Cuspinian, Johannes

(pseudonym of J. Spiessheimer). Born in December 1473, in Schweinfurt; died Apr. 19, 1529, in Vienna. Austrian humanist and diplomat.

After the death of K. Celtis, Cuspinian became the leader of the humanist circle at the University of Vienna. Cuspinian’s chief historical work, On the Roman Caesars and Emperors (1540, in Latin; 1541, in German), a series of biographies of Roman emperors from Julius Caesar to Maximilian I of the Holy Roman Empire, served the dynastic interests of the Hapsburgs, as did his historical and geographical work Austria. Cuspinian traveled on diplomatic missions for Maximilian I to Poland, Hungary, and Bohemia.