Introduction: 1517, and all that: dating the beginning of the Reformation in Early Modern Britain and France

Abstract

As the quincentenary of the posting of the Ninety-five Theses by Martin Luther, 2017 has been a year of commemorations, ending and crowning the Luther Decade in Germany. 31 October 1517 has come to represent much more than Luther’s public protest against indulgences, having long been hailed as the starting point of the Reformation. The anniversary spurred the publication of countless books on Martin Luther’s life, editions of his works, theological treatises, as well as a flurry of publicatio...