Glareanus was born on the 28th februari or the 2nd of june 1488 as Heinrich Loriti (also Loritis, Loritti or Loretti) in Mollis in the Swiss kanton Glarus. His later latin name is derived from this kanton.
After his basic education in Bern and Rottweil he went to Vienna and Cologne were he studied theology, philosophy, mathematics and music. In 1512 he obtains his Master in free arts in Cologne. In the same year he gets the title of 'Poeta Lauratus' (poet of honour) after a famous poem as tribute to the german emperor Maximilian.
After a religious conflict in 1514 he moves to Basle were he becomes head of a Bursa. He meets the printers Johann Froben and Heinrich Petri, and the scholars Erasmus and Oswald Myconius. In 1515 he visits Pavia and from 1517-1522 Paris.
As a scientist he comes into conflict with the ideals of the Reformation, when it entered Basle in 1529 he moves to Friburg in Brisgau. There he teaches poetry, history and geography till his superannuation in 1560.
He dies on the 7th or 8th of march 1563.

There are some pictures of Glareanus but with very little resemblance.