Famous People Who Died In 1621

Robert Bellarmine was an Italian Jesuit and cardinal of the Catholic Church. One of the most important figures in the Counter-Reformation, he has been named a Doctor of the Church. He has also been canonized as a saint. He was a  professor of theology at the Roman College and later became its rector. He became Archbishop of Capua in 1602. 

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck was a Dutch composer, music educator, music organizer, harpsichordist, organist, and ensemble leader. He played a major role during the transition to Baroque music from Renaissance and is often regarded as the most prominent Dutch composer of the Early Modern Period. His music was not only popular in the Netherlands but also spread across Europe.

Czech nobleman Krystof Harant was, at the same time, a traveler, a soldier, a composer, and a writer. He was recognized as one of the finest Bohemian composers of his time and was a major figure of the Franco-Flemish polyphony school of music. He was eventually executed for revolting against the king.

Robert Balfour was a Scottish philosopher best remembered for his association with the College of Guienne, where he served as the principal for many years. He is credited with popularizing the praefervidum ingenium Scotorum throughout Europe. A copy of his best known work Commentarii in Organum Logicum Aristotelis is preserved in the British Museum.

Philip III of Spain was the king of Spain from 1598 to 1621. He also reigned over Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and Sardinia as Philip II. He was the son of Philip II of Spain and Anna of Austria. He was believed to be a weak man, who relied too much on his corrupt chief minister, the Duke of Lerma.

Polish military commander Jan Karol Chodkiewicz is remembered for his exploits against the Swedes and the Turks. He once demolished a Swedish army 4 times larger than his own. He died in the battle of Khotyn, or Chocim, after successfully defending it against the Turks, fighting a huge army.

Seventeenth-century German theologian Johann Arndt is remembered for his Lutheran ideals and is said to have influenced Philipp Jakob Spener, who pioneered Pietism. Of the many works penned by him, one of the most significant was Four Books on True Christianity, which later influenced many religious books.

Scottish author John Barclay was the son of a renowned jurist. His iconic Latin long poem Argenis was a major influence on 17th-century romance. He was part of several literary societies in Rome. He is also remembered for his satire on Jesuits, Euphormionis Lusinini Satyricon, which was a precursor to the picaresque novel.

Baha' al-din al-'Amili was an Arab Iranian Shia philosopher, Islamic scholar, architect, astronomer, mathematician, and poet who flourished in Safavid Iran during the late 16th and early 17th century. Baha' al-din al-'Amili was one of the first astronomers in the Islamic world to advocate the possibility of the Earth's movement before the outspread of the Copernican theory.