Facing his most serious trial to date, Martin Luther is ordered to appear at the Diet of Worms before Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, and a host of cardinals and theologians of the Church. 

SYNOPSIS:

EPISODE 11, SYNOPSIS, WORMS

It is 1520 and Pope Leo X, confronted with multiple threats against the Church, coordinates an attack to kill Martin Luther. Luther is served with Exsurge Domine, a papal bull that threatens him with excommunication. Martin and students from Wittenberg University where he teaches burn it.

Elsewhere, another threat to the Church, Selim, Sultân of the Ottoman Empire, announces his successor, Suleiman. Before he dies, he orders the murder of a nephew in the Safavid Dynasty to avoid a challenge to Suleiman’s reign from Shia Islam.

Selim signs a treaty with the King of Hungary, an outpost of Christianity, but proclaims it to be a diversion as he prepares to invade it.

Before Selim can mobilize his war machine, however, he dies a horrific and painful death by boils. Suleiman prepares to take over where Selim left off.

In Switzerland, the Reformation advances on another front as Huldrych Zwingli defends his reforms and preaches against the Mass. The flames of the Reformation intensify by attacking the holiest ritual in Catholicism.

Huldrych’s relationships with Anna Reinhard and Katharina von Zimmern grow. Anna is stunningly beautiful, and Katharina is firmly pro-Reformation. This presents a difficult decision.

Leo celebrates the death of Selim but learns that Suleiman is preparing for an invasion. The news destroys his celebration.

It is 1521 at the end of the episode as the noose tightens around Martin Luther’s neck. Martin stands before the new Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, and intelligentsia of the Church who all want to see him burn at the stake at the Diet of Worms.

He must answer charges against him and fears what will happen if he does not recant. Martin stands firm and answers, “I cannot and will not recant anything for it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. May God help me. Amen.”

On his way back to Wittenberg, Martin is captured by a band of soldiers, seemingly Papal, and taken to a secret location. After all the progress that has been made, the future of the Reformation hangs in the balance.