Beatus Rhenanus
Encyclopedia
Beatus Rhenanus also known as Beatus Bild, was an Alsatian humanist
, religious reformer, and classical scholar.
Rhenanus was born in Schlettstadt (Sélestat)
in Alsace
. His father, Antoine Bild, was a prosperous butcher from Rhinau
(the source of his name "Rhenanus", which Beatus latinised from his father, who was known as the "Rhinower"). Antoine emigrated to Sélestat and eventually became one of its Burgermeisters. He was able to provide his son with an excellent education. Rhenanus attended the famous Latin school
of Schlettstadt, and in 1503, went to the University of Paris
, where he came under the influence of Jacobus Faber Stapulensis
, an eminent Aristotelian
.
In 1507, he returned to Sélestat and then moved to Strasbourg
, where he worked for the printer Mathias Schurer and made the acquaintance of the great Alsatian humanists, including Jakob Wimpfeling
, Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
and Sebastian Brant
.
In 1511, he relocated to Basel
, where he befriended Desiderius Erasmus
and played an active role in the publishing enterprises of Johann Froben
. He returned to Schlettstadt in 1526 to devote himself to a life of learned leisure. He continued a lively correspondence with many contemporary scholars, including his friend Erasmus, and supervised the printing of many of Erasmus's most important works. Rhenanus died in Strassburg (Strasbourg)
.
Rhenanus's own publications include a biography
of Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
(1510), the Rerum Germanicarum Libri III (1531), and editions of Velleius Paterculus (1522), based on a manuscript he discovered. He also wrote works on Tacitus
(1519), Livy
(1522), and a nine-volume work on his friend Erasmus (1540-1541).
Beatus Rhenanus invaluable collection of books went into the ownership of his hometown by his death and is still to be seen in its entirety in the Humanist Library of Sélestat
.
John F. D'Amico, Theory and Practice in Renaissance Textual Criticism. Beatus Rhenanus Between Conjecture and History. Berkeley: University of California Press,1988.
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
, religious reformer, and classical scholar.
Rhenanus was born in Schlettstadt (Sélestat)
Sélestat
Sélestat is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.In 2006, Sélestat had a total population of 19,459. The Communauté de communes de Sélestat et environs had a total population of 35,397.-Geography:...
in Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
. His father, Antoine Bild, was a prosperous butcher from Rhinau
Rhinau
Rhinau is a commune in the Bas-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.After a flood in 1541, 58% of its territory happen to be on the right bank of the Rhine river, in Germany. However the German part of Rhinau is not inhabited, it is a natural reserve, the Taubergiessen. A ferryboat...
(the source of his name "Rhenanus", which Beatus latinised from his father, who was known as the "Rhinower"). Antoine emigrated to Sélestat and eventually became one of its Burgermeisters. He was able to provide his son with an excellent education. Rhenanus attended the famous Latin school
Latin School
Latin School may refer to:* Latin schools of Medieval Europe* These schools in the United States:** Boston Latin School, Boston, MA** Brooklyn Latin School, New York, NY** Brother Joseph C. Fox Latin School, Long Island, NY...
of Schlettstadt, and in 1503, went to the University of Paris
University of Paris
The University of Paris was a university located in Paris, France and one of the earliest to be established in Europe. It was founded in the mid 12th century, and officially recognized as a university probably between 1160 and 1250...
, where he came under the influence of Jacobus Faber Stapulensis
Jacques Lefèvre d'Étaples
Jacques Lefèvre d’Étaples or Jacob Faber Stapulensis was a French theologian and humanist. He was a precursor of the Protestant movement in France. The "d’Étaples" was not part of his name as such, but used to distinguish him from Jacques Lefèvre of Deventer, a less significant contemporary, a...
, an eminent Aristotelian
Aristotle
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
.
In 1507, he returned to Sélestat and then moved to Strasbourg
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
, where he worked for the printer Mathias Schurer and made the acquaintance of the great Alsatian humanists, including Jakob Wimpfeling
Jakob Wimpfeling
Jakob Wimpfeling was a Renaissance humanist and theologian.- Biography :Wimpfeling was born in Sélestat, Alsace. He went to the school at Sélestat, which was run by Ludwig Dringenberg, the founder of the Humanist Library of Sélestat...
, Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg , was a Swiss-born preacher, considered one of the greatest of the popular preachers of the 15th century.-Biography:...
and Sebastian Brant
Sebastian Brant
Sebastian Brant was an Alsatian humanist and satirist. He is best known for his satire Das Narrenschiff .-Biography:...
.
In 1511, he relocated to Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, where he befriended Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus
Desiderius Erasmus Roterodamus , known as Erasmus of Rotterdam, was a Dutch Renaissance humanist, Catholic priest, and a theologian....
and played an active role in the publishing enterprises of Johann Froben
Johann Froben
Johann Froben, in Latin: Johannes Frobenius , was a famous printer and publisher in Basel...
. He returned to Schlettstadt in 1526 to devote himself to a life of learned leisure. He continued a lively correspondence with many contemporary scholars, including his friend Erasmus, and supervised the printing of many of Erasmus's most important works. Rhenanus died in Strassburg (Strasbourg)
Strasbourg
Strasbourg is the capital and principal city of the Alsace region in eastern France and is the official seat of the European Parliament. Located close to the border with Germany, it is the capital of the Bas-Rhin département. The city and the region of Alsace are historically German-speaking,...
.
Rhenanus's own publications include a biography
Biography
A biography is a detailed description or account of someone's life. More than a list of basic facts , biography also portrays the subject's experience of those events...
of Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg
Johann Geiler von Kaisersberg , was a Swiss-born preacher, considered one of the greatest of the popular preachers of the 15th century.-Biography:...
(1510), the Rerum Germanicarum Libri III (1531), and editions of Velleius Paterculus (1522), based on a manuscript he discovered. He also wrote works on Tacitus
Tacitus
Publius Cornelius Tacitus was a senator and a historian of the Roman Empire. The surviving portions of his two major works—the Annals and the Histories—examine the reigns of the Roman Emperors Tiberius, Claudius, Nero and those who reigned in the Year of the Four Emperors...
(1519), Livy
Livy
Titus Livius — known as Livy in English — was a Roman historian who wrote a monumental history of Rome and the Roman people. Ab Urbe Condita Libri, "Chapters from the Foundation of the City," covering the period from the earliest legends of Rome well before the traditional foundation in 753 BC...
(1522), and a nine-volume work on his friend Erasmus (1540-1541).
Beatus Rhenanus invaluable collection of books went into the ownership of his hometown by his death and is still to be seen in its entirety in the Humanist Library of Sélestat
Humanist Library of Sélestat
The Humanist Library in Sélestat is one of the most important cultural treasures of Alsace, France. According to a traditional saying, Alsace has three great treasures: Strasbourg Cathedral, the Isenheim Altarpiece in Colmar and the Humanist Library in Sélestat....
.
John F. D'Amico, Theory and Practice in Renaissance Textual Criticism. Beatus Rhenanus Between Conjecture and History. Berkeley: University of California Press,1988.
External links
- http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/at/beatus-rhenanus_1531_rerum-germanicarum-libri-tres.pdf