Nicolas Colladon

Nicolas Colladon (Bourges, France, c. 1530 – Lausanne, 1586) was a French Calvinist pastor.

Coplladon was the son of French parents who in 1536 took shelter in Switzerland for religious reasons. He studied theology at Lausanne and Geneva. He was a friend of John Calvin and pastor at Vandœuvres and Geneva. In 1564 he became chancellor of the Genevan Academy where he taught theology until the death of Calvin. With Theodore Beza, he wrote a famous biography of the French reformer in 1565. He came into conflict with the magistrates of Geneva, and in 1571 he moved to Lausanne and taught at the local Academy.

He was the nephew of the Swiss legislator Germain Colladon; Nicolas and Germain are listed as possible witnesses in the prosecution case against the theologian Jérôme-Hermès Bolsec.

Colladon married Marthe Le Breton in 1553. Calvin was godfather to their children, Abdias and Marthe.

Written works

Life of Calvin (with Théodore de Bèze) (1565) De Haereticis Gladio Puniendis (1560) (translation of Bèze’s work)