Why did Pope Leo X ask Martin Luther to recant his beliefs and then excommunicate him when Luther would not do so?

In January 1521, Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther. Three months later, Luther was called to defend his beliefs before Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at the Diet of Worms, where he was famously defiant. For his refusal to recant his writings, the emperor declared him an outlaw and a heretic.

Explanation:

In January 1521, the Pope Leo X excommunicated Luther. He was then summoned to appear at the Diet of Worms, an assembly of the Holy Roman Empire. He refused to recant and Emperor Charles V declared him an outlaw and a heretic. Luther went into hiding at Wartburg Castle.

The Pope's reasons and ideology

During the Italian Renaissance, the Church dominated politics, controlled kings, and became very wealthy. Pope Leo X was a reflection of the politicized nature of the Church. He came from one of the most influential families in Europe, the Medici, and is famous for selling the forgiveness of sins.

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