Maximilian Balzan
Encyclopedia
Maximilian Balzan was a minor Maltese mediaeval philosopher who specialised mainly in physics and art. He was also an accomplished theologian. He had a very successful administrative career, both in the civil as well as the ecclesiastical sphere, and he further gave a significant share in academic circles.
Balzan’s initial higher studies were almost certainly undertaken in view of his future service to the Order of Knights Hospitallers. He studied theology
, and canon and civil law. He thus became a lawyer, then judge, and later an uditore (a sort of minister) to the Order of Knights Hospitallers. He served under four Grand Masters: Nicholas Cotoner, Gregorio Carafa
(1680–90), Adrian Wignacourt (1690–97), and Ramon Perellos y Roccaful
.
Appointed ambassador to the German Emperor, Leopold I
, Balzan accomplished his duties so well that he was appointed a knight of the Holy Roman Empire
. During Gregorio Carafa
’s watch, he was instrumental in drawing up a new code of penal law.
When his wife died, Balzan became a priest. Thus, he was made Commendatory of the Jerusalemite clergy of the Order of Knights Hospitallers, and advanced to being appointed a deacon at the Bishop’s Cathedral at Mdina
, Malta
. It was during this period that Balzan gave his full contribution to teaching philosophy at the Cathedral studium. This was around 1699.
When Balzan died (1711), he was buried in St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
, Malta
. The inscription over his tomb was composed by his son John Baptist, who by that time was, like his father, Commendatory of the Jerusalemite clergy of the Order of Knights Hospitallers.
.
, is indeed out of line with mainstream Scholastic treatises. However, there is even more to Balzan’s mind. He investigates subject matters which no Scholastic generally would. All of this seems to indicate that Balzan was not content to repeat, mechanically, the method and doctrines of Scholastic academics. Though the style of Balzan’s work is basically Scholastic in nature and methodology, however he frequently leaves the beaten track and roams, almost freely, into uncommon spheres of thought.
The work is composed of an introduction and (in the Scholastic style) three ‘Questions’. All of these four sections are further divided into ‘Disputations’. In the introduction, Balzan explains the principles of physics (Disputation 1), and the principles of matter (Disp. 2). The first part (Question I) deals with metaphysics. It has an introduction on the nature of metaphysics, and two further sections (also called ‘Questions’, though they are clearly ‘Disputations’) dealing with two minor aspects of metaphysics. The second part of Balzan’s work (Question II) explores nature and art, which in itself is quite exceptional for any Scholastic. In Dispute I, he examines the relationship between nature and art; in Dispute II, the natural causes in general; and in Dispute III, the four Aristotelian causes in particular. The third part of the work (Question III) goes into the concepts of movement and rest. Balzan assignes to this subject the lion’s share of his manuscript. After a short introduction, he examines the concept of the infinite (Disputation 1); two qualities of movement: space (Disp. 2) and time (Disp. 3); the concept of a continuum (Disp. 4); the skies and the earth (Disp. 5); and the nature of the heavens (Disp. 6).
Life
Unfortunately, it is still not known where Balzan was born in Malta. He must have married young, though details of this marriage are yet historically unidentified. It is only known that he had at least one son, John Baptist Balzan, who later became a diocesan priest.Balzan’s initial higher studies were almost certainly undertaken in view of his future service to the Order of Knights Hospitallers. He studied 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...
, and canon and civil law. He thus became a lawyer, then judge, and later an uditore (a sort of minister) to the Order of Knights Hospitallers. He served under four Grand Masters: Nicholas Cotoner, Gregorio Carafa
Gregorio Carafa
Fra' Gregorio Carafa was the 62th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 1680 to 1690. Italian by birth, he was elected Grand Master after the death of Nicolas Cotoner. He is buried in the Italian Chapel in the Co-Cathedral of St. John, Valletta, Malta.-External links:*...
(1680–90), Adrian Wignacourt (1690–97), and Ramon Perellos y Roccaful
Ramon Perellos y Roccaful
Fra' Ramon Perellos de Rocaful was the 64th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta between 1697 and 1720. He lived in Malta in 1653, as soon as he entered the order. In 1658 he joined the board of the Master and in 1697 was elected Grand Master...
.
Appointed ambassador to the German Emperor, Leopold I
Leopold I
Leopold I may refer to:*Leopold I, Margrave of Austria , first Margrave of Austria*Leopold I, Duke of Austria , co-Duke of Austria and Styria with Frederick I...
, Balzan accomplished his duties so well that he was appointed a knight of the Holy Roman Empire
Holy Roman Empire
The Holy Roman Empire was a realm that existed from 962 to 1806 in Central Europe.It was ruled by the Holy Roman Emperor. Its character changed during the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, when the power of the emperor gradually weakened in favour of the princes...
