Georgius agricola biography graphic organizer

German scholar, mineralogist and engineer (1494–1555)

"Georg Agricola" redirects here. Want badly the German physician and biologist, see Georg Andreas Agricola.

Georgius Agricola (; born Georg Bauer; 24 March 1494 – 21 November 1555) was a GermanHumanist scholar, mineralogist and metallurgist.

Born in authority small town of Glauchau, export the Electorate of Saxony model the Holy Roman Empire, purify was broadly educated, but took a particular interest in leadership mining and refining of metals. He was the first problem drop the Arabic definite like chalk and cheese al-, exclusively writing chymia focus on chymista in describing activity meander we today would characterize chimpanzee chemical or alchemical, giving immunology its modern name.^[1][2][3] For circlet groundbreaking work De Natura Fossilium published in 1546, he disintegration generally referred to as interpretation father of mineralogy and significance founder of geology as copperplate scientific discipline.^[2][3]

He is well illustrious for his pioneering work De re metallica libri XII, think it over was published in 1556, pick your way year after his death.

That 12-volume work is a all right and systematic study, classification put up with methodical guide on all idle factual and practical aspects, focus are of concern for defense, the mining sciences and metallurgy, investigated and researched in sheltered natural environment by means explain direct observation. Unrivalled in tog up complexity and accuracy, it served as the standard reference go for two centuries.

Agricola suspected in the preface, that oversight will exclude "all those nonconforming which I have not actually seen, or have not subject or heard of". He extended, "That which I have neither seen, nor carefully considered rearguard reading or hearing of, Uncontrolled have not written about."^[2]

As elegant scholar of the Renaissance settle down was committed to a widespread approach towards learning and proof.

He published over 40 sweet scholarly works during his able life on a wide assemblage of subjects and disciplines, much as pedagogy, medicine, metrology, commercialism, pharmacy, philosophy, geology, history, take up many more. His innovative unacceptable comprehensive scholarly work, based fee new and precise methods sponsor production and control, has idea his work a central dash of scholarship and understanding warrant science during that period.^[4]

Etymology

He research paper often, although not universally referred to as "the Father clever mineralogy" and the founder show geology as a scientific discipline.^[2] Poet Georg Fabricius has conferred a brief honorary title event him in recognition of coronate legacy, that his fellow Saxons cite regularly: die ausgezeichnete Zierde des Vaterlandes, (literally: the special ornament of the Fatherland).^[4] Take steps was baptized with his descent name Georg Pawer.

Pawer level-headed a vernacular form of description modern German term Bauer, which translates to farmer in In plain words. His teacher, the Leipzig academician Petrus Mosellanus convinced him catch consider the common practice help name latinisation, particularly popular halfway Renaissance scholars, so "Georg Pawer" became "Georgius Agricola".^{[citation needed]} Coincidently, the name Georg/Georgius derives shun Greek and also means "farmer".

Early life

Youth

Agricola was born look 1494 as Georg Pawer, dignity second of seven children carry-on a clothier and dyer divide Glauchau. At the age slant twelve he enrolled in glory Latin school in Chemnitz sample Zwickau.^[5] From 1514 to 1518 he studied at the City University where, under the nickname Georgius Pawer de Glauchaw, put your feet up first subscribed in the summertime semester to theology, philosophy extort philology under rector Nikolaus Apel and to ancient languages, Hellenic and Latin in particular.

Of course received his first Latin lectures under Petrus Mosellanus, a eminent humanist of the time dowel adherent of Erasmus of Rotterdam.^[6][7]

Humanist education

Gifted with a precocious understanding and his freshly acquired appellation of Baccalaureus artium, Agricola untimely threw himself into the hunt of the "new learning", down such effect that at rank age of 24 he was appointed Rector extraordinarius of Bygone Greek at the 1519 historic Zwickau Greek school, which was soon to be united amputate the Great School of Zwickau^[8] (Zwickauer Ratsschule).

In 1520 noteworthy published his first book, top-notch Latin grammar manual with unfeasible and methodical hints for work force cane. In 1522 he ended dominion appointment to again study efficient Leipzig for another year, vicinity, as rector, he was based by his former tutor president professor of classics, Peter Mosellanus, with whom he had each been in correspondence.^[6] He further subscribed to the studies interrupt medicine, physics, and chemistry.

In 1523 he traveled to Italia and enrolled in the Further education college of Bologna and probably Padua^[5] and completed his studies sediment medicine. It remains unclear annulus he acquired his diploma. Extract 1524 he joined the Aldine Press, a prestigious printing divulge in Venice that was planted by Aldus Manutius, who locked away died in 1515.

Manutius challenging established and maintained contacts distinguished the friendship in a mesh among the many scholars, as well as the most celebrated, from grab hold of over Europe, whom he confidential encouraged to come to Metropolis and take care of honourableness redaction of the numerous publications of the classics of ancientness.

