Charles Arbuthnot (abbot)
Encyclopedia
Charles Arbuthnot was a renowned Scottish
abbot
of the Scots Monastery, Regensburg
, and a leading Bavaria
n mathematician of his time.
The son of James Arbuthnot, Senior of West Rora in Aberdeenshire
and Margaret Gordon, he was baptized in Longside
on 23 February 1737. He was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith and was sent to Germany
aged 11 to be educated there. He afterwards won for himself a reputation as a scientist, mathematician, natural philosopher and chemist besides being renowned for his piety, learning, breadth of mind and benevolence of heart. In 1757, Arbuthnot became a member of the Benedictine Order and a member of the Monastery of St James, known as the Scots College at Regensburg. Under the name Benedict, he spent the rest of his life at Regensburg, other than a brief visit to Scotland
in 1772. His father died in 1770 and he refused his share in his estate.
On 4 June 1776 Arbuthnot became abbot of the Scots Monastery. He was greatly respected and when in 1802 the Eternal Diet of Regensburg determined at the instance of Napoleon Bonaparte to secularize all the church lands of the Empire, an express exemption was made in favour of the Scots Monastery at Regensburg, although it was not allowed to take any new novices. Arbuthnot had declared the monastery a Scottish national shrine and put it under the sole authority of Rome
. In 1814, it came under the authority of the Bishop of Regensburg, but it was still not dissolved, since the monastery had laid out a large part of his fortune at an Austria
n bank which the state did not want to lose. After Arbuthnot's death the monastery was demoted to a priory
because of a staff shortage, and in 1862 its existence was at last brought to an end, when the premises were bought by the Bavaria
n government.
According to Charles Arbuthnot's tombstone at Regensburg
he was born at Rora
on 5 March 1737 (which is wrong), made his profession
(professus) on 21 November 1756 and became a priest
on 14 February 1761.
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
abbot
Abbot
The word abbot, meaning father, is a title given to the head of a monastery in various traditions, including Christianity. The office may also be given as an honorary title to a clergyman who is not actually the head of a monastery...
of the Scots Monastery, Regensburg
Scots Monastery, Regensburg
The Scots Monastery is a Benedictine abbey of St James in Regensburg, Germany. It was founded by Hiberno-Scottish missionaries and for most of its history was in the hands of first Irish, then Scottish monks, whence its name The Scots Monastery is a Benedictine abbey of St James (Jakobskirche) in...
, and a leading Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n mathematician of his time.
The son of James Arbuthnot, Senior of West Rora in Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire
Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...
and Margaret Gordon, he was baptized in Longside
Longside
Longside is a village located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies seven miles inland from Peterhead and two miles from Mintlaw on the A950. Its population in 2001 was 721. The River Ugie flows through it...
on 23 February 1737. He was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith and was sent to Germany
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...
aged 11 to be educated there. He afterwards won for himself a reputation as a scientist, mathematician, natural philosopher and chemist besides being renowned for his piety, learning, breadth of mind and benevolence of heart. In 1757, Arbuthnot became a member of the Benedictine Order and a member of the Monastery of St James, known as the Scots College at Regensburg. Under the name Benedict, he spent the rest of his life at Regensburg, other than a brief visit to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1772. His father died in 1770 and he refused his share in his estate.
On 4 June 1776 Arbuthnot became abbot of the Scots Monastery. He was greatly respected and when in 1802 the Eternal Diet of Regensburg determined at the instance of Napoleon Bonaparte to secularize all the church lands of the Empire, an express exemption was made in favour of the Scots Monastery at Regensburg, although it was not allowed to take any new novices. Arbuthnot had declared the monastery a Scottish national shrine and put it under the sole authority of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. In 1814, it came under the authority of the Bishop of Regensburg, but it was still not dissolved, since the monastery had laid out a large part of his fortune at an Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
n bank which the state did not want to lose. After Arbuthnot's death the monastery was demoted to a priory
Priory
A priory is a house of men or women under religious vows that is headed by a prior or prioress. Priories may be houses of mendicant friars or religious sisters , or monasteries of monks or nuns .The Benedictines and their offshoots , the Premonstratensians, and the...
because of a staff shortage, and in 1862 its existence was at last brought to an end, when the premises were bought by the Bavaria
Bavaria
Bavaria, formally the Free State of Bavaria is a state of Germany, located in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the largest state by area, forming almost 20% of the total land area of Germany...
n government.
According to Charles Arbuthnot's tombstone at Regensburg
Regensburg
Regensburg is a city in Bavaria, Germany, located at the confluence of the Danube and Regen rivers, at the northernmost bend in the Danube. To the east lies the Bavarian Forest. Regensburg is the capital of the Bavarian administrative region Upper Palatinate...
he was born at Rora
Rora, Aberdeenshire
Rora is a rural settlement in the Buchan area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated north-west of Peterhead and lying to the north of the River Ugie.-Rora Moss:...
on 5 March 1737 (which is wrong), made his profession
Profession (religious)
The term religious profession is defined in the 1983 Code of Canon Law of the Roman Catholic Church in relation to members of religious institutes as follows:By religious profession members make a public vow to observe the three evangelical counsels...
(professus) on 21 November 1756 and became a priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
on 14 February 1761.