George Spalatin

Georg Spalatin Burkhardt ( born January 17, 1484 gap in the diocese of Eichstätt ( hence its name ); † January 16, 1545 in Altenburg ) was a German humanist, theologian, reformer and historian.

Life

Spalatin was born the illegitimate son of a Rotgerbers. After attending seminary school in his hometown gap he came in 1497 to the St. Sebaldusschule in Nuremberg. In the summer semester 1498 he enrolled at the University of Erfurt, studied philosophy and acquired in 1499 the first academic degree of bachelor. In 1502 he turned to the newly established University of Wittenberg, where he operated Greek and historical studies, and on February 2, 1503 as one of the first acquired the academic degree of Master of Arts at the Faculty of Arts.

Spalatin then studied in Erfurt 's rights and theology and was after his ordination in 1508 tutor of the later Elector Johann Friedrich. On behalf of the Elector Frederick the Wise in 1512, he was administrator of the Wittenberg Castle housed in the university library. 1514 Friedrich appointed him his chaplain, and then to his secretary at the University of Wittenberg. Spalatin was since then as confessor of the elector whose most intimate servant, accompanied him to almost all diets and mediated almost exclusively Frederick relationships with Martin Luther. Johann the Steadfast, who knew how to appreciate him as much as his predecessor, he was appointed in 1525 to the parish priest and in 1528 superintendent of Altenburg. Spalatin in 1530 accompanied the elector to the Diet of Augsburg. From 1527 to 1542, he developed a significant activity in the organization of the Protestant church of the Saxon land. For example, he dismissed at a Church Visitation from January 1529 in Zwickau to the Hermannsdorfer pastor all the monastery Gruenhain assistant pastor of their office, because he found them to further guide their office for clumsy.

Georg Spalatin increasingly devoted himself to his historical research. He collected Roman sources, evaluating them from. In 1510 he published a " History of Saxony and Thuringia ." He wrote the biographies of Frederick the Wise (edited by Neudecker and Preller, Weimar 1851) and of John the Steadfast; Christian religion Handel or religious matters, of Cyprian Erroneously Annales reformationis (Leipzig 1718) called, and a History of the Popes and Emperor of the Reformation era. He has also written the first biography of Arminius ( Hermann the Cherusker ) and published it in 1535 in Wittenberg, under the title: From the thewrern Deudschen Prince Arminio: a Kurtzer excerpt from glaubwirdigen Latin histories: by Georgium Spalatinum worn and Germanized together.

Georg Spalatin died on January 16, 1545, just one day before his 61st birthday in Altenburg. He left behind a wife and two daughters. Spalatin was buried before the altar of his church of St Bartholomew in Altenburg. His bones are now considered lost.

Spalatin was a close friend Veit Warbeck. He was repeatedly (secured 1509 and 1515 ) by Lucas Cranach the Elder. and in 1537 portrayed by Lucas Cranach the Younger.

Remembrance

January 16 in the Protestant calendar name.