Zwingli (Zvp-ingle, or Zuingli ; Lat. Zirinf/Uus or Ziiiii;//iiis), IJi.iMcii, the prime mover in tlie Reforma- tion in Switzerland nearly as niuch as Luther in Cer- manj', was born Jan. 1, 1481, in Wild liaus, a village in the upper valley of the Toggeubiirg, in the (J'anton of St, (Jail. Such was the precocity which he displayed in his youth that his father resolved to sen<l him to Basel to be edu- cated. He made such rapid progress in his studies that he soon accomplished the work upon the prosecution of which he had entered at Basel, and he was removed to Berne, and placed under the tuition of Lupulus, a distin- guished scholar of his dav, with whom he studied for some time. The Dominican monks in this place, attract- ed by his talents and rising reputation, sought to entrap him into their order; but his father, in order to remove him from the scene of temptation, sent him off to Vien- na. Here he remained for a brief period and then re- turned to Basel, where he pursued his tlieological stud- ies. Under the instruction of Thomas Wyttenbach, he was led into a more liberal course of study than the- ological students had been wont to pursue. The charms of the classics were unfolded to him under the tuition of his learned master, and were cheerfully substituted for the dry husks of scholastic theology. In 150G he became a pastor in (ilarus, not far from his native vil- lage. Here he devoted himself most diligently to the study of God's Word, copying with his own hand the original of Paul's Epistles, and transferring it to memory. During the same period he mingled in the strife of arms against the French. Influences which we will not stop to explain induced him to leave (ilarus and become pastor in Einsieileln, a famous spot in popish pilgrimage and superstition, where he preached doctrines which he had drawn from his study of the Holy Scriptures; anil when, in 1519, he was called to the Cathedral Church of Zurich, he pro- claimed the same truths which he had preached in the Church of the Virgin of the Hermitage in Einsiedeln. ;\fultitudes flocked to hear him. attracted by the novelty of the doctrines he taught and the eloquence with which he spoke. He delivered expository discourses on Mat- thew and the Epistles of Paul and of Peter, The ef- fect of his honest preaching of the Gospel soon became apparent in the city and country, and his general char- acter and opinions produced a deep and iniiversal sen- sation. While this state of transition was so marked, the crisis was hasteneil, in 15IK, by the arrival of .Sam- son, the seller of indidgences. The tratlic in these "Roman wares" roused the indignation of Zwingli, and led to a keen exposure and a successful resistance. Luther's writings were, at the same time, largely circu- lated at the recommendation of the Reformer. The
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plague broke out, and, during its continuance, though weak himself from exhaustion, Zwingli assiduously tended the sick and dying. His zealous labors grew in number and results, the simplicity of the Gospel was more distinctly apprehended by him ; but the friends of the popedom were enraged, and Zwingli was tried, in Jan- uary, 1523, on a charge of heresy. Kome gained noth- ing by the trial. Zwingli presented sixty -seven prop- ositions, and defended them from Scripture. The Ke- former gathered courage with growing ditHculties, and in 1524 the Council of Zurich remodelled the public worship according to the views and wishes of Zwingli. Pictures, statues, and relics were removed from the churches, and mass was abolished. Opposition to the Reformed doctrines was meanwhile gathering in the other cantons. The question arose, whether each can- ton was free to choose its own form of religion, or whether the Confederation should interfere ; Zurich contended for its individual liberty and independence, but was opposed by the Waldstiitter, or tiie primitive democratic cantons of Schwytz, Unterwald, Uri, and Lucerne. The triumph of the Reformation at Berne and other places threw those forest cantons into wilder commotion, and, in consonance with their views of their federal polity, they took up arms for Kome. Zurich, encouraged by Zwingli, called out its troops and put it- self into a posture of defence. Efforts were made to maintain peace, but it was of no long duration, and after various diplomatic negotiations, hostilities tinally com- menced. Zurich had also lost somewhat of its earlier evangelical purit}', while the neighboring states were conspiring for its ruin. In the awful emergency, when the public mind was alarmed by a series of omens and prodigies, the Reformer maintained tranquillity. The war began. Zurich was cowardly, dilator}', and far from being prepared; but the horn of the enemy ech- oed among their liills, and the devoted Zwingli mount- ed his caparisoned horse, took farewell of his wife and children, and went forth as a patriot and warrior to share in the common danger. His official position in the army, however, was that of chaplain, according to Swiss custom. The Zurichers marched to meet the Waldstatter, but were defeated at Cappel with great slaughter, Oct. 11, 1531. Zwingli was found, after the battle, h'ingon his back and his eyes upturned to heav- en, with his helmet on his head, and his battle-axe in his hand. He had been struck near the commence- ment of the engagement, and then as he fell and reeled, he was several times pierced with a lance. According to some accounts, he was wounded while stooping to comfort a dying soldier. His last audible words were, "What of that? They can indeed kill the body, but they cannot kill the soul." He was living when dis- covered in the evening; but the infuriated fanatics soon despatched him. Next day his dead body was barbar- ously (juartered and burned. Thus perished this hero- martyr. A plain monument in granite, erected in 1838, marks the spot where he died.