Johann Cochlaeus

Johann Cochlaeus (Cochläus) (1479 – January 10, 1552) was a German humanist, music theorist, and controversialist.

Originally Johann Dobneck, he was born of poor parents at Wendelstein (near Nuremberg), from which he obtained the punning surname Cochlaeus (spiral), for which he occasionally substituted Wendelstinus. Educated at Nuremberg by the humanist Heinrich Grieninger, he entered the University of Cologne in 1504, and there associated with Hermann von Neuenahr, Ulrich von Hutten, and other humanists. He also knew well Carl von Miltitz, who later became papal chamberlain. In 1507 he graduated; he left Cologne in May 1510 to become schoolmaster at Nuremberg, where he brought out several school manuals.

During the years 1515-19 he traveled in Italy as tutor to three nephews of Willibald Pirkheimer. In 1515 he was at Bologna, hearing (with disgust) Eck's disputation on the subject of usury, and associating with von Hutten among the humanists. He took his doctor's degree at Ferrara (1517), and spent some time in Rome, where he was ordained priest.

In 1520 he became dean of the Liebfrauenkirche at Frankfurt. He maintained good relations with the episcopal court of Mainz and with Hieronymus Aleander of Worms, who applied to him for the purpose of a discussion on the best means of opposing Martin Luther. Cochlaeus became a controversialist against the Lutherans. He was present at the Diets of Worms (1521), and later at Speyer (1526 and 1529), Augsburg (1530) and Regensburg (1541).

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