Born: 1478, Hagenau, Alsace, France. Buried: November 3, 1541, Strasbourg, France, of the plague. |
Köpfel earned a medical degree in 1498, and went on to study theology in Basel, Switzerland. He presented his doctoral thesis there in 1504, then moved to Heidelberg, Germany, where he studied law until 1513. He became preacher at the cathedral in Strasbourg in 1515, and served as court preacher and chancellor to Cardinal Albrecht of Brandenburg (1520-1523). He was one of the early leaders in the Protestant Reformation.
Köpfel’s alternate name “Capito” comes from the Latin translation of Köpfel; the “Fabricius” refers to his father’s position as a master craftsman.
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