Philipp Melanchthon was a German theologian and scholar who served as a primary intellectual leader during the Protestant Reformation. Born Philipp Schwartzerdt in 1497, he adopted a Greek name under the influence of his humanist relative. A close collaborator of Martin Luther, he provided systematic theological structure to the movement and was a highly influential designer of educational systems. He held various academic roles, including professor of Greek and theology, and was a prolific writer whose works helped shape the foundations of Lutheranism.