Luther’s teachings.
Early Life
Luther was born in Eisleben, Saxony
(now in Germany), on November 10,
1483. In 1507 he became a Roman
Catholic priest.
Meanwhile, Luther began having doubts
about some practices of Roman Catholicism.
For example, the church accepted
money in order for sins to be forgiven.
This practice was known as the selling of
indulgences. Luther came to believe that
God forgives sins only because of one’s
faith. He also thought the church was
too powerful.
Efforts at Reform
In 1517 Luther wrote a list of 95 theses,
or statements of his beliefs, about religion.
Luther continued to write and
teach on the subject of reforming the
church, and his views began to gather
support.
Luther’s actions angered powerful
church leaders. The pope (the leader of
Catholicism) excommunicated, or
barred, him from the church in 1521.
Later that year the government declared
Luther an outlaw, and he fled to a castle
near Eisenach. While in hiding, he
translated the New Testament into German
so that more people could read it.
Luther spent the rest of his life writing,
preaching, and organizing the reformed
church in Saxony. He died on February
18, 1546, in Eisleben.
#More to explore
Protestantism • Reformation • Roman
Catholicism
A picture from the 1800s shows Martin
Luther.
186 Luther, Martin BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Luxembourg
Luxembourg is one of the world’s smallest
countries. Its capital is Luxembourg
city.
Geography
Luxembourg is surrounded by Belgium,
Germany, and France. The land includes
rolling hills and deep river valleys. The
northern third of the country is part of
the ArdennesMountains. The rest of the
country has a more varied landscape. A
large beech forest called the Mullerthal
lies in the east-central part of the
country.
People
More than half of the country’s people
are Luxembourgers. They speak Luxembourgian,
a mixture of German and
French. Most people also speak the German
and French languages. Most of the
people are Roman Catholics.
Economy
Banking, tourism, and other services are
the most important parts of the
economy. Luxembourg also produces
iron and steel, machinery, chemicals,
tires, and other goods. Agriculture is a
small part of the economy. Crops
include barley, wheat, oats, potatoes,
and grapes for wine. Cattle and pigs are
the main livestock.
History
The Franks, the Holy Roman Empire,
and other powers controlled the region
for centuries. Luxembourg became a
separate state in AD 963. In 1354 the
region became a duchy, or a state ruled
by a duke. A series of foreign powers
controlled the duchy beginning in the
1400s.
Luxembourg gained full independence
in 1867. Today its ruler is still called a
grand duke, but a prime minister actually
runs the government.
..More to explore
European Union • Luxembourg (city)
Vianden Castle in Luxembourg was completed
in the 1300s.
Facts About
LUXEMBOURG
Population
(2008 estimate)
488,000
Area
999 sq mi (2,586
sq km)
Capital
Luxembourg
Form of
government
Constitutional
monarchy
Major cities
Luxembourg,
Esch-sur-Alzette,
Dudelange, Schifflange,
Bettembourg
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Luxembourg 187
Luxembourg
Population
(2008 estimate)
85,467
The city of Luxembourg is the capital of
a small country that is also named Luxembourg.
The city lies on the Alzette
River, in northwestern Europe.
Luxembourg city is a major banking
center. It is also the international headquarters
for several agencies of the European
Union (EU). These include the
European Investment Bank and the
European Court of Justice.
Many hundreds of years ago the Romans
built a fort on the site of Luxembourg.
In the 900s the founder of Luxembourg’s
royal family bought the site and
built a castle there. The city of Luxembourg
grew around the castle.
For several centuries the city was repeatedly
attacked and rebuilt. Its castle
became one of the strongest fortresses in
Europe. The country fell under French,
Austrian, and then German rule.
In 1867 Luxembourg became an independent
country. The city of Luxembourg
was its capital.
..More to explore
Luxembourg (country)
Lyme Disease
Lyme disease is an illness caused by tiny
living things called bacteria. Small
insects called ticks carry the bacteria and
spread the disease.
Ticks sometimes bite humans to feed on
their blood. If a tick carries the bacteria
that cause Lyme disease, it can pass the
bacteria to a person through its bite. The
person may then become sick with Lyme
disease.
One of the first signs of Lyme disease is
often a circular red rash. The rash usually
appears in the area of the tick bite.
The person may then experience headaches,
muscle aches, joint pain, fatigue,
and fever.
People who have had Lyme disease for a
long time may become sicker. They may
have numbness in their feet and hands.
They also may be confused and unable
to concentrate.
Lyme disease often starts with a red rash in
the shape of a circle.
The name
Luxembourg
comes from an
old Roman
castle in
Luxembourg
city called
Lucilinburhuc,
meaning “little
fortress.”
188 Luxembourg BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
Lyme disease can be treated with antibiotics.
Antibiotics are a kind of medicine
that kills bacteria. If a person with Lyme
