Abraomas Kulvietis
Encyclopedia
Abraomas Kulvietis was a jurist
and a professor at Königsberg Albertina University, as well as a reformer
of the church.
Kulvietis was born in Kulva
, now in the Jonava district of Lithuania
, into an old Lithuanian noble family of middle wealth. Between 1528 and 1537 he studied in many universities across Europe. at first in Cracow Academy, later, as he became aware of humanist reforms, he moved to the Catholic University of Leuven
, where he studied the works of Desiderius Erasmus
. He continued his education in Wittenberg, where he studied Martin Luther
's teachings. In 1536 he moved to Leipzig
and finally Siena
, where in 1537 he was granted the title Doctor of Law.
After receiving his title, Kulvietis returned to the Great Duchy of Lithuania, giving lectures in Vilnius
and working under the protection of Queen Bona Sforza
and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus
.
In 1540 Kulvietis founded his own school where he taught about 60 pupils In Lithuanian
. He was generally unpopular among the Roman Catholic
hierarchy because of his Lutheran
beliefs, and when the queen was away in 1542 Kulvietis was forced to leave the country.
He was invited by Albert, Duke of Prussia together with other Lithuanian Lutherans, and together with them helped in the creation of the Königsberg Albertina University, and later he was the first professor of classic Hebrew and Greek. He was also the first translator of Lithuanian Evangelical songs.
In 1545, Kulvietis was allowed to return to Lithuania. He was already ill with tuberculosis
when he left the Duchy of Prussia, and he died at his parents' home in Kulva.
Kulvietis's 24 line Lithuanian language hymnal "Malonus dėkavojimas Ponui Dievui" was printed in Martynas Mažvydas
's collection Gesmes Chriksczoniskas, Gedomas Baszniczosu Per Aduenta ir Kaledas ik Gramniczu.
Jurist
A jurist or jurisconsult is a professional who studies, develops, applies, or otherwise deals with the law. The term is widely used in American English, but in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth countries it has only historical and specialist usage...
and a professor at Königsberg Albertina University, as well as a reformer
Protestant Reformers
Protestant Reformers were those theologians, churchmen, and statesmen whose careers, works, and actions brought about the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century...
of the church.
Kulvietis was born in Kulva
Kulva
Kulva is a village in Jonava district municipality, in Kaunas County, in central Lithuania. According to the 2001 census, the village has a population of 405 people.- Famous villagers :...
, now in the Jonava district of Lithuania
Lithuania
Lithuania , officially the Republic of Lithuania is a country in Northern Europe, the biggest of the three Baltic states. It is situated along the southeastern shore of the Baltic Sea, whereby to the west lie Sweden and Denmark...
, into an old Lithuanian noble family of middle wealth. Between 1528 and 1537 he studied in many universities across Europe. at first in Cracow Academy, later, as he became aware of humanist reforms, he moved to the Catholic University of Leuven
Catholic University of Leuven
The Catholic University of Leuven, or of Louvain, was the largest, oldest and most prominent university in Belgium. The university was founded in 1425 as the University of Leuven by John IV, Duke of Brabant and approved by a Papal bull by Pope Martin V.During France's occupation of Belgium in the...
, where he studied the works of Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
. He continued his education in Wittenberg, where he studied Martin Luther
Martin Luther
Martin Luther was a German priest, professor of theology and iconic figure of the Protestant Reformation. He strongly disputed the claim that freedom from God's punishment for sin could be purchased with money. He confronted indulgence salesman Johann Tetzel with his Ninety-Five Theses in 1517...
's teachings. In 1536 he moved to Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
and finally Siena
University of Siena
The University of Siena in Siena, Tuscany is one of the oldest and first publicly funded universities in Italy. Originally called Studium Senese, the University of Siena was founded in 1240. The University has around 20,000 students, nearly half of Siena's total population of around 54,000...
, where in 1537 he was granted the title Doctor of Law.
After receiving his title, Kulvietis returned to the Great Duchy of Lithuania, giving lectures in Vilnius
Vilnius
Vilnius is the capital of Lithuania, and its largest city, with a population of 560,190 as of 2010. It is the seat of the Vilnius city municipality and of the Vilnius district municipality. It is also the capital of Vilnius County...
and working under the protection of Queen Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
and Grand Duke Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus
Sigismund II Augustus I was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, the only son of Sigismund I the Old, whom Sigismund II succeeded in 1548...
.
Lithuanian language
Lithuanian is the official state language of Lithuania and is recognized as one of the official languages of the European Union. There are about 2.96 million native Lithuanian speakers in Lithuania and about 170,000 abroad. Lithuanian is a Baltic language, closely related to Latvian, although they...
. He was generally unpopular among the Roman Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
hierarchy because of his Lutheran
Lutheranism
Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...
beliefs, and when the queen was away in 1542 Kulvietis was forced to leave the country.
He was invited by Albert, Duke of Prussia together with other Lithuanian Lutherans, and together with them helped in the creation of the Königsberg Albertina University, and later he was the first professor of classic Hebrew and Greek. He was also the first translator of Lithuanian Evangelical songs.
In 1545, Kulvietis was allowed to return to Lithuania. He was already ill with tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
when he left the Duchy of Prussia, and he died at his parents' home in Kulva.
Kulvietis's 24 line Lithuanian language hymnal "Malonus dėkavojimas Ponui Dievui" was printed in Martynas Mažvydas
Martynas Mažvydas
Martynas Mažvydas Martynas Mažvydas Martynas Mažvydas (1510 near Žemaičių Naumiestis (now in Šilutė district municipality) - May 21, 1563 in Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) was the author and the editor of the first printed book in the Lithuanian language....
's collection Gesmes Chriksczoniskas, Gedomas Baszniczosu Per Aduenta ir Kaledas ik Gramniczu.
Further reading
- Vaclovas BiržiškaVaclovas BiržiškaVaclovas Biržiška was a Lithuanian attorney, bibliographer, and educator.He was a member of a notable Lithuanian family; his great-grandfather Mykolas Biržiška was a representative in the Sejm when the Constitution of 3 May was accepted in 1791; his grandfather Leonardas Biržiška was an active...
, "Abraham Kulvietis, The First Lithuanian Humanist", in Contributions of Baltic University Pinneberg, No. 47 (1947): 11. Ed. Kneifel. Die Pastoren der Ev.-Augsb. Kirche in Polen, o. J. 213. Bense, Gertrud: Zum regionalen und personalen Umfeld des früheren preußisch-litauischen Schrifttums. In: Annaberger Annalen 4 (1996), Seite 55-67http://www.annaberger-annalen.de/ Kulvietis' bio and timeline of events