[metmom]

For the German princes, it was the chance at power. For Luther, it was wealth and privilege. For Calvin, it was power and authority. For Zwingli, well, he was mad, and it allowed him to indulge in his soldier fantasies.

The motivation is well understood.

Yup, Catholic Church history verifies that it would understand very well.

[MarkBsnr]

Political history verifies that the Reformation was primarily a geopolitical power play.

[count-your-change]

The Reformation began with those Catholics that thought reform of the corrupt and greedy clergy was possible.
For hundreds of years the clergy as a group was a moral sink hole of concubinage, whore mongering and the selling of their offices.
As long as they could engage in simony on a wide scale all the half hearted edicts and councils were worthless since the hierarchy loved the income they could skim off the top.

If you wish to talk about motives in the Reformation first spend some quality time with the history books.