William Tyndale (martyr)

William Tyndale was an English scholar and priest in the early 16th century who is best known for translating the Bible into English, making it accessible to ordinary people for the first time. His efforts challenged the Catholic Church's control over biblical texts and contributed to the Reformation. Because of his work, Tyndale was branded a heretic and persecuted. He was ultimately executed in 1536. Tyndale’s translation laid the foundation for many subsequent English Bibles, including the King James Version, and he is remembered as a martyr for religious reform and the spread of scripture literacy.