FLACIUS, flii'shi-us (properly VLACICH), MATTHIAS ( 1520-75) . A German Lutheran theo logian and controversialist. He was horn at Albona, Illyria (for which reason he was often called Illyricus), studied at Venice. Basel. Tu bingen. and Wittenberg, and in 1544 was appoint ed to the chair of Hebrew at Wittenberg. Here he strongly opposed the Leipzig Interim (see INTERIM). and for his attacks upon Melanehthon was obliged to resign his post in 1549. In 1558 he received a professorship at the University of Jena, opened that year. Ile shortly was involved in a discussion with Viktorin Strigel, meinher of the Jena faculty, respecting the value of the will as a factor in conversion. During the col loquy between himself and Strigel, held at Wei mar in 150, he affirmed that original sin Iva.; a portion of the substance of the present char acter of humanity, and thus hecaine discredited as a Maniclnean. Ile was removed Iron: his pro, fessorship in 1561, and thereafter was subjected to much persecution. Ile is still known fur his
works in biblical interpretation and Church his tory, including the valuable material prepared by him for the :Magdeburg Centuries (q.v.), and I he noteworthy Cla r is Script um; Seem ( 1567 ) . For his biography, consult Twesten (Berlin, 184)); Preget. ( Erlangen, 1859-61).
FLACOURT, 116.103e, ETIENNE DE ( 1607 60). A Freneh colonial officer and author, born at Orleans. lie commanded the Royal troops at Fort Dauphin, Madagascar (1648-55), and added the Ile de Bourbon to the possessions of the Crown. Isolated from France during the whole of his regime, he was forced to act upon his own re sponsibility, and to exercise great severity in restoring order and putting down a rebellion among the native population. After his retire ment to his native land he published three works of importance: Petit eat('ehisme maderasse of francais (1657) ; a dictionary of the language; and a history of Madagascar (1658).