Johannes Wenceslai of Prague

Johannes Wenceslai of Prague (Czech Jenek Václavův z Prahy , also Jenek z Prahy ; Latin Ienco Wenceslai de Praga , also Iohannes Wenceslai de Praga ; * in Prague ; † around 1400 ) was a Bohemian theologian and philosopher . In 1382 and 1383/84 he was rector of Charles University . He also wrote several theological and philosophical writings.

Life

Johannes Wenceslai taught at the Artistic Faculty of Charles University from 1367 to 1377 . In 1382 he earned the degree of Baccalaureus in theology. In the years 1382 and 1383/84 he held the office of rector of Charles University. It was not until 1385 that he became a master of theology.

Johannes was one of the most important scholars of his time and was also an excellent mathematician. During his work at the university he supported the interests of the Bohemian university nation. Presumably for this reason he left his house and library to the Collegium Carolinum in his will .

In his literary work he wrote theological and philosophical writings, of which the commentaries on the writings of Aristotle are the most important. In addition to work on Biblical exegesis , he also wrote an interpretation of the Passion of Christ and a commentary on the sentences of Petrus Lombardus , which, however, has not survived.

Fonts (selection)

• Commentum super librum Aristotelis (Commentary on the writings of Aristotle)
  • De generatione et corruptione
  • De coele et mundo
  • De anima
  • De libris Politicorum

literature

• Jana Nechutová: The Latin Literature of the Middle Ages in Bohemia . Böhlau Verlag , Cologne 2007, ISBN 978-3-412-20070-1 , pp 280f.
• František Michálek Bartoš: Mistr Jenek z Prahy. 1936
• Vilém Herold: Komentář Mistra Jenka Václavova z Prahy k Aristotelovu spisu Politika. 1979