I. Life – II. Work – III. Influence
(born Schwartzerdt, in 1509 grecized by Reuchlin, from 1531 simplified by Melanchthon as Melanthon; Feb 16, 1497, Bretten – Apr 19, 1560, Wittenberg).
I. Life
Son of an arms technician in the service of the Palatinate court and the daughter of a prosperous merchant, Melanchthon was well educated, after his father's death in 1508 at Pforzheim under Georg Simler (fellow students: M. Erb, S. Grynaeus, B. Haller, K. Hedior, Franciscus Irenicus [1494–1553]), promoted by…