Profile Text
Birth Name: Martin Luder
Date of Birth: 10 November, 1483
Place of Birth: Eisleben, County of Mansfeld, Holy Roman Empire (now Saxony-Anhalt, Germany)
Date of Death: 18 February, 1546
Place of Death: Eisleben, County of Mansfeld, Holy Roman Empire
Ethnicity: Saxon/German
The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther, OSA, was a German priest, theologian, author, hymnwriter, and professor. He was ordained a priest in 1507, and was an Augustinian friar. He came to reject some Roman Catholic teachings, and authored the seminal Ninety-five Theses in 1517, leading to the Protestant Reformation. He was excommunicated by the Pope in 1521. His beliefs form the basis for the Lutheran faith.
Martin was the son of Margarethe/Margaret and Johann/Hans Luder/Luther. His father was born in Möhra, Moorgrund, Wartburgkreis, Thuringia. His mother was born in Neustadt an der Saale, Lower Franconia, Bavaria. His surname was originally Luder, and he later changed it to Luther.
Martin was married to Katharina von Bora, or “die Lutherin”/the Lutheress, until his death. The couple had six children, including Elisabeth Luther, Magdalena Luther, and physician, medical chemist, and alchemist Paul Luther. Their marriage was said to have set the precedent for Protestant family life and clerical marriage.
Martin’s paternal grandfather was named Heine von Luder/Luther (the son of Wigand Luder, and of a woman surnamed Barchfeld/Bergwald/Bargfeld). Heine was born in Möhra, Wartburgkreis, Thueringen. Wigand was the son of Fabian Luder.
Martin’s paternal grandmother was Anna Margaretha/Margarethe/Margaret Ziegler/Zugler (the daughter of Ritter Otto Ziegler and Kunne Ernst). Anna was born in Möhra, Wartburgkreis, Thueringen. Ritter was the son of Ratsherr Siegfried Ziegler and Margarethe von der Sachsen. Kunne was the daughter of Klaus Ernst.
Martin’s maternal grandfather was Johannes Lindemann/Lindeman (the son of Hans Andreas Lindemann and Catharina Schreiner). Johannes was born in Neustadt an der Saale. Hans was the son of Caspar Adam Lindemann and Elizabeth Bischoff.
Sources: Genealogies of Martin Luther – https://www.geni.com https://www.findagrave.com