Albert Brudzewski
Encyclopedia
Albert Brudzewski, also Albert Blar (of Brudzewo), Albert of Brudzewo or Wojciech Brudzewski (in Latin
, Albertus de Brudzewo; Brudzewo
, near Kalisz
, ca. 1445 – ca. 1497, Vilnius
) was a Polish
astronomer
, mathematician
, philosopher and diplomat
.
, Wojciech), who would sign himself "de Brudzewo" ("of Brudzewo"), was born about 1445. Scant information exists about his early life. It is only known that as a 23-year-old he matriculated at the Kraków Academy (now Jagiellonian University
), where he remained through nearly all his life, teaching there for two decades. He served as the Academy's dean, as procurator (administrator of its property), and as head of the Bursa Hungarorum ("Hungarians' Dormitory").
Albert is remembered as a remarkable teacher. At the Kraków Academy he impressed students by his extraordinary knowledge of literature, and taught mathematics and astronomy. When in 1490 he became a bachelor of theology
, he also lectured on Aristotle
's philosophy. These lectures were attended by Nicolaus Copernicus, who enrolled at the Academy in 1491. A major accomplishment of Albert's was his modernization of the teaching of astronomy
by introducing the most up-to-date texts.
Albert was well versed in Georg von Peuerbach's Theory of the Planets and Regiomontanus
' Astronomical Tables. He was skeptical of the geocentric system. He was the first to state that the Moon
moves in an ellipse
and always shows its same side to the Earth
.
He drew up tables for calculating the positions of heavenly bodies
. In 1482 he wrote a Commentum planetarium in theoricas Georgii Purbachii—a commentary on Georg von Peuerbach's text, New Theories of the Planets—published in Milan
by his pupil, Jan Otto de Kraceusae.
Besides Copernicus
, Albert's students included the mathematician Bernard Wapowski
and the German
poet and Renaissance humanist, Conrad Celtis, who in Kraków established the first Central Europe
an literary society
, Sodalitas Litterana Vistulana.
In 1495, at the behest of Cardinal
Fryderyk Jagiellończyk (Frederick Jagiellon), Brudzewski moved to Vilnius
as secretary to Grand Duke of Lithuania Aleksander Jagiellon, who would later become King Alexander of Poland. He served the Grand Duke as a diplomat
; one of his most important missions involved negotiations with Muscovy's Tsar
Ivan the Terrible. It was in Vilnius
that Albert wrote his treatise, Conciliator, whose original has yet to be found.
Albert of Brudzewo died in Vilnius. The exact date of his death is not known; some sources state that he died at the age of fifty.
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
, Albertus de Brudzewo; Brudzewo
Brudzewo, Greater Poland Voivodeship
Brudzewo is a village in the administrative district of Gmina Strzałkowo, within Słupca County, Greater Poland Voivodeship, in west-central Poland. It lies approximately north-west of Strzałkowo, north-west of Słupca, and east of the regional capital Poznań.-References:...
, near Kalisz
Kalisz
Kalisz is a city in central Poland with 106,857 inhabitants , the capital city of the Kalisz Region. Situated on the Prosna river in the southeastern part of the Greater Poland Voivodeship, the city forms a conurbation with the nearby towns of Ostrów Wielkopolski and Nowe Skalmierzyce...
, ca. 1445 – ca. 1497, 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...
) was a Polish
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
astronomer
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
, mathematician
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, philosopher and diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
.
Life
Albert (in PolishPolish language
Polish is a language of the Lechitic subgroup of West Slavic languages, used throughout Poland and by Polish minorities in other countries...
, Wojciech), who would sign himself "de Brudzewo" ("of Brudzewo"), was born about 1445. Scant information exists about his early life. It is only known that as a 23-year-old he matriculated at the Kraków Academy (now Jagiellonian University
Jagiellonian University
The Jagiellonian University was established in 1364 by Casimir III the Great in Kazimierz . It is the oldest university in Poland, the second oldest university in Central Europe and one of the oldest universities in the world....
