Franciscus Junius (the elder)
Encyclopedia
Franciscus Junius also known as Francis Junius, Franz Junius, and François du Jon, was a Huguenot
scholar and theologian, and the father of Franciscus Junius the younger
.
, and studied law at the unversity there
under François Douaren
and Hugo Donellus
(1527–1591) He was given a place in the retinue of the French ambassador to Constantinople
, but before he reached Lyon
, the ambassador had departed.
Junius then studied at the gymnasium at Lyon. A religious tumult sent him back to Bourges, and he decided to enter the reformed church. He went in 1562 to study at Geneva
, where he was reduced to poverty by the failure of remittances from home, owing to civil war in France. He would accept only the barest sustenance from a humble friend who had himself been a protege of Junius's family at Bourges, and his health was permanently injured. The long-expected remittance from home was closely followed by the news of the brutal murder of his father by a Catholic fanatic at Issoudun
; and Junius resolved to remain at Geneva, where his reputation enabled him to live by teaching. In 1565, however, he was appointed minister of the Walloon church
at Antwerp. His foreign birth excluded him from the privileges of the native reformed pastors, and exposed him to persecution. Several times he barely escaped arrest, and finally, after spending six months in preaching at Limburg, he was forced to retire to Heidelberg
in 1567. There he was welcomed by the elector Frederick II
, and temporarily settled in charge of the Walloon church at Schonau
; but in 1568 his patron sent him as chaplain with Prince William of Orange
in his unfortunate expedition to the Netherlands
. Junius escaped as soon as he could from that post, and returning to his church remained there till 1573. From 1573 till 1578 he was at Heidelberg, assisting Emmanuel Tremellius (1510–1580), whose daughter he married, in his Latin version of the Old Testament
(Frankfurt, 1579); in 1581 he was appointee to the chair of divinity at Heidelberg. Thence he was taken to France by the duke of Bouillon, and after an interview with Henry IV
was sent again to Germany on a mission. As he was returning to France in 1592, he was named professor of theology
at Leiden.
added (Geneva, 1590; Hanover, 1624). The Opera Theologica vrancisci Junii Biturigis were published at Geneva (2 vols., 1613), of which is prefixed his autobiography, written about 1592 (new ed., edited by Abraham Kuyper
,1882 seq.). The autobiography had been published at Leiden (1595), and is reprinted in the Miscellanea ironingana, vol. i, along with a list of the author's other writings.
Upon his death Joseph Justus Scaliger
wrote this lament:
Huguenot
The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France during the 16th and 17th centuries. Since the 17th century, people who formerly would have been called Huguenots have instead simply been called French Protestants, a title suggested by their German co-religionists, the...
scholar and theologian, and the father of Franciscus Junius the younger
Franciscus Junius (the younger)
Franciscus Junius , also known as François du Jon, was a pioneer of Germanic philology. As a collector of ancient manuscripts, he published the first modern editions of a number of important texts.-Life:...
.
Life
He was born in BourgesBourges
Bourges is a city in central France on the Yèvre river. It is the capital of the department of Cher and also was the capital of the former province of Berry.-History:...
, and studied law at the unversity there
University of Bourges
The University of Bourges was a university located in Bourges, France. It was founded by Louis XI in 1463 and deleted during french Revolution.-Notable alumni:* Patrick Adamson * John Calvin * Hugues Doneau...
under François Douaren
François Douaren
François Douaren was a French jurist and professor of law at the University of Bourges....
and Hugo Donellus
Hugues Doneau
Hugues Doneau, commonly referred also by the Latin form Hugo Donellus , was a French law professor and one of the leading representatives of French legal humanism ....
(1527–1591) He was given a place in the retinue of the French ambassador to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
, but before he reached Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, the ambassador had departed.
Junius then studied at the gymnasium at Lyon. A religious tumult sent him back to Bourges, and he decided to enter the reformed church. He went in 1562 to study at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, where he was reduced to poverty by the failure of remittances from home, owing to civil war in France. He would accept only the barest sustenance from a humble friend who had himself been a protege of Junius's family at Bourges, and his health was permanently injured. The long-expected remittance from home was closely followed by the news of the brutal murder of his father by a Catholic fanatic at Issoudun
Issoudun
Issoudun is a commune in the Indre department in central France. It is also referred to as Issoundun, which is the ancient name.-History:...
