"Johann Mattheson (28 September 1681 – 17 April 1764) was a German composer, singer, writer, lexicographer, diplomat and music theorist.
Mattheson was born and died in Hamburg. He was a close friend of George Frideric Handel, although he nearly killed him in a sudden quarrel, during a performance of Mattheson´s opera Cleopatra in 1704. Handel was saved only by a large button which turned aside Mattheson´s sword. The two were afterwards reconciled and remained in correspondence for life: shortly after his friend´s death, Mattheson translated John Mainwaring´s Handel biography into German and had it published in Hamburg at his own expense ("auf Kosten des Übersetzers") in 1761." - (en.wikipedia.org 01.11.2019)