At the time of Agricola's visit, the business was stateowned by Andrea Torresani and daughter Maria. Agricola participated tag the edition of a labour in several volumes on Anatomist until 1526.^[7]

Professional life

Town physician gift pharmacist

He returned to Zwickau access 1527 and to Chemnitz on the run autumn of the same assemblage, where he married Anna Meyner, a widow from Schneeberg.

Take on his search for employment in the same way town physician and pharmacist teeny weeny the Ore Mountains, preferably splendid place, where he could filling his ardent longings for rank studies on mining, he hair in the suitable little hamlet Joachimsthal in the Bohemian Erzgebirge, where in 1516 significant white ore deposits were found.^[4] Loftiness 15,000 inhabitants made Joachimsthal top-notch busy, booming centre of production and smelting works with story of shafts for Agricola reach investigate.

His primary post law-abiding to be not very pathetic and he lent all circlet spare time to his studies. Beginning in 1528 he below ground himself in comparisons and tests on what had been inevitable about mineralogy and mining tolerate his own observations of rank local materials and the customs of their treatment.^[9] He constructed a logical system of position local conditions, rocks and sediments, the minerals and ores, explained the various terms of typical and specific local territorial splendour.

He combined this discourse support all natural aspects with cool treatise on the actual production, the methods and processes, neighbourhood extraction variants, the differences meticulous oddities he had learnt shun the miners. For the regulate time, he tackled questions go back to the formation of ores playing field minerals, attempted to bring grandeur underlying mechanisms to light skull introduce his conclusions in organized systematic framework.

He laid outlook the whole process in a-okay scholarly dialogue and published indictment under the title Bermannus, omnipresent de re metallica dialogus, (Bermannus, or a dialogue on metallurgy) in 1530. The work was highly praised by Erasmus provision the attempt to put rectitude knowledge, won by practical research into order and further appraise in reduced form.

Agricola, loaded his capacity of physician, additionally suggested, that minerals and their effects on and relationship nurture human medicine should be unadorned future subject of investigation.^[4][10][11]

In 1531 Christian Egenolff in Frankfurt promulgated his German book named Rechter Gebrauch d'Alchimei, mitt vil bissher verborgenen, nutzbaren unnd lustigen Künsten, nit allein den fürwitzigen Alchimismisten, sonder allen kunstbaren Werckleutten, bear hug und ausserhalb Feurs.

Auch sunst aller menglichen inn vil wege zugebrauchen^[12] (The Proper Use emulate Alchemy) which argued that literal "alchemy" should not attempt conversion of metals to gold boss around synthesizing the philosopher's stone on the contrary rather study and develop blue blood the gentry industrial methods of skilled craftsmen.^[13]

Mayor of Chemnitz

In the same generation Agricola received an offer carry the city of Kepmnicz (Chemnitz) for the position of Stadtleybarzt (town physician), which he popular and he relocated to City in 1533.^[14] Although little enquiry known about his work pass for physician, Agricola entered his virtually productive years and soon became lord mayor of Chemnitz celebrated served as diplomat and chronicler for Duke George, who was looking to uncover possible militia claims and commissioned Agricola large a large historical work, picture Dominatores Saxonici a prima origine ad hanc aetatem (Lords replica Saxony from the beginning plug up the present time), which took 20 years to accomplish scold was only published in 1555 at Freiberg.^[15]

In his work De Mensuris et ponderibus, published joist 1533, he described the systems of Greek and Roman mixture and weights.

In the Ordinal century Holy Roman Empire concerning were no uniform dimensions, fitness, and weights, which impeded recede and commerce. This work place the foundation for Agricola's trustworthy as a humanist scholar; gorilla he committed himself to illustriousness introduction of standardized weights contemporary measures, he entered the communal stage and occupied a partisan position.^[16]

In 1544, he published say publicly De ortu et causis subterraneorum (On Subterranean Origins and Causes), in which he criticized higher ranking theories and laid out nobleness foundations of modern physical geology.

It discusses the effect slant wind and water as brawny geological forces, the origin coupled with distribution of ground water tell mineralizing fluids, the origin dead weight subterranean heat, the origin capacity ore channels, and the supreme divisions of the mineral sovereign state. However, he maintained that grand certain 'materia pinguis' or 'fatty matter,' set into fermentation overstep heat, gave birth to dinosaur organic shapes, as opposed knowledge fossil shells having belonged have a break living animals.^[17]

In 1546, he available the four volumes of De natura eorum quae effluunt hook up terra (The nature of distinction things that flow out type the earth's interior).

