Petrus Gillius
Encyclopedia
Petrus Gyllius or Gillius (actually Pierre Gilles) (Albi, 1490 – Rome
, 1555) was a French
natural scientist, topographer and translator. He travelled and studied the Mediterranean and Orient
, producing such works as De Topographia Constantinopoleos et de illius antiquitatibus libri IV, Cosmæ Indopleutes and De Bosphoro Thracio libri III, and a book about the fishes of the Mediterranean Sea
. Among others, he spent the years 1544 to 1547 in Istanbul
, where he had been sent by the French King Francis I
in order to find ancient manuscripts. Most of his books were published after his death by his nephew. He also translated Claudius Aelianus
in 1533. He died in Rome of malaria
, while he was following his patron, Cardinal Georges d'Armagnac
.
by Dorothy Dunnett
.
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, 1555) was a French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
natural scientist, topographer and translator. He travelled and studied the Mediterranean and Orient
Orient
The Orient means "the East." It is a traditional designation for anything that belongs to the Eastern world or the Far East, in relation to Europe. In English it is a metonym that means various parts of Asia.- Derivation :...
, producing such works as De Topographia Constantinopoleos et de illius antiquitatibus libri IV, Cosmæ Indopleutes and De Bosphoro Thracio libri III, and a book about the fishes of the Mediterranean Sea
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...
. Among others, he spent the years 1544 to 1547 in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, where he had been sent by the French King Francis I
Francis I of France
Francis I was King of France from 1515 until his death. During his reign, huge cultural changes took place in France and he has been called France's original Renaissance monarch...
in order to find ancient manuscripts. Most of his books were published after his death by his nephew. He also translated Claudius Aelianus
Claudius Aelianus
Claudius Aelianus , often seen as just Aelian, born at Praeneste, was a Roman author and teacher of rhetoric who flourished under Septimius Severus and probably outlived Elagabalus, who died in 222...
in 1533. He died in Rome of malaria
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
, while he was following his patron, Cardinal Georges d'Armagnac
Georges d'Armagnac
Georges d'Armagnac was a French humanist, patron of arts, Cardinal and diplomat deeply embroiled in the Italian Wars and in the French Wars of Religion.-Biography:...
.
Representation in fiction
Petrus Gyllius (as Pierre Gilles) plays a small but significant role in the book Pawn in Frankincense, part of the historical fiction series the Lymond ChroniclesLymond Chronicles
The Lymond Chronicles is a series of six novels, written by Dorothy Dunnett, which were first published between 1961 and 1975. The series is set in mid-sixteenth century Europe and the Mediterranean and tells the story of a young Scottish nobleman, Francis Crawford of Lymond, from 1547 through...
by Dorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett
Dorothy Dunnett OBE was a Scottish historical novelist. She is best known for her six-part series about Francis Crawford of Lymond, The Lymond Chronicles, which she followed with the eight-part prequel The House of Niccolò...
.
Further Reading
- Petrus Gyllius (Pierre Gilles), The Antiquities of Constantinople, trans. John Ball (1729; 2nd edn, Ithaca NY, 1988)
- Jonathan Harris, Constantinople (London, 2007)
- Laurence Kelly, A Travellers Companion to Istanbul (London, 1987)