Pope Leo X

The Florentine Pope Leo X, who came to the chair of Peter at a young age, was initially regarded by many as a bearer of hope in view of a long overdue church reform. Luther also admired him at first for his education and erudition, but changed his mind after a few years when the Pope and the Roman Curia proved unwilling to reform. From this time on Luther saw him only as the Antichrist. Leo himself underestimated the extent of Luther's movement and considered the matter to be settled with the church ban on Luther.