Martin Luther

German-born Martin Luther (10 November 1483-18 February 1546) was the foremost figure in the Protestant Reformation. His Ninety-Five Theses (1517), written in protest to local Catholic authorities' sale of indulgences, unintentionally created a split between Luther and the Church. After breaking with the Roman Catholic Church, he published To the Christian Nobility of the German Nation (1520), The Babylonian Captivity of the Church (1520), and The Freedom of a Christian (1520). All the works condemned the Catholic Church and clarified Luther's understanding of Christian doctrine. His writings became the primary influence in the Protestant revolt.