Caspar Aquila

Caspar Aquila (August 7, 1488 - November 12, 1560, Saalfeld), also Kaspar Aquila, Caspari Aquilae, Gaspar Aquila, real name Johann Kaspar Adler was a German reformer, who was born at Augsburg. Educated at Augsburg and at Ulm (1502), in Italy (he met Erasmus in Rome), at Bern (1508), studied theology in Leipzig (1510) and Wittenberg (1513). According to his son, he entered the ministry in August 1514, while at Bern. He was for some time a military chaplain.

In 1516, he became pastor of Jengen, near Augsburg, where he introduced ideas of the Reformation. Openly proclaiming his adhesion to Martin Luther's doctrine, he was imprisoned for half a year (1520 or 1522) at Dillingen, by order of the bishop of Augsburg; a death sentence was commuted to banishment through the influence of Isabella, wife of Christian II of Denmark and sister of Charles V. Returning to Wittenberg, he met Luther, and acted as tutor to the sons of Franz von Sickingen at Ebernburg castle. After the siege of the Ebernburg by Richard Greiffenklau, the archbishop of Trier, on June 6, 1523, he returned to Wittenberg to teach Hebrew, and aided Luther in his version of the Old Testament.

The dates and particulars of his career are uncertain until 1527, when he became pastor at Saalfeld, and in 1528, superintendent. His vehement opposition to the Augsburg Interim (1548) and a warrant by Charles V on his head led him to take temporary shelter at Rudolstadt with Catherine, countess of Schwarzburg. In 1550, he was appointed dean of the Collegiatstift in Schmalkalden. Here he had a controversy with Andreas Osiander. Restored to Saalfeld after the peace of Passau, not without opposition, in 1552, he remained there, still engaged in controversy, until his death on the 12th of November 1560. He was twice married, and left four sons. He published numerous sermons, a few Old Testament expositions and some controversial tracts.

Works

*"Christliche Erklärung des kleinen Katechismus etc." (Augsb. 1538)
*"Fragstücke der ganzen christlichen Lehre" (since 1547 many Eds.)

References

* G. Kawerau, in A. Hauck's "Realencyklopedie" (1896)
* "Allgemeine Deutsche Biog." (1875) Lives by:
* J. Avenarius (1718)
* J. G. Effinger (1731)
* Chr. Schlegel (1737)
* Fr. Gensler (1816)
*1911