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.
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 in 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.
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 took part in the school reformation project under Ludwig Rabus and in 1559 went to Augsburg where the imperial court then was, to advise Duke Henry XI, his former student (then wine waiter of Ferdinand I and in a difficult situation towards the Emperor).
As a reward, Duke Wolfgang gave to him an expensive present, made him Lord of a fee (fief) and Peter Agricola became a member of the prince's Privy Council (1569).
Privy Councillor and personal adviser, Peter Agricola became the State minister to the duke's successor, archi-Lutheran Count Palatine (Pfalzgraf) Philip Louis of Neuburg, a position of considerable responsibility.
He undertook diplomatic missions in the Holy Roman Empire and became increasingly influential in the government, welcoming foreigners, drafting official documents, and serving as a liaison between the Duke and other principalities.
His position allowed him to defend Lutheran theologians he remained in connection with, and constantly provided them with pieces of advice and the financial help he was able to get for them from several sovereign princes due to his respected reputation.
She also was the widow of the famous Bohemian mathematician, astrologer and astronomer Cyprián Karásek Lvovický (Cyprianus Leovitius), professor at the Court of Neuburg and one head master of the Gymnasium Illustre.