Davidi, Franciscus

Davidi, Franciscus a German Socinian, was born in Translvaania about 1510. At first a zealous Romanlist, he became a Protestant, and defended the Lutheran doctrines against the Zwinglians. He soon joined the matter, and finally became a Socinian, through the influence of Georg Blatndrata, who also succeeded in causing the removal of the Lutheran court-preacher, Dionysius Alesius, and putting David in his place. David's influence over prince Sigismund was so great that he was appointed superintendent of Transylvania. When the synod at Torda was held, in 1568, David openly declared that Jesus Christ was nothing but a man, without any claim to adoration. Being accused of intrigues against the state, he was condemned to imprisonment in the fortress at Detva, where he died, June 6, 1579. Some of his published writings are found in the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum. See Jocher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v.; Lichtenberger, Encyclopadie des Sciences Religienses, s.v. (B.P.)