Why was Martin Luther summoned to the Diet of Worms in 1521?

To address heresy charges stemming from his challenges to the Roman Catholic Church

Martin Luther was the central figure at the 1521 Diet of Worms because he had been summoned by the authorities of the Holy Roman Empire to formally respond to charges of heresy. These charges were directly related to his religious critiques against the established authority of the Roman Catholic Church, most notably documented in his published *Ninety-five Theses*. He was presented with his own collected writings and required to state whether he would recant his positions. His refusal, famously symbolized by the declaration, "Here I stand, I can do no other," ensured that the proceedings concluded with significant historical consequences rather than religious reconciliation.