Augustinus Rotundus
Encyclopedia
Augustinus Rotundus was a Christian and Renaissance
humanist, erudite, jurist, political writer, first historian and apologist of Lithuania
. Rotundus was vogt
of Vilnius
, general secretary to the Grand Duke and King Sigismund Augustus and elder
of Stakliškės
. After his nobilitation to the szlachta
, Rotundus adopted surname Mieleski, or Milewski.
Rotundus was born in Wieluń
around year 1520. His surname is supposed to be "Mieleski", although some researchers suggest that it was adopted later. Rotundus is translated nickname, probably inherited from his father – Mikołaj (Nickolas) "Okrągły" , who was a rich furrier in the city of Wieluń.
Rotundus studied in University of Wittenberg and Lubrański Academy
in Poznań
, where he was suspected of writing a nasty lampoon about Poznań catholic chapter. Undoubtedly Rotundus was a passionate catholic after graduation and supported Hereditary monarchy
and Execution movement
.
He arrived in Vilnius
, capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
on August 20, 1551. He was invited by Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus as a legal advisor, and one who knew both Grand Duchy and Crown's law. Assigned as vogt of Vilnius in 1552 (most probably suggested by city inhabitants), he became loyal citizen of Lithuania, and wrote several works on Lithuania's history and political polemic works defending Lithuania's rights. In 1558 he was appointed as elder
of Stakliškės
.
He was married to Sofia Montanówna, Italian by origin (she died after March 10, 1604). They had a son, Nickolas, who died in his infancy and two daughters: Regina and Elizabeth. For his work and achievements Rotundus was ennobled in 1568 by Sejm
held in Grodno. He was awarded Rola coat of arms.
Augustinus Rotundus died on March 20, 1582 and was buried in the church of Saint John's - the Baptist and Evangelist, in Vilnius.
. Rotundus contributed to the second and the third Statutes of Lithuania
. He collaborated on these acts together with Peter Roisius, Ostafi Wołłowicz and Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł. He personally translated the Second Statute into Latin
and added his own study Epitome principum Lituaniae (Lithuanian Dukes Epitome) as a foreword. In this study Rotundus promoted the idea, that Lithuanians together with their Dukes have roots in the ancient Roman Empire
, from the mythical house of Palemonids. Similar theories were raised by Jan Długosz, but both were lacking evidences to support this theory.
Rotundus was probably contributing to the second edition of the Lithuanian Chronicles
. He claimed that Publius Libonus, Roman commander who fled from Julius Caesar
and supposedly settled down in Lithuania, was ancestor of Lithuanian and Ruthenia
n rulers. Supposedly the name of Livonia
comes from Libonus. In his opinion, this explained why Latin language was common in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and also served to support sarmatism
ideals. Rotundus was a close friend to other Vilnius renaissance scholars like physician Jan Antonin and a poet Klemens Janicki
, after the latter died, both published Ianicius artworks.
In 1564 on personal request by Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł Rotundus wrote Rozmowy Polaka z Litwinem (Conversations of Pole with Lithuanian) – a polemic work, where he defended Lithuania's dignity against insults by Polish author Stanisław Orzechowski in Quincunx (1554), "...against disgraceful and mistaken Stanisławs Orzechowski writing, which innocent famous Lithuanian Duchy insulted...". Although it is recognized as Rotundus personal work, after thorough analysis of the work Lithuanian historian Inge Lukšaitė suggested that it was a collective work by several authors.
Renaissance
The Renaissance was a cultural movement that spanned roughly the 14th to the 17th century, beginning in Italy in the Late Middle Ages and later spreading to the rest of Europe. The term is also used more loosely to refer to the historical era, but since the changes of the Renaissance were not...
humanist, erudite, jurist, political writer, first historian and apologist of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
. Rotundus was vogt
Vogt
A Vogt ; plural Vögte; Dutch voogd; Danish foged; ; ultimately from Latin [ad]vocatus) in the Holy Roman Empire was the German title of a reeve or advocate, an overlord exerting guardianship or military protection as well as secular justice...
of 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...