), where he remained through nearly all his life, teaching there for two decades. He served as the Academy's dean, as procurator (administrator of its property), and as head of the Bursa Hungarorum ("Hungarians' Dormitory").
Albert is remembered as a remarkable teacher. At the Kraków Academy he impressed students by his extraordinary knowledge of literature, and taught mathematics and astronomy. When in 1490 he became a bachelor of theology
Bachelor of Theology
The Bachelor of Theology is a three to five year undergraduate degree in theological disciplines. Candidates for this degree typically must complete course work in Greek or Hebrew, as well as systematic theology, biblical theology, ethics, homiletics and Christian ministry...
, he also lectured on Aristotle
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...
's philosophy. These lectures were attended by Nicolaus Copernicus, who enrolled at the Academy in 1491. A major accomplishment of Albert's was his modernization of the teaching of astronomy
Astronomy
Astronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
by introducing the most up-to-date texts.
Albert was well versed in Georg von Peuerbach's Theory of the Planets and Regiomontanus
Regiomontanus
Johannes Müller von Königsberg , today best known by his Latin toponym Regiomontanus, was a German mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, translator and instrument maker....
' Astronomical Tables. He was skeptical of the geocentric system. He was the first to state that the Moon
Moon
The Moon is Earth's only known natural satellite,There are a number of near-Earth asteroids including 3753 Cruithne that are co-orbital with Earth: their orbits bring them close to Earth for periods of time but then alter in the long term . These are quasi-satellites and not true moons. For more...
moves in an ellipse
Ellipse
In geometry, an ellipse is a plane curve that results from the intersection of a cone by a plane in a way that produces a closed curve. Circles are special cases of ellipses, obtained when the cutting plane is orthogonal to the cone's axis...
and always shows its same side to the Earth
Earth
Earth is the third planet from the Sun, and the densest and fifth-largest of the eight planets in the Solar System. It is also the largest of the Solar System's four terrestrial planets...
.
He drew up tables for calculating the positions of heavenly bodies
Heavenly Body
is a yaoi manga anthology by Takashi Kanzaki and published by Daitosha. It is licensed in English by Aurora Publishing, which released the manga in August 2008.-Reception:...
. In 1482 he wrote a Commentum planetarium in theoricas Georgii Purbachii—a commentary on Georg von Peuerbach's text, New Theories of the Planets—published in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
by his pupil, Jan Otto de Kraceusae.
Besides Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
, Albert's students included the mathematician Bernard Wapowski
Bernard Wapowski
Bernard Wapowski was a historian and the leading Polish cartographer of the 16th century, known as "the father of Polish cartography."-Life:...
and the German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
poet and Renaissance humanist, Conrad Celtis, who in Kraków established the first Central Europe
Central Europe
Central Europe or alternatively Middle Europe is a region of the European continent lying between the variously defined areas of Eastern and Western Europe...
an literary society
Literary society
A literary society is a group of people interested in literature. In the modern sense, this refers to a society that wants to promote one genre of literature or a specific writer. Modern literary societies typically promote research about their chosen author or genre, publish newsletters, and hold...
, Sodalitas Litterana Vistulana.
In 1495, at the behest of Cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Fryderyk Jagiellończyk (Frederick Jagiellon), Brudzewski moved to 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...
as secretary to Grand Duke of Lithuania Aleksander Jagiellon, who would later become King Alexander of Poland. He served the Grand Duke as a diplomat
Diplomat
A diplomat is a person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization. The main functions of diplomats revolve around the representation and protection of the interests and nationals of the sending state, as well as the promotion of information and...
; one of his most important missions involved negotiations with Muscovy's Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Ivan the Terrible. It was 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...
that Albert wrote his treatise, Conciliator, whose original has yet to be found.
Albert of Brudzewo died in Vilnius. The exact date of his death is not known; some sources state that he died at the age of fifty.
See also
- Nicolaus Copernicus
- List of Poles
External links
- Adler Planetarium
- (http://www.info.kalisz.pl/Biograf/Wojciechzb.htm) Biographical note on Wojciech of Brudzewo