Robert of Ketton
Encyclopedia
Robert of Ketton (1110? – 1160?) was an English medieval theologian
, astronomer and Arabist
.
Ketton
, where Robert was either born or perhaps first took holy orders, is a small village in Rutland
, a few miles from Stamford
.
Robert is believed to have been educated at the Cathedral School of Paris
. In 1134 he travelled from France
to the East for four years with his fellow student and friend Herman of Carinthia
(also known as Herman Dalmatin). They visited the Byzantine Empire
, the Crusader States in Palestine
, and Damascus
. Both men were to become famous as translators from the Arabic. By 1141 Robert had moved to Spain
where the division of the country between Muslim and Christian rulers made it a natural base for translators. Some sources identify him with Robert of Chester
, who was also active in Spain as a translator in the 1140s.
Although he received support from the Church—he became Archdeacon
of Pamplona
in 1143—Robert's preference was for translating scientific rather than theological works. He is known to have studied Euclid
and to have translated the work of Al Battani and Avicenna
, and it seems that he would not have made the translation for which he is famous, that of the Qur'an
, without the encouragement of the French Abbot Peter the Venerable
, who wished to have access to Islamic texts. In 1142 Robert and other scholars met with Peter the Venerable, who was visiting Spain, and Robert set to work translating the Qur'an into Latin
. The translation was done by 1143; entitled Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete
, it was the first translation of the book into a European language and remained the standard well into the sixteenth century. The translation is not viewed by modern scholars as having been faithful, but rather includes some passages with distortions or exaggerations of the original Arabic.
The last record we have of Robert's career is that in 1157 he became a canon
of Tudela
. The city had been conquered by the Christians in 1119.
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...
, astronomer and Arabist
Arabist
This is an article about the western scholars known as Arabists, not the political movement Pan-Arabism.An Arabist is someone normally from outside the Arab World who specialises in the study of the Arabic language and Arab culture, and often Arabic literature.-Origins:Arabists began in medieval...
.
Ketton
Ketton
Ketton is a village and civil parish in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is located about eight miles east of Oakham and three miles west of Stamford in Lincolnshire...
, where Robert was either born or perhaps first took holy orders, is a small village in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, a few miles from Stamford
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
.
Robert is believed to have been educated at the Cathedral School of Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. In 1134 he travelled from France
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...
to the East for four years with his fellow student and friend Herman of Carinthia
Herman of Carinthia
Herman Dalmatin or Herman of Carinthia , also known in Latin as Sclavus Dalmata, Secundus, was a philosopher, astronomer, astrologer, mathematician, translator and author....
(also known as Herman Dalmatin). They visited the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, the Crusader States in Palestine
Palestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, and Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
. Both men were to become famous as translators from the Arabic. By 1141 Robert had moved to Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
where the division of the country between Muslim and Christian rulers made it a natural base for translators. Some sources identify him with Robert of Chester
Robert of Chester
Robert of Chester was an English arabist of the 12th century. He translated several historically important books from Arabic to Latin, by authors such as Abu Musa Jabir Ibn Hayyan and Al-Khwarizmi including:...
, who was also active in Spain as a translator in the 1140s.
Although he received support from the Church—he became Archdeacon
Archdeacon
An archdeacon is a senior clergy position in Anglicanism, Syrian Malabar Nasrani, Chaldean Catholic, and some other Christian denominations, above that of most clergy and below a bishop. In the High Middle Ages it was the most senior diocesan position below a bishop in the Roman Catholic Church...
of Pamplona
Pamplona
Pamplona is the historial capital city of Navarre, in Spain, and of the former kingdom of Navarre.The city is famous worldwide for the San Fermín festival, from July 6 to 14, in which the running of the bulls is one of the main attractions...
in 1143—Robert's preference was for translating scientific rather than theological works. He is known to have studied Euclid
Euclid
Euclid , fl. 300 BC, also known as Euclid of Alexandria, was a Greek mathematician, often referred to as the "Father of Geometry". He was active in Alexandria during the reign of Ptolemy I...
and to have translated the work of Al Battani and Avicenna
Avicenna
Abū ʿAlī al-Ḥusayn ibn ʿAbd Allāh ibn Sīnā , commonly known as Ibn Sīnā or by his Latinized name Avicenna, was a Persian polymath, who wrote almost 450 treatises on a wide range of subjects, of which around 240 have survived...
, and it seems that he would not have made the translation for which he is famous, that of the Qur'an
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, without the encouragement of the French Abbot Peter the Venerable
Peter the Venerable
Peter the Venerable , also known as Peter of Montboissier, abbot of the Benedictine abbey of Cluny, born to Blessed Raingarde in Auvergne, France. He has been honored as a saint but has never been formally canonized.-Life:Peter was "Dedicated to God" at birth and given to the monastery at...
, who wished to have access to Islamic texts. In 1142 Robert and other scholars met with Peter the Venerable, who was visiting Spain, and Robert set to work translating the Qur'an into Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
. The translation was done by 1143; entitled Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete
Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete
Lex Mahumet pseudoprophete is the translation of the Qur'an into Latin by Robert of Ketton...
, it was the first translation of the book into a European language and remained the standard well into the sixteenth century. The translation is not viewed by modern scholars as having been faithful, but rather includes some passages with distortions or exaggerations of the original Arabic.
The last record we have of Robert's career is that in 1157 he became a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
of Tudela
Tudela, Navarre
Tudela is a municipality in Spain, the second city of the autonomous community of Navarre. Its population is around 35,000. Tudela is sited in the Ebro valley. Fast trains running on two-track electrified railways serve the city and two freeways join close to it...
. The city had been conquered by the Christians in 1119.
External links
- Robert of Ketton's Qu'ran, the Latin text as edited by Theodor Bibliander (1550 revised edition).
- Robert in Spain http://libro.uca.edu/monastic/monastic12.htm
- Islamic perspective http://www.msgr.ca/msgr-2/Koran%20-%20Nativity%20-%2001.htm