Simon Grynaeus facts for kids

A portrait of Simon Grynaeus from 1580.

Simon Grynaeus (born Simon Griner; 1493 – August 1, 1541) was an important German scholar. He was also a theologian, which means he studied religion and God. Simon lived during the time of the Protestant Reformation, a big change in Christian history.

Simon Grynaeus's Life Story

Simon Grynaeus was born in 1493 in a place called Veringendorf, which is in Germany. His father, Jacob Gryner, was a farmer. Simon later changed his last name to "Grynaeus." This name came from a special title for the Greek god Apollo in a famous old poem by Virgil.

Early Studies and Teaching

Simon went to school with Philipp Melanchthon, who became a very famous reformer. Simon then studied at the University of Vienna. He was very good at learning Latin and Greek.

Later, Simon became the head of a school in Buda, which is now part of Budapest, Hungary. However, his ideas about religion were different from the Dominican monks. They put him in prison. Important people in Hungary helped him get out.

After that, he visited his old schoolmate Melanchthon in Wittenberg. In 1524, Simon became a professor of Greek at the University of Heidelberg. Two years later, he also started teaching Latin there.

Religious Views and Travels

Simon had views about the Eucharist (a Christian ceremony) that were similar to those of Huldrych Zwingli. This caused some disagreements with his Catholic co-workers.

From 1526, he wrote letters to John Oecolampadius, another important reformer. In 1529, Oecolampadius invited Simon to Basel, Switzerland. A famous scholar named Erasmus had just left Basel. Simon continued his studies there.

In 1531, Simon traveled to England to do research in libraries. He had a letter from Erasmus that helped him meet important people like Thomas More. Simon returned to Basel with a special task. He needed to gather opinions from other reformers about King Henry VIII of England's divorce.

Simon was there when his friend Oecolampadius passed away in November 1531. After this, Simon became a professor of theology, while still teaching Greek. He gave lectures explaining the New Testament of the Bible.

Role in the Reformation

In 1534, Duke Ulrich asked Simon to help with the Reformation in Württemberg, a region in Germany. Simon also helped to reorganize the University of Tübingen. He worked with Ambrosius Blarer on these important tasks.

Two years later, Simon played a big part in writing the First Helvetic Confession. This was a statement of beliefs written by Swiss religious leaders in Basel in January 1536. He also helped with meetings that encouraged Swiss churches to accept the Wittenberg Concord, another agreement about religious beliefs.

In 1540, there was a big meeting in Worms between Catholics and Protestants. Simon Grynaeus was the only person representing the Swiss churches there.

Later Life and Legacy

Sadly, Simon Grynaeus died suddenly from the Black Death (a terrible sickness) in Basel on August 1, 1541.

Simon was a brilliant scholar and a kind person. He helped bring different religious groups together. His influence was very strong and helpful. Famous thinkers like Erasmus and John Calvin wrote letters to him.

His main works included translating important writings by Plutarch, Aristotle, and John Chrysostom into Latin. He also helped publish the very first printed version of Euclid's Elements in ancient Greek.

Simon Grynaeus's Family

Simon Grynaeus had a son named Samuel (1539–1599). Samuel became a professor of law in Basel.

Simon's nephew, Thomas Grynaeus (1512–1564), was also a professor in Basel. Thomas had four sons who became well-known. One of them, Johann Jakob Grynaeus, was a leader in religious matters in Basel.

The last person in Simon Grynaeus's direct family line was another Simon (1725–1799). This later Simon translated French and English books into German. He also wrote a version of the Bible in modern German in 1776.