John Calvin, born Jehan Cauvin on 10 July 1509 in Noyon, France, was a significant theologian and reformer during the Protestant Reformation. He was the second of three surviving sons of Gérard Cauvin, a prosperous cathedral notary, and Jeanne le Franc, who died during Calvin's childhood. Initially groomed for the priesthood, Calvin's education included studies in law at the University of Orléans and Bourges, where he was influenced by humanist thought. His religious conversion, which marked his break from the Roman Catholic Church, is debated among scholars, with some suggesting it occurred around 1530. By 1532, he had published his first work, a commentary on Seneca's De Clementia.Calvin's reformative journey began in earnest after he fled France due to religious persecution. In 1536, he published the first edition of his seminal work, the Institutes of the Christian Religion, in Basel. Shortly thereafter, he was invited to Geneva by William Farel to assist in the Reformation efforts there. However, resistance from the city council led to their expulsion. Calvin then moved to Strasbourg, where he served as a minister to French refugees and continued his theological writings, including a revised edition of the Institutes.In 1541, Calvin returned to Geneva, where he implemented new church governance and liturgical practices despite facing opposition. His tenure was marked by the trial and execution of Michael Servetus, a heretic who denied the Trinity, which Calvin supported. Following Servetus's death, Calvin's authority strengthened as he consolidated power within the church and city council, leading to the establishment of the Consistory, an ecclesiastical court.Calvin's influence extended beyond Geneva as he engaged in theological debates and corresponded with other reformers. He published numerous commentaries on the Bible and continued to revise the Institutes, which expanded significantly over his lifetime. His theological positions emphasized predestination and the sovereignty of God, shaping the doctrines of various Reformed churches worldwide.Calvin's final years were marked by health issues, culminating in his death on 27 May 1564. He left behind a legacy that included the establishment of a school in Geneva, which later became the University of Geneva, and a widespread influence on Protestantism, particularly through Calvinism, which spread throughout Europe and beyond.