Mikael Agricola

Mikael Agricola (c. 1510–1557) was a Finnish Lutheran clergyman and reformer, regarded as the father of literary Finnish. Born at Pernå in Swedish-ruled Finland, he studied at Viborg and became a scribe in the bishop's office at Turku.

From 1536 he studied at Wittenberg under Martin Luther and Philipp Melanchthon. He began translating the New Testament into Finnish in 1537 and returned to Turku as rector of the cathedral school in 1539. His New Testament, Se Wsi Testamenti, appeared in 1548; his prayer books and hymns also helped establish written Finnish.

In 1554 he was consecrated bishop of Turku without papal approval. He died in 1557 while returning from Moscow, where he had helped negotiate the Treaty of Novgorod.