25 Most Evil People of the 16th Century CE

Key Facts

Other names	Jean Cauvin, Jean Chauvin
Born	1509
Location	Noyon, Picardie, France
Bloodline
Married	Yes
Children	Yes
Position
Died	May 27, 1564 (aged 54)

Source of Facts and Important Announcement

Status	Under Article 64.6 of the Covenant of One-Heaven (Pactum De Singularis Caelum) by Special Qualification shall be known as a Saint, with all sins and evil acts they performed forgiven.
Date of formal Beatification	Day of Redemption UCA[E1:Y1:A1:S1:M9:D1] also known as Fri, 21 Dec 2012.
Source of Facts	Self Confession and Revelation of Sainthood by the Deceased Spirit as condition of their confirmation as a true Saint.

Background

Jean Cauvin was born in Noyon, Picardie, France, to Gérard Cauvin a lawyer and Jeanne le Franc - one of five or six children. His father was for a time the principle secretary and attorney to Charles de Hangest, bishop of Noyon.

Since the unholy Papal Bull of Pope Innocent VIII (1482-1492) known as Summis desiderantes affectibus in 1484, followed by the pamphlet Malleus Maleficarum in 1486 (by Dominican monks Henrich Kramer and James Sprenger), the church in France had increasingly become involved in the growing hysteria of "witch hunting".

As a lawyer and attorney to bishop Charles de Hangest, Gérard Cauvin would almost certainly have been responsible for managing the legal documentation and procedures for witch trials in the local region. It is possible, young Jean Cauvin even attended a "witch burning" --usually some poor female unjustly accused for greed, re-marriage or simply spite. This background would certainly account for why Jean retained an obsessive hatred of witches his entire life--in support of the Vatican-- while being firmly anti-Catholic on so many other issues.

In 1523 at 14 years of age, Jean attended the University of Paris to pursue a Latin, theological education and to flee the plague in Noyon.

Some short years later, Gérard Cauvin became involved in financial embarrassment, and was excommunicated, on suspicion of heresy. As a result, the family fell upon hard times and Jean ceased the means to continue his study. However, Nicholas Cop, Rector of the University of Paris and active Protestant activist took up the patronage of Jean and supported his wish to change his studies to Law, like his father.

On May 26, 1531 Gérard Cauvin died after a long sickness and was for a time refused burial on consecrated ground until the intercession of the eldest son Charles, who gave security for the discharge of his father’s obligations.

The shame brought upon the family, the loss of position and his fathers painful death in disgrace had a profound impact on Jean and his views on the Catholic Church. By 1532, he had attained a Doctor of Laws degree at Orléans and returned to Nicholas Cop a well educated and determined protestant agitator.

Both Cop and Jean Cauvin were forced to flee Paris for their lives. In Angoulême he sheltered with a friend, Louis du Tillet. Calvin settled for a time in Basel, where in 1536 he published the first edition of his Institutes. He returned secretly to France once more, but again was forced to leave in 1536 on account of the danger as an educated protestant activist.

Jean then settled in Geneva surrounded by fellow protestants such as Guillaume Farel and Antoine Fromet and powerful supporters such as Ami Perrin. With their help, Jean Cauvin sought to enact a new kind of theocratic dictatorship model based not around the papacy, but around a council of elders (consistory) with Calvin and his hereditary heirs as the new absolute ruler. John Calvin (Jean Cauvin) then set about finishing his new catechism and confession of faith.

The city council refused to adopt Calvin and Farel's creed, and in January 1638 denied them the power to excommunicate, a power they saw as critical to their work. Understanding the life-changing event of his father's disgrace and excommunication, the refusal of Geneva officials to grant Calvin this power must have been a crushing blow.

Calvin responded with a blanket denial of the Lord's Supper to all Genevans at Easter services. For this the city council expelled them from the city, accusing Calvin of behaving like a new "Pope".

Jean Cauvin then found financial support as a teacher and pastor for wealthy French Huguenots in Strasbourg and remained there until 1541.

After a number of Calvin's supporters won election to the Geneva city council, he was invited back to the city in 1540, and having ensured his authority would never agin be questioned, he returned in 1541 as the effective theocratic ruler of Geneva.

As a theocratic dictator, Calvin displayed characteristics every bit as evil as the very worst Popes of history. He ruthlessly dispatched any intellect he considered a threat to his absolute rule and the plan to create a lasting theocratic dynasty of Calvin.

He most cruely had Michael Servetus, one of the finest minds of the century tortured and then burned alive around 1553.

Calvin also displayed an obsession about witchcraft and ensuring women remained enslaved property to men. Calvin also showed a relish for cruel torture, especially for those he believed were disloyal such as Sebastian Castello.

To many, including Ami Perrin who first helped him to power- Calvin was a terrible despot, a man of immeasurable hypocracy and evil- the founder of a new religious sect.

Most Evil Crimes

List of most evil crimes

Type	Year	Crime
		Of crimes against humanity: 1531 John Calvin 1000s of religious nonconformists are killed and witches burned after John Calvin (1509-1564) turns Geneva into religious police state.
		Of murder : (1553) That John Calvin, the "Protestant Pope" of Geneva did order Michael Servetus, the Spanish physician, burned at the stake for heresy. Servetus had opposed Trinitarianism and infant baptism.
		Of murder: (1531) Jacques Gruet Calvin orders beheading of Jacques Gruet for blasphemy.
		Of murder: (1531) Witches Calvin urges burning of witches.


Home
People