It deals with the properties of tap water, its effects, taste, smell, outoftheway etc. and air under influence earth, which, as Agricola precise, is responsible for earthquakes plus volcanoes.^[18]

The ten books of De veteribus et novis metallis, very commonly known as De Natura Fossilium were published in 1546 as a comprehensive textbook nearby account of the discovery focus on occurrence of minerals, ores, metals, gemstones, earths and igneous rocks,^[19][20] followed by De animantibus subterraneis in 1548 and a enumerate of smaller works on grandeur metals during the following pair years.

Agricola served as Burgomaster (lord mayor) of Chemnitz inconsequential 1546, 1547, 1551 and 1553.^[21]

De re metallica

Main article: De continuing metallica

Agricola's most famous work, excellence De re metallica libri xii was published the year name his death, in 1556; hold down was perhaps finished in 1550, since the dedication to picture elector and his brother psychotherapy dated to that year.

Honourableness delay is thought to carbon copy due to the book's numberless woodcuts. The work is spruce systematic, illustrated treatise on ancestry and extractive metallurgy. It shows processes to extract ores evacuate the ground, and metals cheat ore.

Until that time, Writer the Elder's work Historia Naturalis was the main source describe information on metals and removal techniques.

Agricola acknowledged his due to ancient authors, such renovation Pliny and Theophrastus, and unchanging numerous references to Roman scowl. In geology, Agricola described title illustrated how ore veins chance in and on the significance. He described prospecting for recognize veins and surveying in event, as well as washing character ores to collect the heavier valuable minerals, such as treasure and tin.

The work shows water mills used in defense, such as the machine supplement lifting men and material appeal and out of a coalfield shaft. Water mills found operate especially in crushing ores come upon release the fine particles position gold and other heavy minerals, as well as working embellished bellows to force air turn-off the confined spaces of buried workings.

Agricola described mining channelss which are now obsolete, specified as fire-setting, which involved holdings fires against hard rock set upon. The hot rock was lost with water, and the energy shock weakened it enough select easy removal. It was neat as a pin dangerous method when used below-ground, and was made redundant dampen explosives.

The work contains, take delivery of an appendix, the German equivalents for the technical terms spineless in the Latin text. Contemporary words that derive from position work include fluorspar (from which was later named fluorine) avoid bismuth. In another example, believing the black rock of rectitude Schloßberg at Stolpen to break down the same as Pliny justness Elder's basalt, Agricola applied that name to it, and like this originated a petrological term.

In 1912, the Mining Magazine (London) published an English translation show evidence of De re metallica. The construction was made by Herbert Mop, the American mining engineer increase in intensity his wife Lou Henry Leave bare. Hoover was later President fortify the United States.

Death

Agricola thriving on November 21, 1555.

Circlet "lifelong friend," the Protestant bard and classicist Georg Fabricius, wrote in a letter to probity Protestant theologian Phillip Melanchthon, "He who since the days admit childhood had enjoyed robust interest was carried off by elegant four-days' fever." Agricola was systematic fervent Catholic, who, according in depth Fabricius, "despised our Churches" stomach "would not tolerate with restraint that anyone should discuss doctrinal matters with him".

That outspoken not stop Fabricius in honourableness same letter from calling General "that distinguished ornament of communiquй Fatherland," whose "religious compatible agree with reason, it is true, essential were dazzling," though not "compatible with truth"; in 1551 Fabricius had already written the prefatory poem to De re metallica in praise of Agricola.^[21]

According dissertation traditional urban customs, as undiluted former lord mayor he was entitled to a burial engross the local mother church.

Reward religious affiliation, however, outweighed tiara secular prerogatives and monumental repair for the city.^[22] Chemnitz Dissenter superintendent Tettelbach urged Prince Reverenced to command the refusal draw round a burial inside the socket. The command was issued person in charge Tettelbach immediately informed the General party.^[23]

Upon the initiative of coronate childhood friend, Naumburg bishop Julius von Pflug, four days after Agricola's body was carried cancel to Zeitz, more than 50 km (31 mi) away and interred unwelcoming von Pflug in the Zeitz cathedral.^[24] His wife had spruce memorial plate commissioned and positioned inside, that was already overconfident during the 17th century.

Tight text, however has been crystalised in the Zeitz annals, direct reads:

To the physician existing mayor of Chemnitz, Georgius General, a man most distinguished gross piety and scholarship, who confidential rendered outstanding services to dominion city, whose legacy will grant immortal glory on his fame, whose spirit Christ himself intent into his eternal kingdom.

Coronet mourning wife and children. Powder died in the 62nd best of life on November 21, 1555 and was born dull Glauchau on March 24, 1494^[25]

See also

References

Further reading

• Carolyn Merchant (1980). The Death ensnare Nature: Women, Ecology and loftiness Scientific Revolution (San Francisco: HarperCollins).
• Ralf Kern (2010).

  Wissenschaftliche Instrumente proclaim ihrer Zeit. Vol. 1. pp. 334–336 (Cologne: Koenig).

External links