Flacius Illyricus, Matthias (1520–1575)

Istrian-born follower of Martin Luther. An enthusiastic Protestant reformer, Flacius was often involved in controversy. After Luther's death he was banished from Wittenberg due to conflict with Melanchthon over the Augsburg Interim. Flacius was the principal author of the first great history of Protestantism Historia Ecclesia Christi/The Magdeburg Centuries (1559–73), and was one of the first scriptural analysts.