JOHN CALVIN
1509 - 1564

John was French and hence Jean Calvin, or Cauvin. He raised quite a stir in the religion department. He was one of the main guys in the Protestant Reformation, the founder of Calvinism, and the founding father for the Huguenots.

The writings of John Calvin were many, one of which was the Institutes of the Christian Religion, written 1534 - 1536. This work became the second Bible for Reformed Protestantism.

John Calvin was persecuted but could dish out as well. By no means a wuss, Calvin was the main reason why Michael Servetus ended up burning at a stake in 1553. 

JOHN CALVIN SHORT BIOGRAPHY
1509, July 10 - Birth in Noyon, Picardy, France
1523 Studies religion at the University of Paris
1528 Studies law in Orléans and Bourges
1531 Returns to Paris. Studies Greek, Hebrew, and Latin
1533 Leaves Paris for Basel, Switzerland. Becomes a Protestant.
1536 Goes to Geneva
1538, May - Gets kicked out of Geneva, goes to Strasbourg
1541, September - Back to Geneva
1562 The Wars of Religion in France begin
1564, May 27 - Death in Geneva, Switzerland

Here are the maps

1560 Central Europe - Religion

1560 Europe - Religion

1562 France Religious Wars
Click map to enlarge

See also Martin Luther.