Heinrich Rubenow

Heinrich Rubenow (c. 1410 – 31 December 1462) was a Pomeranian civic leader, jurist, and the principal founder of the University of Greifswald. A prominent figure in the political and intellectual life of fifteenth‑century Greifswald, he served multiple terms as Bürgermeister and played a decisive role in securing ducal and papal approval for the establishment of the university in 1456.

Early life and education Rubenow was born in Greifswald into a prominent patrician family active in the city's civic administration. Although details of his early life are sparse, he is believed to have received a formal education typical of the urban elite of the Baltic region. He later pursued legal studies, which formed the basis of his subsequent civic and academic career.