In 1517 Luther nailed his theses to the church door in Wittenberg
In 1517 Luther nailed his theses to the church door in Wittenberg. The
Church took alarm and attempted to crush him, and soon the greatest
contest since the conflict between paganism and Christianity was on.
Within half a century all northern lands had been lost to the ancient
Church (see map, p. 296); the first successful challenge of its authority
during its long history.