. During Gregorio Carafa
Gregorio Carafa
Fra' Gregorio Carafa was the 62th Prince and Grand Master of the Order of Malta from 1680 to 1690. Italian by birth, he was elected Grand Master after the death of Nicolas Cotoner. He is buried in the Italian Chapel in the Co-Cathedral of St. John, Valletta, Malta.-External links:*...
’s watch, he was instrumental in drawing up a new code of penal law.
When his wife died, Balzan became a priest. Thus, he was made Commendatory of the Jerusalemite clergy of the Order of Knights Hospitallers, and advanced to being appointed a deacon at the Bishop’s Cathedral at Mdina
Mdina
Mdina, Città Vecchia, or Città Notabile, is the old capital of Malta. Mdina is a medieval walled town situated on a hill in the centre of the island. Punic remains uncovered beyond the city’s walls suggest the importance of the general region to Malta’s Phoenician settlers. Mdina is commonly...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. It was during this period that Balzan gave his full contribution to teaching philosophy at the Cathedral studium. This was around 1699.
When Balzan died (1711), he was buried in St. John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
Valletta
Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...
, Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The inscription over his tomb was composed by his son John Baptist, who by that time was, like his father, Commendatory of the Jerusalemite clergy of the Order of Knights Hospitallers.
Known work
Only one work of Balzan seems to have survived. It is in Latin, and bears the following title:- 1699 - Tractatus Physicæ (A Study of Physics). The manuscript is held at the DominicanDominican OrderThe Order of Preachers , after the 15th century more commonly known as the Dominican Order or Dominicans, is a Catholic religious order founded by Saint Dominic and approved by Pope Honorius III on 22 December 1216 in France...
Archives at Rabat, MaltaRabat, MaltaRabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
, marked as MS. A106. Its sub-title is In Universam Hippocratis et Aristotelis Physicam (A Study of the Physics of HippocratesHippocratesHippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
and of AristotleAristotleAristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His writings cover many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, linguistics, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology...
). No other works of Balzan are known to have existed accept this. Unfortunately, the manuscript has never been transliterated, much less translated into any modern language, or even freshly read and studied. This is indeed a pity. For, as can be gauged from details given below, Balzan seems to be a mind worthy of serious consideration. His manuscript is made up of 135 back to back folios, and full of interesting surprises.
The transcribers and custodian
The manuscript itself was not inscribed by Balzan but by two of his students, both clerics. They were John Francis Zammit and Dominic Zammit, who of course attended Balzan’s lectures and took down his teachings word for word. The transcription might have been endorsed by Balzan himself. Whatever the case, the document was conserved to posterity by Balzan’s own son, John Baptist, who later must have made a donation of it to the Dominicans at Rabat, MaltaRabat, Malta
Rabat is a village just outside Mdina, Malta. The name of the village is derived from the Arabic word for 'suburb': الرباط, as it was the suburb of the old capital Mdina. Half of the present-day village core also formed part of the Roman city of Melita, before the latter was resized during the...
.
Contents and originality
Balzan’s manuscript is an interesting piece of scholarship. In a way its content might also be considered quite original. For instance, the fact that Balzan took into consideration ancient medical theories, such as those by HippocratesHippocrates
Hippocrates of Cos or Hippokrates of Kos was an ancient Greek physician of the Age of Pericles , and is considered one of the most outstanding figures in the history of medicine...
, is indeed out of line with mainstream Scholastic treatises. However, there is even more to Balzan’s mind. He investigates subject matters which no Scholastic generally would. All of this seems to indicate that Balzan was not content to repeat, mechanically, the method and doctrines of Scholastic academics. Though the style of Balzan’s work is basically Scholastic in nature and methodology, however he frequently leaves the beaten track and roams, almost freely, into uncommon spheres of thought.
The work is composed of an introduction and (in the Scholastic style) three ‘Questions’. All of these four sections are further divided into ‘Disputations’. In the introduction, Balzan explains the principles of physics (Disputation 1), and the principles of matter (Disp. 2). The first part (Question I) deals with metaphysics. It has an introduction on the nature of metaphysics, and two further sections (also called ‘Questions’, though they are clearly ‘Disputations’) dealing with two minor aspects of metaphysics. The second part of Balzan’s work (Question II) explores nature and art, which in itself is quite exceptional for any Scholastic. In Dispute I, he examines the relationship between nature and art; in Dispute II, the natural causes in general; and in Dispute III, the four Aristotelian causes in particular. The third part of the work (Question III) goes into the concepts of movement and rest. Balzan assignes to this subject the lion’s share of his manuscript. After a short introduction, he examines the concept of the infinite (Disputation 1); two qualities of movement: space (Disp. 2) and time (Disp. 3); the concept of a continuum (Disp. 4); the skies and the earth (Disp. 5); and the nature of the heavens (Disp. 6).
Sources
- Mark Montebello, Il-Ktieb tal-Filosofija f’Malta (A Source Book of Philosophy in Malta), PIN Publications, Malta, 2001.