Johann Sommer

Who was Johann Sommer?

Johann Sommer or in Latin Ioannes Sommerus was a Transylvanian Saxon Protestant theologian, poet and Despot Vodă's biographer.

Sommer was born in Pirna. In 1562 he enrolled at University of Frankfurt, but did not graduate. Born in Pirna, Sommerus came to Moldavia as secretary to the reforming prince Jacob Heraclides, becoming the main figure in the short-lived College of Cotnari. After the Prince's death in 1563, Sommer and his other supporters had to flee. Sommer moved to Transylvania and led a similar school in Braşov, 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, where he married the daughter of Ferenc Dávid. He died in Cluj.