Editing Council of Trent (section)

==== First period ====

However, the council was delayed until 1545 and, as it happened, convened right before Luther's death. Unable, however, to resist the urging of Charles V, the pope, after proposing Mantua as the place of meeting, convened the council at Trent (at that time ruled by a prince-bishop under the [[Holy Roman Empire]]),<ref name= Schaff-Herzog/> on 13 December 1545; the Pope's decision to transfer it to [[Bologna]] in March 1547 on the pretext of avoiding a plague<ref name= "ODCC"/> failed to take effect and the council was indefinitely prorogued on 17 September 1549. None of the three popes reigning over the duration of the council ever attended, which had been a condition of Charles V. [[Papal legate]]s were appointed to represent the Papacy.<ref>O'Malley, 29–30</ref>