Jakob Christmann (orientalist)

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Foreword by Christmann to the manuscript of De revolutionibus , 1603

Jakob Christmann (born November 1554 in Johannisberg , today Geisenheim ; † June 16, 1613 in Heidelberg ) was a German orientalist and university professor who also dealt with astronomical issues.

career

University of Heidelberg

Christmann, a Jew who converted to Christianity before 1578 , initially studied oriental studies at the Heidelberg Collegium Sapientiae from 1573 , where he became a teacher at the so-called Dionysianum . Then he joined the physician and humanist Thomas Erastus and followed him first to Basel and later back to Heidelberg University , where he obtained his master's degree. When in 1578 both refused because of their Reformed creed , the new Elector Ludwig VI. They had to leave the Lutheran university to sign the formula of the Agreement , which had been declared binding . Christmann went on a study trip that took him to Breslau , Vienna and Prague .

Casimirianum Neustadt

Finally, Christmann moved to the Casimirianum in Neustadt an der Haardt, founded in 1578 by the brother of the elector, Count Palatine Johann Casimir , as a reformed university . In 1582 he dedicated his Arabic grammar Alphabetum arabicum to the rector and the professors , which was apparently intended as a textbook for the students.

University of Heidelberg

When after the death of Louis VI. (1583) Reformed university teachers were accepted again in Heidelberg, Christmann was appointed professor of Hebrew there in 1584 . In addition, he compiled a catalog of the manuscripts of the French linguist Guillaume Postel , which have been kept in Heidelberg Castle since 1551 . In 1590 he published a new Latin translation of al-Farghani's astronomical textbook . From 1591 he also taught Aristotelian logic .

In 1602, Elector Friedrich IV appointed him rector of Heidelberg University. In 1608 he was given the first professorship for the Arabic language in Europe , a position he had requested as early as 1590.

Works and written documents

Tractatio geometrica de quadratura circuli , 1595

Books

  • Alphabetum Arabicum cum isagoge Arabice legendi ac scribendi . New town 1582.
  • Muhammedis Alfarganii Arabis chronologia et astronomiae elementa . Frankfurt 1590.

Letters

In the letter written in Latin to the “famous Mr. Imperial mathematician Johannes Kepler”, Christmann names this his “venerable friend”. The wording shows that both apparently had contact beforehand. There was probably other correspondence that has not survived.

Others

  • Preface of December 19, 1603 to Copernicus manuscript

The manuscript of the work De revolutionibus by Nicolaus Copernicus was initially the following Christmann handwritten and signed Latin Preface: Venerable et eximii iuris utriusque Doctoris D (omi) ni Nicolai Copernick Canonici Varmiensis in Borussia Germaniae mathematici celeberrimi opus ... Translated is this: The Lord Nicolaus Copernicus, the venerable and outstanding doctor of both rights, the Warmia canon in German-Prussia and the highly famous mathematician's work ...
Since 1953 the manuscript has been under the signature Ms. BJ. 10,000 in the Bibliotheca Jagellonica of the University of Krakow .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Friedrich WE Roth: Jakob Christmann, a Heidelberg professor 1554-1613. P. 180 , accessed on July 29, 2020 .
  2. ↑ Jakob Christmann: Original letter . Heidelberg April 11, 1604 (kept in the Austrian National Library , Cod. 10702, Bl. 239–240).
  3. ↑ Jakob Christmann: Jakob Christmann to Johannes Kepler. April 11, 1604, retrieved on June 20, 2018 (original text of the letter).
  4. ↑ Jakob Christmann: Foreword. (No longer available online.) December 19, 1603, archived from the original on June 7, 2011 ; Retrieved January 7, 2013 (illustration of the original entry).
personal data
SURNAME Christmann, Jakob
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Orientalist Reformed Creed
DATE OF BIRTH November 1554
PLACE OF BIRTH Johannisberg , today Geisenheim
DATE OF DEATH June 16, 1613
Place of death Heidelberg