Peter Agricola (June 29, 1525 – July 5 or 7, 1585) was a German Renaissance humanist, educator, classical scholar and theologian, diplomat and statesman, disciple of Martin Luther, friend and collaborator of Philipp Melanchthon.
Successively tutor to several young princes of German sovereign states and rector of schools in Ulm and Lauingen, where he created (1559–1561) and developed the Gymnasium Illustre, he became an important councilor and State minister of the Dukes of Zweibrücken and Palatinate-Neuburg, carrying out many missions in the German Holy Roman Empire and supporting the Protestant Reformation.
Early life
Peter Agricola was born in Holzheim (bei Neu-Ulm) in present-day Baden-Württemberg, a son of Magnus Agricola (Steinheim (Neu-Ulm), ca. 1470 – Holzheim, 1531) and Apollonia Fabricius (Tiefenbach (Neu-Ulm), ? – Holzheim, 1590) and spent his childhood in the area of Ulm.
He was 7 when he lost his father, an innkeeper and judge at Holzheim, and former student at Ingolstadt (Bavaria) who had been a resident in Rome at a Benedictine cardinal's (Jean Bilhères de Lagraulas), planning to join the Benedictine Abbey of Elchingen, but who however - because of the disorders of Rome, nepotism of Pope Alexander VI and war-oriented behavior of future Pope Julius II - enlisted in the imperial troops which were taking part to King Charles VIII of France's war in Italy, during the military operations in the peninsula (1494/95-1497), before he eventually returned to Germany, where he later on showed interest in Martin Luther’s work.
Peter Agricola's mother was a woman of great piety who also showed interest in the Reformation. She made him attend weekly sermons in Ulm and registered him at Ulm high school. As Peter Agricola showed great potential he served as tutor to the children of a rich merchant of the city, who tried to get him hired on a permanent basis in his business, even offering his mother 1,000 ducats in order she agreed but neither Peter Agricola nor his mother wanted to switch from studies for trade.
One of his brothers, Georg Agricola, also went to be soldier in Italy, where he took part to several dangerous military actions, being present at fall of the city of Rome (1527).
Studies
After having received a classical education, becoming proficient in both Latin and Greek, Peter Agricola, then aged 18, left Ulm in 1543 and went to Heidelberg University. He stayed there during one year: registered on March 12, 1543 (as Peter Agricola, von Holzheim), Peter Agricola graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (Bacc.) on June 18, 1544.
He then enlisted at the prestigious and famous Lutheran university of Wittenberg, where he registered (as Petrus Agricola Ulmensis) at the end of September 1544 and on October 9, 1548, and had Martin Luther as professor and mentor. He earned there a master (Magister) on May 3, 1549, and wanted to become a church minister.
Because of the military disorders however, and following the death of Luther, Peter Agricola left Wittenberg to return in Ulm where he became a teacher (at the end of 1546) before joining Wittenberg university again, achieving his philosophy course there.
Career
Frederick III, reigning duke of Liegnitz in Silesia (now Legnica in Poland), had requested the reformer Philipp Melanchthon to provide him with a tutor for his oldest son, Henry XI of Legnica, then his only son, aged 12. Melanchthon strongly advised with his friend Peter Agricola to accept this position.
Peter Agricola arrived at Liegnitz on April 19, 1550 and was introduced the following day at the castle where he started his new duties. Duke Frederick having served in France in 1551, against the will of Charles V, Holy Roman Emperor, he was stripped of his principality and the young prince Henry, duke of Liegnitz under the regency of his paternal uncle and curator, George II the Pious, duke of Brieg (now Brzeg in Poland), went to reside at Brieg. Peter Agricola followed him there and spent eight years in very good conditions. The prince having become a teenager, he went to the court of Emperor Ferdinand I of the Holy Empire, and his master was thanked with a valuable reward.