[MarkBsnr]

As I said, he read Matt 2 and declined his summons.

I've never seen any suggestion of this before. Do you have sources?

More a statement of the loss of secular power than good wishes from the Catholics.

Martin Luther died fat and wealthy leading a public life. If the Church or any other elements wanted his life, he was a very easy target. Let's not waffle about loss of secular power. The fact is that neither the Church nor anyone desired enough to assassinate him to make it happen. And assassination was just as big in those days as it is in ours - possibly more so.

[xone]

As I said, he read Matt 2 and declined his summons. I've never seen any suggestion of this before.

I left out the 'perhaps' from an earlier posting I had made. Mark, you have to face the fact that others who fell into the hands of the Catholics during those times didn't always fare well. I'm glad Martin didn't obey the summons. I'm not sure the Catholics had the reach where he lived without deniability. I am sure the Catholics would have killed him if they could. Perhaps without sanction if only for the reason he was costing some of them good commissions.

[OLD REGGIE]

Martin Luther died fat and wealthy leading a public life. If the Church or any other elements wanted his life, he was a very easy target. Let's not waffle about loss of secular power. The fact is that neither the Church nor anyone desired enough to assassinate him to make it happen. And assassination was just as big in those days as it is in ours - possibly more so.

This is a repeated claim of yours. Also, you have provided no proof whatsoever. It's about time you did so don't you think?

Fact: Martin Luther had powerful protectors. Without those protectors it is likely he'd have been burned and his bones hung on the door at Wittenburg.

As it was, the RCC had no wish to engage in a Civil War which they'd surely lose.

Fact: Martin Luther left no wealth upon his death.

I seldom use Wikipedia as a source but perhaps you can explain the financial circumstances of Martin Luther's widow.

When Martin Luther died in 1546, Katharina was left in difficult financial straits without Luther's salary as professor and pastor . She was asked to move out of the old abbey and into much more modest quarters with the children who remained at home, but she initially refused. Almost immediately thereafter, Katharina had to leave the Black Cloister on her own at the outbreak of the Schmalkaldic War , from which she fled to Magdeburg . After her return the approach of the war forced another flight in 1547, this time to Braunschweig . In July of that year, at the close of the war, she was at last able to return to Wittenberg. The buildings and lands of the monastery had been torn apart and laid waste. Economically, they could not remain there. Katharina was able to support herself thanks to the generosity of John Frederick I, Elector of Saxony and the princes of Anhalt.

Wealth of Martin Luther

Fact: The "Counter Reformation Pope" Paul III was wealthy and, naturally, corrupt.

Pope Paul III

Kinda chubby too.

Catholic Encyclopedia - Pope Paul III

Incidentally the "son" Pier Luigi mentioned in the article was his eligitimate son.