Johann Albrecht Widmannstetter

Johann Albrecht Widmannstetter[1] (1506 in Nellingen/Blaubeuren near Ulm – March 28, 1557 in Regensburg), was a German humanist, orientalist, philologist, and theologian.

Life

Widmannstetter studied law, theology and oriental languages in Tübingen. After 1527, he continued his studies in Italy, in Turin, Naples and Rome, focusing on Syrian and Arabian. In 1533, Widmannstetter became secretary of the pope, first Pope Clement VII, then Pope Paul III. In the same year, he delivered a series of lectures in Rome, outlining Nicolaus Copernicus' theory to the pope and the cardinals.

After 1535, Widmannstetter was secretary of Cardinal Nikolaus von Schönberg. Impressed by Widmannstetter's lessons, the Cardinal wrote a letter to Copernicus in 1536, urging him to publish (which he would do only in 1543, shortly before his death).

The rest of his career was focussed on orientalism, to which he contributed a great deal, collecting hundreds of manuscripts in Hebrew and Arabic. Widmannstetter is considered to be a founder of European orientalism.

Selected work

Literature

In: Hans Joachim Kissling (ed.): Serta Monacensia. Leiden. Pages 200-244.
In: Festgabe der Bayerischen Staatsbibliothek für Emil Gratzl. Wiesbaden. Pages 96-120.

Notes

  1. ↑ Also called Widmannstadt, Johannes Albertus Widmanstadius or Widmestadius

External links

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