Nikolaus Krell
Encyclopedia
Nikolaus Krell chancellor of the elector of Saxony, was born at Leipzig
, and educated at the university
of his native town.
About 1580 he entered the service of Christian
, the eldest son of Augustus I
, elector of Saxony, and when Christian succeeded his father as elector in 1586, became his most influential counselor. Krell's religious views were Calvinistic
or Crypto-Calvinistic
, and both before and after his appointment as chancellor in 1589 he sought to advance his own religious views at the expense of the reigning Lutheran Orthodoxy
which was the sanctioned religion of electoral Saxony. Calvinists were appointed to many important ecclesiastical and educational offices; a translation of the Bible with Calvinistic annotations was published; and other measures were taken by Krell to attain his end.
In foreign politics, also, he sought to change the traditional policy of Saxony of close collaboration with the Habsburg emperors, acting in unison with John Casimir
, regent of the Electoral Palatinate, and reaching out to Henry IV of France
and Elizabeth I of England
.
These departures from Saxon tradition, coupled with the jealousy felt at Krell's high position and autocratic conduct, made the chancellor very unpopular, and when the elector died in October 1591 he was deprived of his offices and thrown into prison by order of Frederick William, duke of Saxe-Altenburg, the regent for the young Elector Christian II.
His trial was delayed until 1595, and then, owing partly to the interference of the imperial court of justice (Reichskammergericht), dragged on for six years. At length it was referred by Emperor Rudolph II
to a court of appeal at Prague
, and Krell sentenced to death. He was executed on 9 October 1601. The influential European politician is commemorated a paving stone commemorated with the inscription "Kr" at the spot of his execution in the Dresden
Stallhof.
Krell was not the only individual accused of Crypto-calvinism. The influential physician Caspar Peucer
was also charged and subsequently imprisoned for years.
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
, and educated at the university
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
of his native town.
About 1580 he entered the service of Christian
Christian I, Elector of Saxony
Christian I of Saxony was Elector of Saxony from 1586 to 1591.He was the sixth but second surviving son of Elector Augustus of Saxony and Anna of Denmark...
, the eldest son of Augustus I
Augustus, Elector of Saxony
Augustus was Elector of Saxony from 1553 to 1586.-First years:Augustus was born in Freiberg, the youngest child and third son of Henry IV, Duke of Saxony, and Catherine of Mecklenburg. He consequently belonged to the Albertine branch of the Wettin family...
, elector of Saxony, and when Christian succeeded his father as elector in 1586, became his most influential counselor. Krell's religious views were Calvinistic
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
or Crypto-Calvinistic
Crypto-Calvinism
Crypto-Calvinism is a term for Calvinist influence in the Lutheran Church during the decades just after the death of Martin Luther . It denotes what was seen as a hidden...
, and both before and after his appointment as chancellor in 1589 he sought to advance his own religious views at the expense of the reigning Lutheran Orthodoxy
Lutheran Orthodoxy
Lutheran orthodoxy was an era in the history of Lutheranism, which began in 1580 from the writing of the Book of Concord and ended at the Age of Enlightenment. Lutheran orthodoxy was paralleled by similar eras in Calvinism and tridentine Roman Catholicism after the...
which was the sanctioned religion of electoral Saxony. Calvinists were appointed to many important ecclesiastical and educational offices; a translation of the Bible with Calvinistic annotations was published; and other measures were taken by Krell to attain his end.
In foreign politics, also, he sought to change the traditional policy of Saxony of close collaboration with the Habsburg emperors, acting in unison with John Casimir
John Casimir
John Casimir may refer to:*John II Casimir of Poland *Johann Casimir of Simmern *John Casimir, Duke of Saxe-Coburg *John Casimir...
, regent of the Electoral Palatinate, and reaching out to Henry IV of France
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
and Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
.
These departures from Saxon tradition, coupled with the jealousy felt at Krell's high position and autocratic conduct, made the chancellor very unpopular, and when the elector died in October 1591 he was deprived of his offices and thrown into prison by order of Frederick William, duke of Saxe-Altenburg, the regent for the young Elector Christian II.
His trial was delayed until 1595, and then, owing partly to the interference of the imperial court of justice (Reichskammergericht), dragged on for six years. At length it was referred by Emperor Rudolph II
Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor
Rudolf II was Holy Roman Emperor , King of Hungary and Croatia , King of Bohemia and Archduke of Austria...
to a court of appeal at Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
, and Krell sentenced to death. He was executed on 9 October 1601. The influential European politician is commemorated a paving stone commemorated with the inscription "Kr" at the spot of his execution in the Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
Stallhof.
Krell was not the only individual accused of Crypto-calvinism. The influential physician Caspar Peucer
Caspar Peucer
Caspar Peucer was a German reformer, physician, and scholar.-Biography:Born in Bautzen, Peucer studied mathematics, astronomy, and medicine at the University of Wittenberg from 1540...
was also charged and subsequently imprisoned for years.
Further reading
- Der Calvinistensturm (The Calvinist Controversy) (1593). German web page has contemporary images of the suppression of Calvinism in Saxony.
- Hartmut Krell. Das Verfahren gegen den 1601 hingerichteten Kanzler Dr. Nicolaus Krell. Frankfurt am Main 2006.
- Sebastian Kusche. Gesichter der Uni: Nikolaus Krell (1550/53–1601). Journal Universität Leipzig (6) 2009, p. 15.
- Leben, Schicksal und Ende des Dr. Nicolaus Krell. Leipzig (1798).
- Zur Erinnerung an die Hinrichtung von Dr. Nikolaus Krell am 09. Oktober 1601 auf dem Dresdner Neumarkt (In Remembrance of the Execution of Dr. Nikolaus Krell on the Dresden Neumarkt, 9 October 1601). German web page has images commemorating Krell's execution.
- August Victor Richard. Der kurfürstlich sächsische Kanzler Dr. Nicolaus Krell. Dresden 1859.
- Johann Samuel ErschJohann Samuel ErschJohann Samuel Ersch was a German bibliographer, generally regarded as the founder of German bibliography.-Biography:...
, Johann Gottfried GruberJohann Gottfried GruberJohann Gottfried Gruber was a German critic and literary historian.-Biography:Gruber was born at Naumburg on the Saale....
: Allgemeine Encyclopädie der Wissenschaften und Künste vol. 20 p. 122