, general secretary to the Grand Duke and King Sigismund Augustus and elder
Starosta
Starost is a title for an official or unofficial position of leadership that has been used in various contexts through most of Slavic history. It can be translated as "elder"...
of Stakliškės
Stakliškes
Stakliškės is a village in Lithuania, located east of Prienai, in Prienai district of Kaunas County on the Prienai-Trakai road. Stakliškės is a center of Stakliškės elderate...
. After his nobilitation to the szlachta
Szlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
, Rotundus adopted surname Mieleski, or Milewski.
Biography
Wielun
Wieluń is a city in central Poland with 24,347 inhabitants . Situated in the Łódź Voivodeship , it was previously in Sieradz Voivodeship .- History :...
around year 1520. His surname is supposed to be "Mieleski", although some researchers suggest that it was adopted later. Rotundus is translated nickname, probably inherited from his father – Mikołaj (Nickolas) "Okrągły" , who was a rich furrier in the city of Wieluń.
Rotundus studied in University of Wittenberg and Lubrański Academy
Lubranski Academy
The Lubrański Academy was a university college that was established in 1518 in Poznań by Bishop Jan Lubrański. It was the first school with university aspirations in Poznań .-History:The Academy's first rector was the Poznań humanist Tomasz Bederman...
in Poznań
Poznan
Poznań is a city on the Warta river in west-central Poland, with a population of 556,022 in June 2009. It is among the oldest cities in Poland, and was one of the most important centres in the early Polish state, whose first rulers were buried at Poznań's cathedral. It is sometimes claimed to be...
, where he was suspected of writing a nasty lampoon about Poznań catholic chapter. Undoubtedly Rotundus was a passionate catholic after graduation and supported Hereditary monarchy
Hereditary monarchy
A hereditary monarchy is the most common type of monarchy and is the form that is used by almost all of the world's existing monarchies.Under a hereditary monarchy, all the monarchs come from the same family, and the crown is passed down from one member to another member of the family...
and Execution movement
Execution movement
The Executionist movement was a 16th-century political movement in the Kingdom of Poland and, later, the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. It was popular among lesser, middle and even some higher nobility, and it also enjoyed the support of the Polish king...
.
He arrived 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...
, capital of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania
Grand Duchy of Lithuania
The Grand Duchy of Lithuania was a European state from the 12th /13th century until 1569 and then as a constituent part of Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth until 1791 when Constitution of May 3, 1791 abolished it in favor of unitary state. It was founded by the Lithuanians, one of the polytheistic...
on August 20, 1551. He was invited by Grand Duke of Lithuania Sigismund Augustus as a legal advisor, and one who knew both Grand Duchy and Crown's law. Assigned as vogt of Vilnius in 1552 (most probably suggested by city inhabitants), he became loyal citizen of Lithuania, and wrote several works on Lithuania's history and political polemic works defending Lithuania's rights. In 1558 he was appointed as elder
Starosta
Starost is a title for an official or unofficial position of leadership that has been used in various contexts through most of Slavic history. It can be translated as "elder"...
of Stakliškės
Stakliškes
Stakliškės is a village in Lithuania, located east of Prienai, in Prienai district of Kaunas County on the Prienai-Trakai road. Stakliškės is a center of Stakliškės elderate...
.
He was married to Sofia Montanówna, Italian by origin (she died after March 10, 1604). They had a son, Nickolas, who died in his infancy and two daughters: Regina and Elizabeth. For his work and achievements Rotundus was ennobled in 1568 by Sejm
General sejm
The general sejm was the parliament of Poland for four centuries from the late 15th until the late 18th century.-Genesis:The power of early sejms grew during the period of Poland's fragmentation , when the power of individual rulers waned and that of various councils and wiece grew...
held in Grodno. He was awarded Rola coat of arms.
