fact that he was the ruler of three-fourths of Western Europe, he
lived to witness the overthrow of his dearest projects and the
complete failure of his general policy. But his want of success was
not due to personal imprudence or inactivity. It is to be attributed
to the circumstances of the times, the rebellion in Spain, the open
revolt of some and the distrust of others in Germany, the rapid
advance of the Turks towards the west, and, above all, the struggle
with France. Despite his many quarrels with the Holy See, and in face
of the many temptations held out to him to arrive at the worldwide
dictatorship to which he was suspected of aspiring, by putting himself
at the head of the new religious movement, he never wavered for a
moment in his allegiance to the Catholic Church.
----------

[1] Grisar, /Luther/ (Eng. Trans.), i., p. 4.

[2] /Id./ p. 8.

[3] Grisar, /Luther/ (Eng. Trans.), i., p. 14.

[4] Id. chap. iv.

[5] Keller, /Johann von Staupitz und die Anfange der Reformation/,
1888.

[6] Grisar, op. cit. (Eng. Trans.), i., 34, 323.

[7] Id. i., 34, Bd. iii., 957-8.

[8] Paulus, /Johann Tetzel, der Ablassprediger/, 1899. /Die Deutschen