Key People Flashcards
(42 cards)
Jerome/Hieronymus Aleander
Individual who reported things back to the Pope what is going on. He also delivered the Papal Bull to Wittenburg.
Nicholas von Amsdorf
b. December 3, 1483 – d. May 14, 1565
Wittenberg theologian and nephew of Staupitz, one of Luther’s first adherents and close friends. Nicolaus von Amsdorf was a student at Wittenberg who went under the influence of Luther. Former Benedictine, he hoped to introduce Luther’s reform to other areas, and he helped Luther with the translation of the Bible. Nicolaus founded the Lutheran University of Jena in 1558.
Gabriel Biel
b. circa 1420 – d. December 1, 1495
Ockhamist theologian whom Luther studied closely; defends Ockham against Rimini; Luther accuses as being tainted with Pelagianism (eve of the reformation) Gabriel Biel (c. 1420 or 1425 – 7 December 1495) was a German scholastic philosopher and member of the Brethren of the Common Life born in Speyer. In 1432 he was ordained to the priesthood and entered Heidelberg University. He succeeded academically and became an instructor in the faculty of the arts.
Albrecht von Brandenburg
b. June 28, 1490 – d. September 24, 1545
Archbishop of Mainz; Originally Bishop of Magdeburg which was forbidden by church law. Albert gained a high office stature by bribes, using money from an indulgence to pay off his loan. These indulgences were what drove Martin Luther to write the 95 Theses.
Johannes Brenz
b. June 1, 1499 – d. September 1, 1570
Protestant reformer of the Duchy of Wittenburg. Brenz was a German preacher, theologian, and reformer at Württemberg. He was a contemporary of Martin Luther and a participant in the Council of Trent.
Martin Bucer
b. November 11, 1491 – d. February 28, 1551
Initial Dominican who hears Luther at Heidelburg and later labors for reform in Strasbourg and England. Martin Bucer was a Protestant Reformer who influenced Lutheran, Calvinist, and Anglican practices. He was excommunicated from the church, and tried to bring the Protestants and Catholics to create a German national church that was seperate from Rome.
Johann Bugenhagen
b. June 24, 1485 – d. April 20, 1558
Johannes Bugenhagen was a minister who brought the Protestant Reformation to Denmark and the Duchy of Pomerania. He also organized Luthera churches in Northern Germany and Scandinavia, called the “Second Apostle of the North”.
Cajetan
b. February 20, 1469 – d. August 9, 1534
Cardinal who interviewed Luther as the Pope’s representative; wanted a precise definition of indulgences. Thomas Cajetan was an Italian philosopher, theologian, and cardinal. He was a Roman Catholic, and most known him from his role opposing the teachings of Martin Luther and his Protestant Reformation.
Wolfgang Capito
b. 1478 – d. 1541
Wolfgang Capito was an Alsatian religous reformer and theologian, trying to join the new faith with the old. He was one of the leaders of the reformed faith in Strasbourg, and was an important figure in the early ecclesiastical transitions of the 16th century.
Charles V
b. February 24, 1500 – d. September 21, 1558
Also King Charles I of Spain; Elected King of the Holy Roman Empire in 1519. Charles V was the most powerful ruler in Europe. He attempted to snuff out Protestantism, condemning Luther at the Diet of Worms and defeating Protestant forces. However, Charles V saw that the Protestants couldn’t be stopped after they made a pact with king Henry II of France, and so he granted Luteranism toleration in the treaty of Augsburg.
Lucas Cranach
b. circa 1472 – d. October 16, 1553
Lucas Cranach the Elder was a German Renaissance painter who spent most of his career working as court painter to the Electors of Saxony.
Johannes Eck
b. November 13, 1486 – d. February 13, 1543 • Roman Catholicism (Belief System)
Johann Eck was a Roman Catholic scholar who lived during the Protestant Reformation. He was one who debated against Martin Luter, issuing a papal edict against him and all who stood with him. Johann also wrote books and other works arguing against all Protestant reformers. Luther debated in an academic debate in Leipzig.
Desiderius Erasmus
b. October 27, 1466 – d. July 12, 1536
Desiderius Erasmus lived during the Reformation, writing Latin and Greek versions of the New Testemant that were important for both the Protestant Reformation and the Counter Reformation. Although he did call for a change regarding abuses within the church, he rejected the concept of faith alone, being a firm believer in the traditional faith. Humanist; Luther’s Bondage of the Will was a response to his book The Free Will.
Frederick the Wise
b. January 17, 1463 – d. May 5, 1525
Frederick III was the founder of the University of Wittenburg, where Martin Luther taught. Frederick chose to protect Luther, refusing to go through with Pope Leo X’s bull of excommunication. Frederick was also the one who sheltered Luther at Wartburg, never communicating with him directly, but always assisting him through mutual connections. 20 Years older than Luther.
Jakob Fugger
Head of a mercantile and banking empire centered in Augsburg; Loaned money to Albrecht
Duke George of Saxony
As an initial sympathizer and later opponent of Luther, Georg “the Bearded” (1471–1539), the well-educated Duke of Saxony, pursued an ambitious policy of church renewal in Albertine Saxony, pushing for the reform of the monasteries and strengthening traditional forms of piety. Ruled the Better part of Saxony, including the city of Leipzig.
Johann Gutenberg
b. 1398 – d. February 3, 1468
Johannes Gutenberg is remembered as the inventor of the movable type printing press. There are several Bible editions said to have been produced by Gutenberg, but nothing can be proved.
Jan Hus
b. 1369 – d. July 6, 1415
Jan Hus is considered the first Church reformer, living before Luther and Calvin. His teachings influenced the states of Europe, and assisted Luther in his reformation more than a century later. Jan was burned at the stake for heresy against the Church. He believed the Pope’s authority was by human right
Ulrich von Hutten
b. April 7, 1506 – d. December 3, 1552
Ulrich von Hutten was a German humanist and refomer, desiring that the influence of the pope was removed from Germany. He became a follower of Martin Luther, editing and publishing works that gave Luther material for his arguments. Ulrich had to flee in fear of being arrested, but was kept safe on an island in Lake Zurich. Humanist Scholar and Knight that wanted to use Luther to increase German nationalism against the Pope; planned an uprising against Rome
John of Saxony
(30 June 1468 – 16 August 1532),[1] known as John the Steadfast or John the Constant (Johann, der Beständige), was Elector of Saxony from 1525 until 1532 from the House of Wettin. Suceeded his brother Frederick in May 1525.
He is notable for organising the Lutheran Church in the Electorate of Saxony from a state and administrative level. In that, he was aided by Martin Luther, whose “Saxon model” of a Lutheran church was also soon to be implemented beyond Saxony, in other territories of the Holy Roman Empire. Luther turned to the Elector for secular leadership and funds on behalf of a church largely shorn of its assets and income after the break with Rome.
Justus Jonas
Justus Jonas was a German Lutheran theologian and reformer. He was a jurist, professor, and hymn writer. He is best known for his translations of the writings of Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon (Augsburg Confession) into German. He was the one to observe the consumation of Luther’s marriage. Reviewed the Smalcld Aritcles on December 28, 1536.
Junker Jörg/Knight George
Luther’s persona during his 10 month exile following the Diet of Wurms
Andreas Bodenstein von Karlstadt
b. 1486 – d. December 24, 1541
A German Protestant theologian. Reformer that pushed Luther’s ideas to the extreme; Began the argument between Eck and Luther that caused the Leipzig debate
Leo X
b. December 11, 1475 – d. December 1, 1521
Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. Pope who wrote in favor of Indulgences; Opposed to Luther