Augustinus Rotundus died on March 20, 1582 and was buried in the church of Saint John's - the Baptist and Evangelist, in Vilnius.
Ideas and works
Rotundus supported Lithuanian statehood against claims of the Polish Crown. He was progenitor of mythical deductions and his passion were noble familiesSzlachta
The szlachta was a legally privileged noble class with origins in the Kingdom of Poland. It gained considerable institutional privileges during the 1333-1370 reign of Casimir the Great. In 1413, following a series of tentative personal unions between the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and the Kingdom of...
. Rotundus contributed to the second and the third Statutes of Lithuania
Statutes of Lithuania
The Statutes of Lithuania originally known as the Statutes of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania were a 16th century codification of all the legislation of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and its successor, the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth...
. He collaborated on these acts together with Peter Roisius, Ostafi Wołłowicz and Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł. He personally translated the Second Statute into Latin
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...
and added his own study Epitome principum Lituaniae (Lithuanian Dukes Epitome) as a foreword. In this study Rotundus promoted the idea, that Lithuanians together with their Dukes have roots in the ancient Roman Empire
Roman Empire
The Roman Empire was the post-Republican period of the ancient Roman civilization, characterised by an autocratic form of government and large territorial holdings in Europe and around the Mediterranean....
, from the mythical house of Palemonids. Similar theories were raised by Jan Długosz, but both were lacking evidences to support this theory.
Rotundus was probably contributing to the second edition of the Lithuanian Chronicles
Lithuanian Chronicles
The Lithuanian Chronicles are three redactions of chronicles compiled in the Grand Duchy of Lithuania. All redactions were written in the Old Church Slavonic language and served the needs of Lithuanian patriotism. The first redaction, compiled in 1420s, glorified Vytautas the Great and supported...
. He claimed that Publius Libonus, Roman commander who fled from Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar
Gaius Julius Caesar was a Roman general and statesman and a distinguished writer of Latin prose. He played a critical role in the gradual transformation of the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire....
and supposedly settled down in Lithuania, was ancestor of Lithuanian and Ruthenia
Ruthenia
Ruthenia is the Latin word used onwards from the 13th century, describing lands of the Ancient Rus in European manuscripts. Its geographic and culturo-ethnic name at that time was applied to the parts of Eastern Europe. Essentially, the word is a false Latin rendering of the ancient place name Rus...
n rulers. Supposedly the name of Livonia
Livonia
Livonia is a historic region along the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea. It was once the land of the Finnic Livonians inhabiting the principal ancient Livonian County Metsepole with its center at Turaida...
comes from Libonus. In his opinion, this explained why Latin language was common in the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth and also served to support sarmatism
Sarmatism
"Sarmatism" is a term designating the dominant lifestyle, culture and ideology of the szlachta of the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth from the 16th to the 19th centuries. Together with "Golden Liberty," it formed a central aspect of the Commonwealth's culture...
ideals. Rotundus was a close friend to other Vilnius renaissance scholars like physician Jan Antonin and a poet Klemens Janicki
Klemens Janicki
Klemens Janicki was one of the most outstanding Latin poets of the 16th century. -Biography:Janicki was born in Januszkowo, a village near Żnin, Poland, to a peasant family...
, after the latter died, both published Ianicius artworks.
In 1564 on personal request by Mikołaj "the Black" Radziwiłł Rotundus wrote Rozmowy Polaka z Litwinem (Conversations of Pole with Lithuanian) – a polemic work, where he defended Lithuania's dignity against insults by Polish author Stanisław Orzechowski in Quincunx (1554), "...against disgraceful and mistaken Stanisławs Orzechowski writing, which innocent famous Lithuanian Duchy insulted...". Although it is recognized as Rotundus personal work, after thorough analysis of the work Lithuanian historian Inge Lukšaitė suggested that it was a collective work by several authors.