Bartholomeo Pitiscus studied theology, first at Zerbst, then at Heidelberg. He was a Calvinist, studying Calvinist theology.
Pitiscus's future was much tied to Friedrich der Aufrichtige, known as Frederick IV, elector Palatine of the Rhine. Frederick's father died in 1583 and John Casimir, his uncle, became guardian to the ten year old Frederick. John Casimir was an ardent Calvinist and appointed Pitiscus to teach Frederick in 1584. Later Pitiscus was appointed court chaplain at Breslau and court preacher to Frederick.
When John Casimir died in 1592 Frederick undertook the government of the Palatinate continuing his uncle's policies of hostility to the Catholic Church. Pitiscus strongly supported the Calvinist policies from a major position of influence.
The word 'trigonometry' is due to Pitiscus in the title of a book Trigonometria published in Heidelberg in 1595. It consists of 5 books on plane and spherical trigonometry. It was translated into English in 1614 and into French in 1619.
He also published Thesaurus mathematicus.