Johann Sommer ( la, Ioannes Sommerus; 1542–1574) was a

Transylvanian Saxon The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...

Protestant

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing th ...

, poet and

Despot Vodă Iacob Heraclid (or Eraclid; el, Ἰάκωβος Ἡρακλείδης; 1527 – November 5, 1563), born Basilicò and also known as Iacobus Heraclides, Heraclid Despotul, or Despot Vodă ("Despot the Voivode"), was a Greek Maltese soldier, adv ...

's biographer. Sommer was born in

Pirna Pirna (; hsb, Pěrno; ) 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 ...

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

, Sommerus came to

Moldavia Moldavia ( ro, Moldova, or , literally "The Country of Moldavia"; in Romanian Cyrillic: or ; chu, Землѧ Молдавскаѧ; el, Ἡγεμονία τῆς Μολδαβίας) is a historical region and former principality in Centra ...

as secretary to the reforming prince

Jacob Heraclides Iacob Heraclid (or Eraclid; el, Ἰάκωβος Ἡρακλείδης; 1527 – November 5, 1563), born Basilicò and also known as Iacobus Heraclides, Heraclid Despotul, or Despot Vodă ("Despot the Voivode"), was a Greek Maltese soldier, adv ...

(

), 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 i ...

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

Transylvania Transylvania ( ro, Ardeal or ; hu, Erdély; german: Siebenbürgen) is a historical and cultural region in Central Europe, encompassing central Romania. To the east and south its natural border is the Carpathian Mountains, and to the west the ...

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, Protes ...

, the ''Honterus-Gymnasium'' in

Kronstadt Kronstadt (russian: Кроншта́дт, Kronshtadt ), also spelled Kronshtadt, Cronstadt or Kronštádt (from german: link=no, Krone for " crown" and ''Stadt'' for "city") is a Russian port city in Kronshtadtsky District of the federal city ...

), from 1565 to 1567. While he was rector there he wrote the epic ''Reges Hungarici''. He moved on to the

John Sigismund Unitarian Academy The John Sigismund Unitarian Academy ( hu, János Zsigmond Unitárius Kollégium), located in Cluj-Napoca (formerly Kolozsvár), Romania, was a theological school founded in 1557 by the Unitarian Diocese of Transylvania. Foundation The Diet of To ...

, Kolosvar (1570–1574). According to the 18th-century historian

Johann Seivert Johann, typically a male given name, is the German form of ''Iohannes'', which is the Latin form of the Greek name ''Iōánnēs'' (), itself derived from Hebrew name ''Yochanan'' () in turn from its extended form (), meaning " Yahweh is Gracio ...

, he married the daughter of

Ferenc Dávid Ferenc Dávid (also rendered as ''Francis David'' or ''Francis Davidis''; born as Franz David Hertel, c. 1520 – 15 November 1579) was a Unitarian preacher from Transylvania, the founder of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania, and the lead ...

, 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 ; hu, kincses város) , official_name=Cluj-Napoca , native_name= , image_skyline= , subdivision_type1 = County , subdivision_name1 = Cluj County , subdivision_type2 = Status , subdivision_name2 = County seat , settlement_type = City , le ...

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 people People of the Protestant Reformation Renaissance writers Transylvanian-Saxon people Hungarian people of German descent Hungarian Protestants 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