The Life of Martin Luther

On November 10, 1483 Hans Luther and Margarette Luther were blessed with a gift. This was Martin Luther, named after St. Martin. He was the second born child of Hans and Margarette. Two of his brothers died during one of the outbreaks of the plague. Hans and Margarette were a very hard working family. They were very poor, but worked for the things in life that they need. Hans was a cooper miner. Margarette was a stay at home mother, looking after three children.

Shortly after Martin's birth, the family moves a larger mining town, Mansfeld. Hans was a successful miner, one of the best. However, Hans did not like the lifestyle he lived, and did not want Martin to follow in his footsteps. Hans decided he would push his son to be successful, so he pushed him to be a lawyer. Hans started school in Mansfeld when Martin was about seven years old. The school taught mainly Latin, logic, and rhetoric. Following his father's wishes, he contained his studies. By the age of 14, he was sent to Magdeburg to study. However, he only stayed for one year than he entered a Latin school in Eisenach. He studied there till 1501, than enrolled as a pupil at Erfurt University. He studied Arts, as in grammar, logic, things required to become a lawyer. However, a part of the curriculum of the University of Erfurt was theology and metaphysics, which gave him a background on religion.

Suddenly, on Luther's way home to please his father with his Master's Degree, a terrible thunder storm hit. On July 2, 1505 the unlucky law student feared for his life. He was a few hours away from Erfurt, when lightning struck down, right in front of Luther. He felled to the floor and screamed, "Saint Anne! Help me! If you save me I will become a monk!" Saint Anne was the Virgin Mary.

Afraid to disappoint his parents, yet afraid to break the promise made to god... Luther was terrified, haunted by the thoughts of lying to God. He forced himself to live the life of a monk. His parents were disappointing with him, after all the hard work he had put into earning his Master's in law.

As he tried to adjust quickly to the lifestyle of a monk, also looking for assurance, he was haunted and frightened. Luther entered Monastery of the Hermits of St Augustine, Erfu