was known as a good man, a sound theologian, and a genial friend. See Wilson, Presb. Jlist. Almanac, 1866, p. 169. (J. L. S.)
Sickingen, Franz von, a noble and heroic charac- ter, living in the early period of the German Reforma- tion, and eminent because of the relation he sustained to that movement, was born May 1, 1481, in the Castle of Ebernburg, near Kreuznach, and in his young man- hood entered the armies of the emperor Maximilian, where he served until he had acquired fame and high rank as a military leader. He was likewise engaged, however, in the less legitimate minor wars between the powerful nobles of Germany, which were then so com- mon, though his part generally consisted in protecting the weaker party and delivering the oppressed. Like others, too, of his day, he was often guilty of unneces- sary violence. In 1515 he compelled the city of Worms to receive back a number of citizens and councillors who had been banished during a dispute between the magis- trates and the public. He then turned his arms against the duke of Lorraine, and compelled the latter to pur- chase freedom from violence at the cost of fifty thousand florins and a month's pay to Sickingen's troops. Im- munity from punishment for such offences was secured through the necessity of retaining Sickingen's skill and experience in the emperor's service. Maximilian died in 1519, and by that time Sickingen had become so im- portant a personage that the candidates for the imperial throne — Francis of France and Charles of Spain and Austria— both sought to obtain his support in their be- half. He decided in favor of the latter, and when his choice was ratitied and Charles became emperor, June 28, 1619, he threw himself with enthusiasm into the ser- vice of his new lord, and was made commander of the imperial armies, councillor, and chamberlain. As early as 1521 he was enabled to display his devotion to his new master in the field, under the command of count Henry of Nassau, in the abortive campaign against the Netherlands, when the successful defence of Mezieres bj' the chevalier Bayard compelled the retreat of the in- vading army. Sickingen's next undertaking was in- tended to break down the despotism of the princes and the superciliousness of the clergy. He was chosen gen- eral leader by the nobles of the Upper Rhine, and gath- ered an army which he employed against the archbish- op of Treves, at first with some success, but idtimately to his own injury; as the protracted siege of Treves ex- hausted his resources and compelled his retreat, after having irritated the allied princes — the elector-palatine, the landgrave Philip of Hesse, and the archbishop — so that they followed him to his Castle of Landstuhl, near Zweibriicken, and stormed that hold. A hostile bullet had, in the meantime, given Sickingen a mortal wound, so that he died at noon. May 7, 1523, while his chaplain was employed in ministering to him the consolations of religion. The hostile princes bowed reverently and repeated a Pater-noster for the repose of his soul. He left five sons, who were hindered from taking possession of their patrimony during nineteen years, when a com- promise restored to them their own. His death made a profound impression through all Germany, and so startled Luther that he at first refused to credit the re- port of its occurrence, though he afterwards saw in the event a display of (iod's wonderful and righteous judg- ments. See De Wette, Luthei-'s Briffr, ii, 340, 341.
Sickingen's character was unquestionably marred by the faults of the chivalry of his time; but he was dis- tinguished by fidelity to his pledges, devotion to his friends, courageous intervention in behalf of the op- pressed. He did not receive the benefits of a liberal ed- ucation in his youth, but was, nevertheless, possessed of high culture when judged by the standard of his time; and he became a zealous promoter of learning and a pro- tector of scholars. Reuchlin (q. v.) found an asylum with him in April, 1519, when the hostile forces of the Suabian League entered Stuttgart, and again when the Dominicans of Cologne were persecuting him by legal
SICKLE
^28
SICKNESS
process. Still more noteworthy is the faet that Ulrich von llutten ((j. v.) resided in the Eberiilnirj; during two years, ami was thus able to iiithicnce his lormer comrade to look with favor on the ^\'itt^'llb('rg Ki'fornicr and his work. It was through tlic influence of llutten that .Sickiugen was released from the fi-tters of scholasticism, and enabled to attain to a recognition of evangelical truth. Among Sickingen's guests were Caspar Aquila, ^lartin Bucer, John Oicolainiiadius. and John Schwebel (,(). v.), besides others of inferior rank, in such numbers that his halls came to be known as "linis of Righteous- ness." The result of the sojourn of so many reformatory spirits in the Ebernburg was apparent in the reform of the religious services in all of Sickingen's castles, which work was executed, before the expedition to Treves, by (Ecolampadius. 8ickingen endeavored to promote the cause of the Heformation with his pen as well as with the force of his public and private authority. A Sejid- .•<cfiieibpH (given in Munch, /V. rim ,Sickiiir/eii, ii, 132- 139) addressed to his brotlier-in-law Dietrich von Handschuchsheim aims to sliow that the Reformation is simply a restoration of primitive Christianity, and to set forth the author's views respecting the Lord's sup- per, the mass, celibacy, and monasticism, the saints and images. He also wrote an Kiinii/ on the question '•Whether it be advisable for the jirotesting princes of the Holy Roman Empire to eonohide a universal or par- ticular treaty of peace with the popeV" (see Jticher, Ge- Ithrten-Lexikon, iv, .^69.