Lucas David

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Lukas David (* 1503 in Allenstein ; † April 1583 in Königsberg i. Pr. ) Was a German historian in Prussia.

Life

David studied at the University of Leipzig and completed his studies with the title Magister . From 1540 to 1549 he was the chancellor of the bishop of the Pelplin diocese , Tiedemann Giese . In 1549 David was appointed as a councilor to the ducal court in Königsberg.

There he began to work on his Prussian Chronicle from 1573 . This stretched from a mythical prehistoric age to 1475 and made David known far beyond the borders of his homeland. David's statement in the prologue to his work that he had collected material for forty years before writing his chronicle allows the conclusion that he was already conducting historiographical studies during his years of service. But it was not until the years under Duke Albrecht Friedrich that David received those unusual privileges that have raised expectations of his work so high. With ducal letters of recommendation he was allowed to freely travel and use archives in both parts of the country; typists were provided to him and finally all official duties were waived. He had - especially after Caspar Schütz's departure - the position of an official historiographer. However, it was not the mentally handicapped Duke or his administration but rather the Prussian estates who urged the project to be carried out in 1575 and 1578 in order to achieve a popular representation of the Prussian land in their favor. The ducal administration, on the other hand, saw their task as completed by placing an order with David.

Research has rated David's prologue , who advocates a critical review of all sources , highly: He is considered a “modern” historian who conducted source research . Research has turned away from the content of the chronicle itself, however, with disappointment, since by modern standards it remains as worthless as a source as the preceding country descriptions and country chronicles.

Remembering his own student days in Leipzig , David set up a foundation. Poor Allenstein students at the University of Leipzig should receive a scholarship from this.

Lukas David died in Königsberg at the age of 80.

Works

  • Prussian Chronicle, based on the author's handwriting, with historical and etymological notes added (edited by Ernst Henning). Eight volumes, Haberland, Königsberg, 1812–1817

literature

  • Udo Arnold : Studies on Prussian Historiography of the 16th Century. Dissertation. Bonn 1967.
  • Walther Hubatsch : Lucas David, the historian of his time. In: Erwin Nadolny: Southeast Prussia and the Ruhr area. Rautenberg & Möckel, Leer (East Friesland) 1954.
  • Walter Hubatsch:  David, Lucas. In: New German Biography (NDB). Volume 3, Duncker & Humblot, Berlin 1957, ISBN 3-428-00184-2 , p. 537 ( digitized version ).
  • Arno Mentzel-Reuters : From the chronicle of orders to national history. The development of the old Prussian regional historiography in the 16th century. In: Klaus Garber , Manfred Komorowski (ed.): Cultural history of East Prussia in the early modern period. (Early Modern Times, Volume 56). Tübingen 2001, ISBN 3-484-36556-0 , pp. 581-637.
  • Erich Maschke : The older historiography of the Prussian country. In: Erich Maschke (inlet), Walther Hubatsch (ed.) And Udo Arnold (arrangement): Scriptores rerum Prussicarum. Volume 6, 1968, pp. 1-21.
  • H. Schmauch: About the working methods and sources of Lucas David. In: Prussia. Volume 29. 1931.
  • Max Toeppen : History of Prussian Historiography by P. v. Dusburg except for K. Schütz, or: Documentation and criticism of the printed and unprinted chronicles on the history of Prussia under the rule of the German Order. Berlin 1853. Reprint: Walluf near Wiesbaden 1973.
  • Karl Lohmeyer :  David, Lucas . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 4, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1876, p. 785 f.
personal data
SURNAME David, Lucas
ALTERNATIVE NAMES David, Luke
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Prussian historian
DATE OF BIRTH 1503
PLACE OF BIRTH Allenstein
DATE OF DEATH April 1583
Place of death Koenigsberg i. Pr.