Spalatin, Georg the friend of Luther and chaplain of the elector Frederick the Wise of Saxony, a leading, Reformer and judicious superintendent of the churches, was born A. He attained his baccalaureate at Erfurt in , and from was a fellow student with Luther.
In he was made master at Wittenberg, but soon returned to Erfurt, where he became tutor in a patrician family, and first learned to know the Bible, a copy of which he purchased at great cost. He was ordained priest in , and stationed in the parish of Hohenkirchen, near Gotha; and a year later was called to assume, in addition to his parochial duties, the functions of teacher in the neighboring convent of Georgenthal. His reputation had, however, already extended beyond the narrow limits of the field of labor to which he was assigned;, and he was called to the electoral court in to assume charge of the education of the young crown prince, John Frederick.
Two years later he exchanged his place at court for the post of tutor to Otto and Ernest of Brunswick-Lineburg, the elector's nephews, who were then students at Wittenberg; and at the same time he was appointed by his patron canon of St.
George's in Altenburg. From this period dates the intimate friendship between Luther and Spalatin and between Spalatin and other Reformers, e. His relations with the elector likewise became more intimate, so that his advice and assistance were sought when the latter founded the Church of All-Saints at Wittenberg, and the university library , and he was made librarian.
In Spalatin was appointed chaplain and private secretary to the elector, and immediately became one of the most influential personages of the electoral court.
