Valentin Thau

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Valentin Thau (born October 6, 1531 in Herbsleben , † June 10, 1575 in Leipzig ) was a German mathematician , astronomer and lawyer .

biography

In 1540 Valentin Thau was a student in Herbsleben. In 1543 he began his training in Schulpforta with a grant from the Herbsleben community . Valentin Thau was the third student in the Fürstenschule Landesschule Pforta, which was newly founded after the Reformation . In 1549 she was enrolled at the University of Leipzig . In 1553 he took the baccalaureus examination .

In 1555 the examination for a master's degree in philosophy followed . Valentin Thau began teaching at the University of Leipzig and studied further, mathematics and astronomy at

and law. On April 18, 1561, the examination for the Baccalaureus of both rights ( jurisprudence ) followed, ie of secular and ecclesiastical law.

At the express request and order of Elector August I of Saxony , after Hommel's death in 1562, the councils and the college of the University of Valentin Thau appointed the orphaned chair for mathematics and astronomy.

In 1562 Thau married the Leipzig citizen daughter Elisabeth Rhener, with whom he had two daughters.

Between 1563 and 1575 Valentin Thau was present at all examinations of the artist faculty , as examinator (examiner), as executor (supervisor), as claviger (staff member / auditor) or as promoter (professor who awards the doctorate). In 1564 he was elected dean of the artist faculty. He directed the baccalaureate and master’s exams for young students.

In a letter dated October 4, 1564, Elector August I commissioned him with the planning and manufacture of geometric measuring vehicles . With the financial help of the Elector, Thau built three copies of these, which were used to measure the roads in the Saxon territories. In ways surveys in Saxony by Adam Friedrich Zürner early 18th century, the mathematical calculations Thaus were reused for the production of geometric measuring carriage way, without giving the first designer.

Valentin Thau was in contact with the cartographer Bartholomäus Scultetus , who studied with Hommel. Like Thau, Scultetus dealt with astronomy and calendar reform.

1566 Valentin Thau was promoted to full professor of mathematics ( professor appointed) and vice chancellor chosen university. In 1574 he was elected dean of the artist faculty for the second time.

students

  • One of Hommel's students in mathematics and astronomy was Tycho Brahe, who had been matriculated in Leipzig since 1561. There is evidence that Brahe studied with Valentin Thau until his return to Denmark in 1565.
  • Paul Wittich studied mathematics and astronomy in Leipzig from 1563 to 1566 .

Trivia

Dr. Heinrich Zeyß reports documented

"... Valentin Thau ... whose extraordinary knowledge of the Greek language is praised and of whom it is said that he had a friendly correspondence with the Patriarch in Constantinople."

Publications

In 1565 Valentin Thau gave a description of the “Rheda geometrica” in his first Latin scientific treatise “ Elegia de dignitate et praestantia artis geometricae ” (Elegy on the dignity and excellence of geometric art), which is dedicated in gratitude to Elector August I of Saxony “, Known for its geometric measuring vehicle.

In his second Latin publication " Disputatio de circuli geometrici tetragonismo " (discussion of the quadrangularity of the geometric circle), Valentin Thau dealt with the circle calculations and mathematical knowledge of the Greek scholar Archimedes , reflected Copernicus .

1572 " Eis amphieterida tēn paschalian kai trishagia nikēteria amnu ... " (To the Easter annual festival and the three holy refuge ...). The Greek treatise contained a praise of Easter , which was precisely determined by the world era, the Egyptian calendar and the Olympiads according to Attic periods. The exact determination of the Easter date was a controversial issue in the 16th century; it was related to the upcoming calendar reform .

Two (lost) writings (" Hymnus anniversarius " and " In festum anniversarium paschale ") that were only published after his death also deal with the current theme of Easter.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ a b History of the market town Herbsleben, by Dr. Heinrich Zeyß, "Verlag der Thienemann'schen Hofbuchhandelung, Gotha, 1873,, PDF, page 74 Saxon State Library - Dresden State and University Library. Reprint ISBN 978-3-86777-268-6
  2. ↑ Landesschule Pforta, manuscript from 1479 and in the printed student directory from 1898
  3. ^ Matriculation of the University of Leipzig, Register Volume III, 1902, p. 867
  4. ↑ Catalog of the library of the Elector August 1574 is listed " A report by Mgr. Valentinum Taw of an instrument as one may call Triangulum " (fol. 85r).
  5. ↑ a b [ https://genealogy.math.ndsu.nodak.edu/id.php?id=127092 "Mathematics Genealogy Project" ] Mathematics Genealogy Project in English

swell

in addition to those listed above

  • Friis, FR: Tyge Brahe and Mathematicians Valentin Thaw in: Kulturhistoriske Studier, Issue 1 1904.
  • Yearbook of the Adam-Ries-Bund, Volume 2, edited by the board of the Adam-Ries-Bund e. V., Annaberg-Buchholz 2011 self-published, page 119 ff www.adam-ries-bund.de

Parish archive of the parish of Herbsleben:

  • Manuscript Charlotte Schneider, b. Grebehem.
  • Certified collection of written sources from archives
personal data
SURNAME Thau, Valentin
BRIEF DESCRIPTION German mathematician, astronomer and lawyer
DATE OF BIRTH October 6, 1531
PLACE OF BIRTH Autumn life
DATE OF DEATH June 10, 1575
Place of death Leipzig