http://www.calvin.edu/about/about_jc.htm
John Calvin was born in July 10th 1509 in Noyon France. He was born to a Roman Catholic family. He went to college in Paris at the age of 14. He went to the College de Marche. While there he studied seven different subjects. He studied rhetoric, grammar, astronomy, geometry, logic, music, and arithmetic. Later in 1523 Calvin transferred over to the College Montaigu. During his time in Paris Calvin changed his name to its Latin form Ioannis Calvinus. Even though John Calvin was born into a Roman Catholic family and lived most of his life as a Roman Catholic at the age of 17 he began to change his faith and thinking towards a more Reformed faith. At the age of 17 his father advised him to switch over from studying theology to studying law. At the age of 18 John Calvin moved his studies over to Orleans and continued his studies in many places and under various teachers. During this time he received a more humanist education.
John�s fathers name was Girard Calvin. His father was the secretary of the notary. He was the second child in a family of 5 boys. With the help from his father at a young age Calvin began to receive a subsidy from the Roman Catholic Church.
http://historychannel.com/
In 1533 John Calvin turned his attention to try and help reform the Church. During this time he created his Institutes of the Christian Religion. This work contained some of the basic parts of Calvinism. He diverted from the Catholic doctrines. His work was foreshadowed by the works of Martin Luther and Martin Bucer. In 1536 John Calvin went down to Geneva and worked on the Reformation of Geneva. Genevans did not accept the reforms and in 1538 banished John Calvin. After being banished from Geneva Calvin returned to Basel and then moved on to Starsbourg. Calvin spent three years in Starsbourg preaching and writing. Then in 1541 the Genevans welcomed back Calvin and he started on the task of creating a government. He based this government on the subordination of the state and church. Calvin also preceded to have the magistrate enforce the learning of the bible and its laws. Calvin also had some violent confrontation with the Lutherans about the Lords Supper, this confrontation led to the separation of the Evangelical church into the Reformed Church and Lutheran Church. Calvin also condemned Michael Servetus for his anti-Trinitarian views, this confrontation in with the trial and death by burning of Servetus.
Golden Years
http://mb-soft.com/believe/txc/calvin.htm
In John Calvin�s last years his work had traveled all the way to the British Isles and to the Baltic�s. The Geneva academe which was established in 1559 extend his influence even farther. John Calvin died in May 27 1564, but even after his death his work continued to be used by many people and Calvinism continued to spread.