; and Junius resolved to remain at Geneva, where his reputation enabled him to live by teaching. In 1565, however, he was appointed minister of the Walloon church
Walloon church
A Walloon church describes any Calvinist church building in the Netherlands and its former colonies whose members originally came from the Southern Netherlands and France and whose native language is French...
at Antwerp. His foreign birth excluded him from the privileges of the native reformed pastors, and exposed him to persecution. Several times he barely escaped arrest, and finally, after spending six months in preaching at Limburg, he was forced to retire to Heidelberg
Heidelberg
-Early history:Between 600,000 and 200,000 years ago, "Heidelberg Man" died at nearby Mauer. His jaw bone was discovered in 1907; with scientific dating, his remains were determined to be the earliest evidence of human life in Europe. In the 5th century BC, a Celtic fortress of refuge and place of...
in 1567. There he was welcomed by the elector Frederick II
Frederick II, Elector Palatine
Frederick II, Count Palatine of the Rhine , a member of the Wittelsbach dynasty, was Prince-elector of the Palatinate from 1544 to 1556.- Biography :...
, and temporarily settled in charge of the Walloon church at Schonau
Schönau
- People :* Horst Schönau* Elizabeth of Schönau, a Benedictine nun at Schönau Abbey of Nassau and a friend of Hildegarde of Bingen- Places :Germany:* Schönau , a town in Baden-Württemberg** Schönau Abbey, in this town...
; but in 1568 his patron sent him as chaplain with Prince William of Orange
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
in his unfortunate expedition to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Junius escaped as soon as he could from that post, and returning to his church remained there till 1573. From 1573 till 1578 he was at Heidelberg, assisting Emmanuel Tremellius (1510–1580), whose daughter he married, in his Latin version of the Old Testament
Old Testament
The Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
(Frankfurt, 1579); in 1581 he was appointee to the chair of divinity at Heidelberg. Thence he was taken to France by the duke of Bouillon, and after an interview with Henry IV
Henry IV of France
Henry IV , Henri-Quatre, was King of France from 1589 to 1610 and King of Navarre from 1572 to 1610. He was the first monarch of the Bourbon branch of the Capetian dynasty in France....
was sent again to Germany on a mission. As he was returning to France in 1592, he was named professor of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Leiden.
Works
He was a voluminous writer on theological subjects, and translated and composed many exegetical works. He is best known from his own edition of the Latin Old Testament, slightly altered from the former joint edition, and with a version of the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
added (Geneva, 1590; Hanover, 1624). The Opera Theologica vrancisci Junii Biturigis were published at Geneva (2 vols., 1613), of which is prefixed his autobiography, written about 1592 (new ed., edited by Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuyper
Abraham Kuijper generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian...
,1882 seq.). The autobiography had been published at Leiden (1595), and is reprinted in the Miscellanea ironingana, vol. i, along with a list of the author's other writings.
Upon his death Joseph Justus Scaliger
Joseph Justus Scaliger
Joseph Justus Scaliger was a French religious leader and scholar, known for expanding the notion of classical history from Greek and Ancient Roman history to include Persian, Babylonian, Jewish and Ancient Egyptian history.-Early life:He was born at Agen, the tenth child and third son of Italian...
wrote this lament:
-
- You, O mourning school, weep for your teacher!
- You, O bereft Church, your parent!
- Your doctor, O whole wide world, lament!
- You, O mourning school, weep for your teacher!
Works
- 1584 Defensio catholicae doctrinae de s. trinitate personarum in unitate essentiae Dei, adversus Samosatenicos errores against Christian FranckenChristian FranckenChristian Francken was a former Jesuit who became an anti-Trinitarian writer.In 1577 Francken left his position as professor of the Jesuit college in Vienna and commenced the publication from Basel and La Rochelle of many tracts against the order.François Du Jon in 1584 wrote his Defensio...
.