WORMS, DIET OF

(1521), meeting of the Diet (assembly) of the Holy Roman Empire held at Worms, Ger., in 1521, that was made famous by Martin Luther's appearance before it to defend his beliefs. Because of the confused political and religious situation of the time, Luther was called before the political authorities rather than the pope or a council of the Roman Catholic church. Pope Leo X had condemned 41 propositions of Luther's in June 1520, but Luther continued to produce works critical of the papacy and its teachings. The pope excommunicated him on Jan. 21, 1521, but it was several months before the condemnation was received in Germany. Luther's prince, Frederick III the Wise, elector of Saxony, refused to take any action against Luther. Frederick negotiated with the Holy Roman emperor, Charles V, and it was agreed that Luther would appear for a hearing at the Diet under the emperor's safe-conduct. On April 17, 1521, Luther went before the Diet for the first time. In response to questioning, he admitted that the books displayed before the court were his, but, when asked to repudiate them, he asked for time to consider the question. The next day, again before the assembled Diet, Luther refused to repudiate his works unless convinced of error by Scripture or by reason. Otherwise, he stated, his conscience was bound by the Word of God. According to tradition, he said, Here I stand; I can do no other. Disorder broke out at the conclusion of Luther's refusal to recant, and the emperor dismissed the Diet for the day. A hero to the Germans but a heretic to others, Luther soon left Worms but spent the next nine months in hiding at the Wartburg, near Eisenach. In May the Diet passed the Edict of Worms, which declared that Luther was an outlaw and a heretic who should be captured and turned over to the emperor and whose writings were forbidden. The edict, never enforced, nevertheless inhibited Luther's travels throughout his lifetime and made him dependent on his prince for protection.