]
• Historians debate whether Luther really nailed his Ninety-five Theses to a church door. A note by his secretary, found in 2006, says the theses were posted on the doors of Wittenberg's churches.^[1]
• After the Diet of Worms, Luther was "kidnapped" and hidden in Wartburg Castle, where he translated the New Testament from Greek into German.^[1]
• Luther wrote the hymn "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God" and often accompanied hymns on the lute.^[1]
• Martin Luther was alive at the same time as Akbar the Great — their lives overlapped for 4 years (1542–1546).^[1][2][3][4]
• Martin Luther shares a birthday with Friedrich Schiller: both were born on November 10.^[1][2][5][6]

Martin Luther was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, and his theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western and Christian history.^[1]

Contemporaries

Michelangelo

63 yr overlap

Hernán Cortés

61 yr overlap

Nicolaus Copernicus

60 yr overlap

Henry VIII

55 yr overlap

Suleiman the Magnificent

52 yr overlap

Albrecht Dürer

45 yr overlap

Niccolò Machiavelli

44 yr overlap

Vasco da Gama

41 yr overlap

Ferdinand Magellan

38 yr overlap

Raphael

37 yr overlap

Leonardo da Vinci

36 yr overlap

Christopher Columbus

23 yr overlap

Their World

Questions About Martin Luther

When was Martin Luther born?

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483, and died on February 18, 1546.

How old was Martin Luther at death?

Martin Luther was born on November 10, 1483, and died on February 18, 1546, at age 62.

What was Martin Luther known for?

Martin Luther was known for: Sparked the Protestant Reformation. Martin Luther was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, professor, and former Augustinian friar. Luther was the seminal figure of the Protestant Reformation, and his theological beliefs form the basis of Lutheranism. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Western and Christian history.

Who was alive at the same time as Martin Luther?

Martin Luther's closest contemporary was Michelangelo. Their lives overlapped for 63 years.