Johann Sommer (; 1542–1574) was a

Transylvanian Saxon The Transylvanian Saxons (; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen'' or simply ''Soxen'', singularly ''Sox'' or ''Soax''; Transylvanian Landler: ''Soxn'' or ''Soxisch''; ; seldom ''sași ardeleni/transilvăneni/transilvani''; ) are a people ...

Protestant

theologian Theology is the study of religious belief from a religious perspective, with a focus on the nature of divinity. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of ...

, poet and Despot Vodă's biographer. Sommer was born in

Pirna Pirna (; , ) is a town in Saxony, Germany and capital of the administrative district Sächsische Schweiz-Osterzgebirge. The town's population is over 37,000. Pirna is located near Dresden and is an important district town as well as a ''Große ...

. In 1562 he enrolled at University of Frankfurt, but did not graduate. Born in

, Sommerus came to

Moldavia Moldavia (, or ; in Romanian Cyrillic alphabet, Romanian Cyrillic: or ) is a historical region and former principality in Eastern Europe, corresponding to the territory between the Eastern Carpathians and the Dniester River. An initially in ...

as secretary to the reforming prince Jacob Heraclides ( Despot Vodă), becoming the main figure in the short-lived College of

Cotnari Cotnari () is a village and the center of the eponymous commune in Iași County, Romania, in the historical region of Western Moldavia. It is located north-west of Iași and south of Hârlău, in a major wine-producing region of Romania, and is f ...

(''Schola Latina'') (1562–1563). After the Prince's death in 1563, Sommer and his other supporters had to flee. Sommer moved to

Transylvania Transylvania ( or ; ; or ; Transylvanian Saxon dialect, Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjen'') is a List of historical regions of Central Europe, historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and ...

and led a similar school in Braşov (the one founded by

Johannes Honter Johannes Honter (also known as Johann Hynter; Latinized as Johann Honterus or Ioannes Honterus; Romanian sources may credit him as Ioan, Hungarian ones as János; 1498 – 23 January 1549) was a Transylvanian Saxon, renaissance humanist, Prot ...

, the ''Honterus-Gymnasium'' in

Kronstadt Kronstadt (, ) is a Russian administrative divisions of Saint Petersburg, port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal cities of Russia, federal city of Saint Petersburg, located on Kotlin Island, west of Saint Petersburg, near the head ...

), from 1565 to 1567. While he was rector there he wrote the epic ''Reges Hungarici''. He moved on to the John Sigismund Unitarian Academy, Kolosvar (1570–1574). According to the 18th-century historian Johann Seivert, he married the daughter of

Ferenc Dávid Ferenc Dávid (also rendered as ''Francis David'' or ''Francis Davidis''; born as Franz David Hertel, – 15 November 1579) was a preacher and theologian from Transylvania, the founder of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania, and the leading f ...

, and this statement was overtaken by many other sources; however, there are no direct proofs of this, and it is in contradiction with more proven facts. He died in

Cluj Cluj-Napoca ( ; ), or simply Cluj ( , ), is a city in northwestern Romania. It is the second-most populous city in the country and the seat of Cluj County. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest (), Budapest () and Belgrade ( ...

Works

* Arbor Illustristissimae Heraclidarum familiae, quae ad Dasorina Basilica ac Despotica vocatur, justificata, comprobata, monumentisque et insignibus abaucta ab invictissimo Carolo V. Rom. Imp. et ab Imperiali consistorio. Anno 1555. (Brassó). * Elegia in Nvptias Clarissimi Viri D. Petri Bogneri Coron: LL. Doctoris, & pudicissimae virginis Annae filiae D. Ioachimi Koch, Consulis Mediensis Quarum solennitas erit die 20. Februarij Anno 1569... Albae-Ivliae. * Oratio Funebris, In mortem Illustrissimi Et Regiis Virtutibus Ornatissimi, vera etiam pietate excellentis Principis ac Domini D. Ioannis Secundi Electi Regis Hungariae & C. Qui natus est Anno Domini 1540. Diem vero suum sancte obijt 1571. Mart. 14. ... Clandiogoli 1571. * Reges Hungarici. Et Clades Moldavica: Cujus Etiam Hortulus Amoris Cum Colica in formam Dramatis scripta, ad finem adjectus est. Omnia studio & opera Stephani Helneri, Senatoris Bistricensis, in Transylvania, collecta & in lucem edita. Witebergae, M.D.LXXX. (Költemények. 1573-ból. Újra lenyomtatva. Paraeus, Joh. Phil., Deliciae Poetarum Hungaricorum Francofurti, 1619. 355–404. 1.) * Refutatio scripti Petri Carolini, editi Witebergae, Scripta a Joh. Sommero ... Ingolstadi, 1582. * Tractatus aliquot Christianae Religionis ... U. ott, 1582. * Vita Jacobi despotae Moldavorum Reguli ... edita sumptibus Ill. & Gen. Dn. Emerici Forgách ... Adjectae sunt ejusdem autoris de Clade Moldavica, Elegia XV. quibus etiam historia Despotica continetur. Una cum explicatione quorundam locorum in hoc Sommero Scripto, & Commentatiuncula brevis de Walachia & rebus Walachicis Petri Albini... U. ott, 1587.

References

Bibliography

* * * Gh. Al. Cazan, ''Istoria filosofiei românești'', EDP, 1984, p 29-31 1542 births 1574 deaths People from Pirna People from the Electorate of Saxony 16th-century Hungarian poets People of the Protestant Reformation Renaissance writers Transylvanian Saxon people Hungarian people of German descent Hungarian Unitarians Unitarian Church of Transylvania People from Brașov Writers from Cluj-Napoca History of Christianity in Romania 16th-century German writers 16th-century German male writers {{Unitarianism-stub