VADIANUS, JOACHIM

original name Joachim Von Watt born c. 1484, , Sankt Gallen, Switz. died April 6, 1551, Sankt Gallen Swiss religious reformer and one of the most important native Swiss Humanists. Crowned poet laureate by the Habsburg emperor Maximilian (1514), Vadianus served as rector at the University of Vienna (151617) and supervised the publication of the works of various ancient writers, notably Ovid and Pliny the Elder. Later he practiced medicine at Sankt Gallen, where he was mayor in 1526. He used both his political influence and his power as a popular preacher to establish the Reformation in the city. He presided at the second debate at Zrich (1523) over doctrines of the reformer Huldrych Zwingli and at a similar debate at Bern (1528) over the preaching of Berthold Haller. He produced a number of minor historical works.