Johannes Bertelius
Encyclopedia
Johannes Bertelius [also Jean Bertels] (1544 – June 19, 1607), abbot of Echternach
and writer of a history of Luxembourg
, was born in Leuven
.
After obtaining a degree in philosophy at the Pedagogy of the Lily in Leuven
, Bertelius was elected abbot of the Benedictine
Altmünster Abbey, Luxembourg, in 1573 and consecrated in 1576. On his orders the relics of John the Blind, Duke of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, were buried there. In 1595 king Philip II of Spain
appointed him abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Willibrord at Echternach.
The following year the abbey was pillaged by Dutch freebooters and Bertelius was taken prisoner and removed to Nijmegen. He was released only after a ransom payment. After his return, he devoted himself to literary work until his death. He was buried in a chapel of the monastery at Echternach.
Apart from the Latin works by Bertelius, there exists a collection of drawings made by him which has been edited by Paul Spang.
Echternach
Echternach is a commune with city status in the canton of Echternach, which is part of the district of Grevenmacher, in eastern Luxembourg. Echternach lies near the border with Germany, and is the oldest town in Luxembourg....
and writer of a history of Luxembourg
Luxembourg
Luxembourg , officially the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg , is a landlocked country in western Europe, bordered by Belgium, France, and Germany. It has two principal regions: the Oesling in the North as part of the Ardennes massif, and the Gutland in the south...
, was born in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
.
After obtaining a degree in philosophy at the Pedagogy of the Lily in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, Bertelius was elected abbot of the Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Altmünster Abbey, Luxembourg, in 1573 and consecrated in 1576. On his orders the relics of John the Blind, Duke of Luxembourg and King of Bohemia, were buried there. In 1595 king Philip II of Spain
Philip II of Spain
Philip II was King of Spain, Portugal, Naples, Sicily, and, while married to Mary I, King of England and Ireland. He was lord of the Seventeen Provinces from 1556 until 1581, holding various titles for the individual territories such as duke or count....
appointed him abbot of the Benedictine monastery of St. Willibrord at Echternach.
The following year the abbey was pillaged by Dutch freebooters and Bertelius was taken prisoner and removed to Nijmegen. He was released only after a ransom payment. After his return, he devoted himself to literary work until his death. He was buried in a chapel of the monastery at Echternach.
Works
In 1581 Bertelius published a catalogue of the abbots of the Altmünster abbey and his Dialogi XXVI in regulam S. Benedicti. In 1595 the Catalogus et series episcoporum Epternacensium was printed. The year 1606 saw the publication of a treatise on the pagan gods worshipped by the ancient Germanic tribes (Deorum sacrifiorumque gentilium descriptio). The main work by Bertelius, however, is the Historia Luxemburgensis, printed in Cologne in 1605. This was the first history of Luxembourg.Apart from the Latin works by Bertelius, there exists a collection of drawings made by him which has been edited by Paul Spang.