Ortwin
Encyclopedia
Hardwin von Grätz, known as Ortuinus Gratius or Ortwin (1475 – May 22, 1542), was a German humanist
scholar and theologian.
Ortwin was born in Holtwick
(now in the District of Coesfeld
, Westphalia
) and died in Cologne
.
(it was for this reason that he generally called himself "Daventriensis"). He was educated at the local school, by Alexander Hegius. In 1501 he went to the University of Cologne
to pursue his philosophical studies.
As a member of the Kuyk Burse, Ortwin became licentiate in 1505, magister in 1506, and professor artium in 1507. His salary as professor being insufficient, he accepted the position of skilled adviser and corrector in the Quentell printing establishment, where many classical authors of the Middle Ages were published under his direction. These, according to usage, he provided with introductions and rhymed dedications.
As a disciple of Hegius, Ortwin was a humanist and adherent of Peter of Ravenna; he also enjoyed the friendship of prominent intellectuals. But things soon changed. He was attacked bitterly by the younger generation, especially Hermann von dem Busche
, on account of his taking the part of the Cologne University theologians and the Dominicans
on the occasion of the Reuchlin controversy, as well as on account of his Latin translations of various writings of the Jewish convert, Pfefferkorn
.
Ortwin had at that time just finished a literary tournament with von dem Busche, and had been made the laughing-stock of the literary world by the venomous Epistolae obscurorum virorum, which were addressed to him.. His adversaries succeeded in vilifying him from both the moral and scientific standpoints, denouncing him as a drunkard and guilty of other vices, and as an incompetent Latin and Greek scholar. He ignored the attacks, and did not defend himself from the beginning. He only attacked his defamers when Pope Leo X
excommunicated the author, readers, and disseminators of the Epistolae (1517). His defence, entitled Lamentationes obscurorum virorum, was very weak and missed its mark, so that the portrayal of his character remained distorted up to modern times. In 1520 he was ordained to the priesthood and devoted himself thenceforth entirely to literary work.
, compiled to expose the noxious elements in the Church's organism, and prepare a way for a future council to remedy them. It has been wrongly claimed that this work, put on the Index on account of its anticlerical tendency, was not from the pen of Gratius.
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
scholar and theologian.
Ortwin was born in Holtwick
Rosendahl
Rosendahl is a municipality in the district of Coesfeld in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is located approx. north-west of Coesfeld....
(now in the District of Coesfeld
Coesfeld (district)
Coesfeld is a Kreis in the northwestern part of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, west of the city of Münster. Neighboring districts are Steinfurt, district-free Münster, Warendorf, district-free Hamm, Unna, Recklinghausen, Borken.- History :...
, Westphalia
Westphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
) and died in Cologne
Cologne
Cologne is Germany's fourth-largest city , and is the largest city both in the Germany Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia and within the Rhine-Ruhr Metropolitan Area, one of the major European metropolitan areas with more than ten million inhabitants.Cologne is located on both sides of the...
.
Life
He belonged to an impoverished noble family, and was brought up in the house of his uncle Johannes von Grätz at DeventerDeventer
Deventer is a municipality and city in the Salland region of the Dutch province of Overijssel. Deventer is largely situated on the east bank of the river IJssel, but also has a small part of its territory on the west bank. In 2005 the municipality of Bathmen Deventer is a municipality and city in...
(it was for this reason that he generally called himself "Daventriensis"). He was educated at the local school, by Alexander Hegius. In 1501 he went to the University of Cologne
University of Cologne
The University of Cologne is one of the oldest universities in Europe and, with over 44,000 students, one of the largest universities in Germany. The university is part of the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, an association of Germany's leading research universities...
to pursue his philosophical studies.
As a member of the Kuyk Burse, Ortwin became licentiate in 1505, magister in 1506, and professor artium in 1507. His salary as professor being insufficient, he accepted the position of skilled adviser and corrector in the Quentell printing establishment, where many classical authors of the Middle Ages were published under his direction. These, according to usage, he provided with introductions and rhymed dedications.
As a disciple of Hegius, Ortwin was a humanist and adherent of Peter of Ravenna; he also enjoyed the friendship of prominent intellectuals. But things soon changed. He was attacked bitterly by the younger generation, especially Hermann von dem Busche
Hermann von dem Busche
Hermann von dem Busche was a German humanist writer, known for his Vallum humanitatis . He was a pupil of Rudolph von Langen...
, on account of his taking the part of the Cologne University theologians and the Dominicans
Dominican Order
The 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...
on the occasion of the Reuchlin controversy, as well as on account of his Latin translations of various writings of the Jewish convert, Pfefferkorn
Pfefferkorn
, German painter , German physicist S. J. , German Jesuit, missionary and natural scientist...
.
Ortwin had at that time just finished a literary tournament with von dem Busche, and had been made the laughing-stock of the literary world by the venomous Epistolae obscurorum virorum, which were addressed to him.. His adversaries succeeded in vilifying him from both the moral and scientific standpoints, denouncing him as a drunkard and guilty of other vices, and as an incompetent Latin and Greek scholar. He ignored the attacks, and did not defend himself from the beginning. He only attacked his defamers when Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X
Pope Leo X , born Giovanni di Lorenzo de' Medici, was the Pope from 1513 to his death in 1521. He was the last non-priest to be elected Pope. He is known for granting indulgences for those who donated to reconstruct St. Peter's Basilica and his challenging of Martin Luther's 95 Theses...
excommunicated the author, readers, and disseminators of the Epistolae (1517). His defence, entitled Lamentationes obscurorum virorum, was very weak and missed its mark, so that the portrayal of his character remained distorted up to modern times. In 1520 he was ordained to the priesthood and devoted himself thenceforth entirely to literary work.
Works
The magnum opus of his literary activity is: Fasciculus rerum expetendarum ac fugiendarum (Cologne, 1535), a collection of sixty-six more or less weighty treatises of various authors on ecclesiastical and profane history, dogma and canon lawCanon law
Canon law is the body of laws & regulations made or adopted by ecclesiastical authority, for the government of the Christian organization and its members. It is the internal ecclesiastical law governing the Catholic Church , the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches, and the Anglican Communion of...
, compiled to expose the noxious elements in the Church's organism, and prepare a way for a future council to remedy them. It has been wrongly claimed that this work, put on the Index on account of its anticlerical tendency, was not from the pen of Gratius.