January 3
January 3
Martin Luther excommunicated
On January 3, 1521, Pope Leo X issues the papal bull Decet Romanum Pontificem, which excommunicates Martin Luther from the Catholic Church. Martin Luther, the chief catalyst of Protestantism, was…
A Year In History: 1521
This Year in History:
1521
Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.
April 18
April 18
Martin Luther defiant at Diet of Worms
Martin Luther, the chief catalyst of Protestantism, defies the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V by refusing to recant his writings. He had been called to Worms, Germany, to appear before…
April 27
April 27
Navigator Ferdinand Magellan killed in the Philippines
After traveling three‑quarters of the way around the globe, Portuguese navigator Ferdinand Magellan is killed during a tribal skirmish on Mactan Island in the Philippines. Earlier in the month, his…
August 13
August 13
Aztec capital falls to Cortés
After a three‑month siege, Spanish forces under Hernán Cortés capture Tenochtitlán, the capital of the Aztec empire. Cortés’ men leveled the city and captured Cuauhtémoc, the Aztec emperor. Tenochtitlán was…
