Petrus Ravennas
Encyclopedia
Peter of Ravenna was an Italian jurist. He is now best known for his memorization techniques, published in a 1491 work Phoenix (Fenix) on the art of memory
, a work that received an early form of copyright
.
. He became Doctor of canon and civil law in 1472, and left Italy for Germany in 1497. He was then brought by Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania
to the University of Greifswald.
He was appointed professor of canon and civil law at the University of Cologne
in 1506. He was attacked by Jacob van Hoogstraaten
, in a legal controversy over the bodies of hanged criminals. The controversy, in 1507, was with the Cologne theological faculty, as a matter of demarcation. Peter repeated his views in a new edition of his canon law textbook. Hoogstraaten persisted, when Peter moved in 1508 to Mainz. He died soon afterwards.
He also held a controversial opinion on divorce
, believing that it was within the powers of the Pope.
, it was quickly adopted by Gregor Reisch
, and mentioned a little later by Johannes Romberch
. It was also a major influence on Giordano Bruno
.
The book offers a great deal of self-promotion by the author, who claims in it to have had a prodigious memory when young, able to memorise the whole civil law code at age ten. He had testimonials from Leonora of Naples
and Bonifacio del Monferrato
. His actual system has been analysed as based on alphabetical keys, and what amounts to a topical concordance.
Robert Copland
published a popular English translation, An Art of Memory That Otherwise Is Called the Phoenix, around 1548. This in turn influenced the Art of Rhetorique (1553) of Thomas Wilson
.
The Phoenix was still in print in the seventeenth century in England, and was referred to by Robert Burton
in his Anatomy of Melancholy.
Art of memory
The Art of Memory or Ars Memorativa is a general term used to designate a loosely associated group of mnemonic principles and techniques used to organize memory impressions, improve recall, and assist in the combination and 'invention' of ideas. It is sometimes referred to as mnemotechnics...
, a work that received an early form of copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
.
Life
He was a student of Alessandro Tartagni and then at PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
. He became Doctor of canon and civil law in 1472, and left Italy for Germany in 1497. He was then brought by Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw X, Duke of Pomerania
Bogislaw X of Pomerania, the Great, was Duke of Pomerania from 1474 until his death in 1523.Bogislaw was born in Rügenwalde into the House of Pomerania . His father was Eric II, Duke of Pomerania-Wolgast, his mother was the duchess Sophia of Pomerania, both distant relatives of the House of...
to the University of Greifswald.
He was appointed professor of canon and civil law at 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...
in 1506. He was attacked by Jacob van Hoogstraaten
Jacob van Hoogstraaten
Jacob van Hoogstraten was a theologian and controversialist, born about 1460, in Hoogstraeten, Belgium; died in Cologne, 24 January 1527.- Education, professor :...
, in a legal controversy over the bodies of hanged criminals. The controversy, in 1507, was with the Cologne theological faculty, as a matter of demarcation. Peter repeated his views in a new edition of his canon law textbook. Hoogstraaten persisted, when Peter moved in 1508 to Mainz. He died soon afterwards.
He also held a controversial opinion on divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, believing that it was within the powers of the Pope.
The Phoenix
It was published in Latin under the title Phoenix seu artificiosa memoria, in 1491 at Venice. It ran to many further editions and translations, as one of the most popular of the memory treatises. It remained influential for over two centuries. According to Frances YatesFrances Yates
Dame Frances Amelia Yates DBE was a British historian. She taught at the Warburg Institute of the University of London for many years.She wrote extensively on the occult or Neoplatonic philosophies of the Renaissance...
, it was quickly adopted by Gregor Reisch
Gregor Reisch
Gregor Reisch was a German Carthusian humanist writer. He is best known for his compilation Margarita philosophica.-Life:...
, and mentioned a little later by Johannes Romberch
Johannes Romberch
Johann Host von Romberch was a German Dominican, and writer....
. It was also a major influence on Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno
Giordano Bruno , born Filippo Bruno, was an Italian Dominican friar, philosopher, mathematician and astronomer. His cosmological theories went beyond the Copernican model in proposing that the Sun was essentially a star, and moreover, that the universe contained an infinite number of inhabited...
.
The book offers a great deal of self-promotion by the author, who claims in it to have had a prodigious memory when young, able to memorise the whole civil law code at age ten. He had testimonials from Leonora of Naples
Leonora of Naples
Eleanor of Naples was, by marriage, the first Duchess of Ferrara....
and Bonifacio del Monferrato
Boniface III, Marquess of Montferrat
Boniface III was marquess of Montferrat from 1483 until his death.-Biography:He was the son of marquis John Jacob and Joanna of Savoy. He succeeded his brother William VIII who had got involved in the War of Ferrara. When the conflict eastern front settled, Boniface had to face the advance of...
. His actual system has been analysed as based on alphabetical keys, and what amounts to a topical concordance.
Robert Copland
Robert Copland
Robert Copland , English printer and author, is said to have been a servant of William Caxton, and certainly worked for Wynkyn de Worde. The first book to which his name is affixed as a printer is The Boke of Justices of Peace , at the sign of the Rose Garland, in Fleet Street, London...
published a popular English translation, An Art of Memory That Otherwise Is Called the Phoenix, around 1548. This in turn influenced the Art of Rhetorique (1553) of Thomas Wilson
Thomas Wilson (rhetorician)
Thomas Wilson was an English diplomat, judge, and privy councillor in the government of Elizabeth I. He is now remembered for his Logique and The Arte of Rhetorique , an influential text...
.
The Phoenix was still in print in the seventeenth century in England, and was referred to by Robert Burton
Robert Burton
Robert Burton may refer to:* Robert Burton , Master of University College, Oxford, England * Robert Burton , English scholar and vicar* Robert Burton, Sr. , printing industry executive...
in his Anatomy of Melancholy.