Frederick the Wise
| Movement | Magisterial Reformation |
|---|---|
| Born | 1463 |
| Died | 1525 |
| Significance | Frederick the Wise was the Elector of Saxony from 1486-1525. He was perhaps the most important supporter of Luther and protected him in his early years. Frederick even had Luther kidnapped and taken to his Wartburg castle after he was condemned at the Diet of Worms in 1521. Frederick's motivation for protecting Luther was probably political rather than theological because he had one of the largest relics collections (over 19,000 pieces) in Germany. Frederick opposed the power of the pope and did not want to see one of the professors of the university he founded condemned as a heretic. |
| See also | Home | Index of People | Magisterial Reformation | Frederick the Wise Album |