Spalatin, Georg, 1484-1545

Spalatin was a friend of Luther and supporter of the reformation. Having first come to the Saxon court in 1508 as a tutor to the nephew and heir of Friedrich III, Elector of Saxony, Spalatin subsequently served as the elector's secretary and adviser from 1516 to 1525. After the death of Friedrich in 1525, Spalatin moved to Altenburg, in Thuringia, where he was a canon and then superintendent, and played a key role in the establishment of the new church. He also continued to be a trusted adviser to the two subsequent electors of Saxony, Johann I and Johann Friedrich.

From the description of Miscellaneous manuscripts, 1524-1542. (University of Pennsylvania Library). WorldCat record id: 191049749

German Protestant reformer.

From the description of Autograph letter signed : place not specified, to the secretariat at Meissen, 1535 Friday after St. Margaret's day [Jul. 13]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270663933

From the description of Autograph letter signed, 1537 Tuesday after Egidi [Sept. 1]. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 270663942

G. Spalatin (real name Burckhardt; Jan. 17, 1484-Jan. 16, 1545) German jurist and promoter of the Reformation.

Born at Spalt near Nuremberg studied at Erfurt and Wittenberg, terminated his study of law at Erfurt in 1505, and became a teacher in cloister Georgenthal. In 1507 he became pastor at Hohenkirchen and in 1508 he was consecrated as a preist, but the Erfurt humanist regard this merely as the basis of financial security. In 1509 he entered the service of Frederick the Wise of Saxony as tutor of Prince John Frederick. From 1511 to 1516 he taught Princes Otto and Ernst of Brunswick-Lueneburg at Wittenberg and in 1512 became librarian of the elector's castle library. From 1516 he was the most trusted counselor of Frederick the Wise (privy secretary, historiographer, father confessor, and court chaplain). He was particularly responsible for church and university affairs.

It was this function that enabled him to give assistance to the cause of Luther whom he had learned to know in 1513. He gained the elector's good will for Luther, served as go-between, and always stood at Luther's side with his good counsel. The correspondence between him and Luther is very extensive. As pastor of Altenburg (where he had been a member of the monastery chapter since 1511) he reformed city and monastery in 1525. From 1526 he participated in visitations which led to the introduction of the Reformation in the electorate of Saxony. Later he also took part in the visitation held in the duchy of Saxony. After Frederick's death in 1525, he served his successors in solving church problems. He cooperated in drafting the Augsburg Confession. "Annals of Saxony" is his most important literary work. His translations of the Latin works of Luther, Erasmus, and Melanchthon became noteworthy." (Encyclopedia of the Lutheran Church, Vol. 3, page 224).

Text in German.

From the description of Georg Spalatin letters, 1528-1536. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 145405921