LEIB, KILIAN

LEIB, KILIAN. - Regular canon, polemicist, and annalist, b. at Ochsenfurt (Franconia) on 23 Feb. 1471, d. at Rebdorf on 16 July 1553. Having completed his studies at Schweinfurt and Eichstätt, he entered the Institute of Rebdorf in 1486, which was affiliated with the Congregation of Windesheim. He deepened his knowledge of Holy Scripture, the Fathers, and the Oriental languages, so as to be regarded by J. Eck (d. 1543) and J. Cochlaus (d. 1552) as an authority on biblical questions.

Prior at Schamhauptnen in 1499 and at Rebdorf from 1503, he directed the Institute for half a century amid the difficult circumstances created by the peasants’ uprising, famine, and plague. He opposed the penetration of Lutheran innovations into Eichstätt.

The most noteworthy of his works is Annales (part 1 [1502-23]), edited by J. Ehr. F. von Aretin, in Beiträge zur Geschichte und Literatur, VII, Munich 1806, p. 535

ff.; part 2 [1524–48], edited by Döllinger, in Beiträge zur Geschicht. der sechzehnten Jahrh., II, Regensburg 1863, p. 445 ff.). In them there is a noteworthy contribution to the history of his troubled age concerning the attitude of Catholics toward the Lutheran movement.