Jakob Christmann
Encyclopedia
Jakob Christmann was a German Orientalist
who also studied problems of astronomy
.
, studied Orientalistics at the University of Heidelberg's Collegium Sapientiae
and became teacher at the Dionysianum. He followed humanist
Thomas Erastus
to Basel
and continued his study tour in Breslau, Vienna
and Prague
.
In 1578, Pfalzgraf John Casimir
founded the Reformed
Casmirianum at Neustadt an der Haardt
. Christmann joined the Casimirianum faculty in 1582 and dedicated his Arabic language
Grammar
, Alphabetum arabicum, to his colleagues there.
After the return of the Reformed faith to the Electoral Palatinate, Christmann returned to Heidelberg to serve on the faculty of the Collegium Sapientiae
in 1584. After some internal debate about the location of the chair, Christman was appointed professor of Hebrew at the university in 1585. He compiled a catalog of the manuscripts of Guillaume Postel
(1510–1581), located since 1551 at Heidelberg Castle
. In 1590 he published a Latin translation of the astronomy of Al-Farghani
. In 1609 at the urging of Elector Frederick IV
, he was appointed Europe's first professor for the Arabic language.
passed via Rheticus to others and was marked on 16 December 1603 by Christmann with Nicolai Copernick Canonici Varmiensis in Borussia Germaniae mathematici … ("of Canon Nicolaus Copernick from Warmia
in Prussia
of Germany, of the mathematician …"). Since 1953 it is located in Cracow in the Jagiellonian library
(Signatur: Ms. BJ. 10 000), accessible online.
Oriental studies
Oriental studies is the academic field of study that embraces Near Eastern and Far Eastern societies and cultures, languages, peoples, history and archaeology; in recent years the subject has often been turned into the newer terms of Asian studies and Middle Eastern studies...
who also studied problems 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...
.
Life
Christmann, a Jew who converted before 1578 to ChristianityChristianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
, studied Orientalistics at the University of Heidelberg's Collegium Sapientiae
Collegium Sapientiae
The Collegium Sapientiae was a preparatory academy and later theological seminary in Heidelberg in the early modern period....
and became teacher at the Dionysianum. He followed humanist
Renaissance humanism
Renaissance humanism was an activity of cultural and educational reform engaged by scholars, writers, and civic leaders who are today known as Renaissance humanists. It developed during the fourteenth and the beginning of the fifteenth centuries, and was a response to the challenge of Mediæval...
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus was a Swiss physician and theologian best known for a posthumously published work in which he argued that the sins of Christians should be punished by the state, and not by the church withholding the sacraments...
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...
and continued his study tour in Breslau, Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
.
In 1578, Pfalzgraf John Casimir
Johann Casimir of Simmern
John Casimir of the Palatinate-Simmern was a German prince and a younger son of Elector Frederick III, Count Palatine of the Rhine. A firm Calvinist, he was a leader of mercenary troops in the religious wars of the time, including the Dutch Revolt...
founded the Reformed
Calvinism
Calvinism is a Protestant theological system and an approach to the Christian life...
Casmirianum at Neustadt an der Haardt
Neustadt an der Weinstraße
Neustadt an der Weinstraße is a town located in Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany. With 53,892 inhabitants as of 2002, it is the largest town called Neustadt.-Etymology:...
. Christmann joined the Casimirianum faculty in 1582 and dedicated his Arabic language
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
Grammar
Grammar
In linguistics, grammar is the set of structural rules that govern the composition of clauses, phrases, and words in any given natural language. The term refers also to the study of such rules, and this field includes morphology, syntax, and phonology, often complemented by phonetics, semantics,...
, Alphabetum arabicum, to his colleagues there.
After the return of the Reformed faith to the Electoral Palatinate, Christmann returned to Heidelberg to serve on the faculty of the Collegium Sapientiae
Collegium Sapientiae
The Collegium Sapientiae was a preparatory academy and later theological seminary in Heidelberg in the early modern period....
in 1584. After some internal debate about the location of the chair, Christman was appointed professor of Hebrew at the university in 1585. He compiled a catalog of the manuscripts of Guillaume Postel
Guillaume Postel
Guillaume Postel was a French linguist, astronomer, Cabbalist, diplomat, professor, and religious universalist.Born in the village of Barenton in Basse-Normandie, Postel made his way to Paris to further his education...
(1510–1581), located since 1551 at Heidelberg Castle
Heidelberg Castle
The Heidelberg Castle is a famous ruin in Germany and landmark of Heidelberg. The castle ruins are among the most important Renaissance structures north of the Alps....
. In 1590 he published a Latin translation of the astronomy of Al-Farghani
Al-Farghani
' also known as Alfraganus in the West was a Persian astronomer and one of the famous astronomers in 9th century. The crater Alfraganus on the Moon is named after him.-Life:...
. In 1609 at the urging of Elector Frederick IV
Frederick IV, Elector Palatine
Frederick IV, Elector Palatine of the Rhine , only surviving son of Louis VI, Elector Palatine and Elisabeth of Hesse, called "Frederick the Righteous" .-Life:Born in Amberg, his father died in October 1583 and...
, he was appointed Europe's first professor for the Arabic language.
Copernicus manuscript
A De revolutionibus manuscript of Nicolaus CopernicusNicolaus 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....
passed via Rheticus to others and was marked on 16 December 1603 by Christmann with Nicolai Copernick Canonici Varmiensis in Borussia Germaniae mathematici … ("of Canon Nicolaus Copernick from Warmia
Warmia
Warmia or Ermland is a region between Pomerelia and Masuria in northeastern Poland. Together with Masuria, it forms the Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship....
in Prussia
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
of Germany, of the mathematician …"). Since 1953 it is located in Cracow in the Jagiellonian library
Jagiellonian Library
Jagiellonian Library is the library of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków and with almost 6.7 million volumes, one of the biggest libraries in Poland, serving as a public library, university library and part of the Polish national library system...
(Signatur: Ms. BJ. 10 000), accessible online.
Work
- Alphabetum Arabicum cum isagoge Arabice legendi ac scribendi, Neustadt 1582
- Muhammedis Alfraganii Arabis chronologia et astronomiae elementa, Frankfurt 1590
External links
- Jakob Christmann, in Dictionary of Scientific BiographyDictionary of Scientific BiographyThe Dictionary of Scientific Biography is a scholarly reference work that was published from 1970 through 1980. It is supplemented by the New Dictionary of Scientific Biography and an electronic version that includes both publications....
- Letter of Christmann to Kepler, in Latin
- http://www.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/helios/fachinfo/www/math/homo-heid/christmann.htm
- Christmann, Erwin: Jakob Christmann
- Biography in Melchior Adam's Vitae Germanorum philosophorum [...] (Frankfurt, 1615), pp. 518–22]