Bartholomaeus Anglicus
An exploration of the life and seminal work of a pivotal 13th-century Scholastic and Franciscan friar, whose encyclopedia laid groundwork for the dissemination of knowledge.
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Early Life and Education
Origins and Early Career
Details regarding the early life of Bartholomaeus Anglicus remain scarce. It is posited that he was born around the turn of the 13th century to parents whose identities are not recorded. His earliest documented presence is in Paris in 1224, where he served as an educator. There is also scholarly conjecture that he may have pursued studies at the esteemed University of Oxford.
Scholasticism and Franciscan Order
Bartholomaeus was a prominent figure within the Scholastic movement of the early 13th century. He was also a member of the Franciscan order, a mendicant religious order founded by Saint Francis of Assisi. This affiliation placed him within a vibrant intellectual and spiritual milieu that profoundly influenced medieval thought and education.
The Encyclopedia: *De proprietatibus rerum*
A Monumental Compendium
Bartholomaeus Anglicus is renowned for his magnum opus, De proprietatibus rerum (On the Properties of Things). Composed around 1240, this extensive work is considered an early precursor to the modern encyclopedia. It aimed to compile and synthesize the vast body of knowledge available during the Middle Ages, making it accessible to students and the general populace.
Structure and Scope
The encyclopedia is meticulously organized into 19 books, covering a remarkably broad spectrum of subjects. Bartholomew's approach was to systematically document the perceived properties and characteristics of entities across the natural and supernatural worlds. The work's comprehensive nature reflects the medieval worldview, integrating theology, natural philosophy, and practical knowledge.
Contents of *De proprietatibus rerum*:
- Book 1: On God and divine attributes.
- Book 2: On angels, both benevolent and malevolent.
- Book 3: On the soul, reason, and the mind.
- Book 4: On human physiology and bodily humors.
- Book 5: On the anatomy and parts of the human body.
- Book 6: On the stages of human life and domestic affairs.
- Book 7: On diseases, ailments, and poisons.
- Book 8: On the universe, celestial bodies, and cosmology.
- Book 9: On time, motion, and the measurement of temporal progression.
- Book 10: On matter, form, and the element of fire.
- Book 11: On the atmosphere, weather phenomena, and aerial elements.
- Book 12: On birds and their characteristics.
- Book 13: On water, aquatic environments, and marine life.
- Book 14: On the Earth and its physical geography.
- Book 15: On regions, provinces, and the known world.
- Book 16: On rocks, gems, minerals, and metals.
- Book 17: On plants, herbs, and trees.
- Book 18: On terrestrial animals and their behaviors.
- Book 19: On sensory qualities such as color, odor, taste, and liquids.
Influence and Dissemination
De proprietatibus rerum achieved significant popularity and wide circulation throughout the late Middle Ages and into the Renaissance. Its influence is evident in the numerous surviving manuscripts in Latin and French, as well as its translation into English by John Trevisa in 1397. The work was printed in multiple editions, solidifying its role as a key text for scholars and educated laypeople for centuries.
Foundational Sources
A Scholarly Tapestry
Bartholomew meticulously documented his sources, providing invaluable insight into the intellectual landscape of the 13th century. While some sources are now obscure, his annotations reveal the breadth of classical, patristic, Arabic, and contemporary works available to medieval scholars. The following is a compilation of the authors and texts cited within his work:
- Origen Adamantius
- Gilles de Corbeil
- Alain de Lille
- Albertus Magnus
- Abu Ma'shar al-Balkhi
- Alcuin
- Alexander Neckam
- Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Kathir al-Farghani
- Alfred of Sareshel
- Al-Ghazali
- Ambrose
- Anselm of Canterbury
- Archelaus (geographer)
- Aristotle
- Augustine of Hippo (Saint Augustine)
- Aurora (Petrus Riga)
- Averroes
- Solomon ibn Gabirol
- Avicenna
- Haymo of Faversham
- Basil of Caesarea (in Hexameron)
- Bede (works on the Calendar)
- Jean Beleth
- Bernard of Clairvaux
- Bestiarium (animal lore)
- Boethius (treatise on arithmetic)
- Callisthenes pseudo (Alexander romance)
- Cassiodorus (De Septem Disciplinis)
- Cato the Elder (On Agriculture)
- Calcidius (commentary on Plato's Timaeus)
- Cicero (In SOMN. SCIPIONIS)
- Constantine the African (Viaticum, Pantegna)
- Cyprian
- Damascene (11th century physician)
- John Damascene (Arab physician)
- Damascius (commentator on Aristotle)
- Pedanius Dioscorides
- Pseudo-Dionysius the Areopagite (De Coelesti Hierarchia, de divinis nominibus)
- Aelius Donatus (Grammarian)
- Euficius (c. 600)
- Fabius Planciades Fulgentius (Fulgentius of Ruspe)
- Galen
- Gilbertus Anglicus (Compendium Medicinae)
- Pope Gregory I (Moralia in Job)
- Haly (Arab physician)
- Hermes (in Alchemia)
- Hippocrates
- Huguccio (Jurisconsult, writer on Grammar)
- Hyginus, Pseudo- (Writer on Astronomy)
- Pope Innocent III
- Isaac Israeli ben Solomon (Arab physician)
- Isidore of Seville (Etymologiae)
- Jacques de Vitry (Historian)
- Jerome
- Joseph ben Gorion (Jewish History)
- Josephus (Jewish historian)
- Jorath (Syriac writer?)
- Lapidarium (Marbodius de Gemmis)
- Pope Leo IX
- Lucan (Poet)
- Aemilius Macer (or Odo Magdunensis) (De viribus herbarum)
- Macrobius (commentary on Somnium Scipionis)
- Martianus Capella (De Nuptiis Philologiae et Mercurii)
- Mashallah ibn Athari
- Methodius, Pseudo- (DE AGARINI)
- Michael Scot (translator of Aristotle)
- Misalath Astrologus
- Papias (lexicographer)
- Perspectiva Sciencia (Alhacen's De Aspectibus)
- Petrus Comestor (Historia Scholastica)
- Philaretus (writer on Medicine)
- Physiologus (animal lore compilation)
- Platearius Salernitanus (Johannes) (Practica)
- Plato (Timaeus, via Chalcidius)
- Pliny the Elder (Natural History)
- Priscian (Grammarian and physicist)
- Ptolemy (Astronomer)
- Rabanus Maurus (De Universo)
- Muhammad ibn Zakariya al-Razi (Arab physician)
- Remigius of Auxerre (Grammar)
- Richard of Saint Victor (Theologian)
- Richard Rufus of Cornwall (Doctor)
- Robert Grosseteste (Bishop of Lincoln)
- Salustius (Geographer)
- Schola Medica Salernitana (Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum)
- Secundus (writer on Medicine)
- Gaius Julius Solinus (Polyhistoria)
- Stephanus (Commentary on Galen)
- Walafrid Strabo
- Symon Cornubiensis
- Marcus Terentius Varro (Grammarian)
- Virgil
- William of Conches (De Natura)
- Zeno of Cyprus (writer on Medicine)
Ecclesiastical Roles and Influence
Leadership and Papal Service
Bartholomew Anglicus held significant positions within the Franciscan order and the Church. He was elected Minister of Austria in 1247 and subsequently Minister of Bohemia in 1255, a role that extended to Poland. In this capacity, he mediated disputes, demonstrating his diplomatic and administrative capabilities. His influence led Pope Alexander IV to appoint him as Papal Legate north of the Carpathian Mountains in 1256 and designate him as Bishop of Łuków. Although likely never consecrated due to the Mongol invasion of Poland in 1259, his ecclesiastical career was marked by considerable responsibility.
Later Years and Legacy
He continued his service as Minister at Saxonia from 1262 until his passing in 1272. Bartholomew's legacy is primarily tied to his encyclopedic work, which served as a vital conduit for knowledge transmission. It is important to note that he was occasionally conflated with Bartholomeus de Glanvilla, another Franciscan friar who lived a century later, highlighting the challenges in distinguishing historical figures of similar names.
Further Exploration
Resources for Deeper Study
For those interested in further academic inquiry into Bartholomaeus Anglicus and his monumental work, several resources offer valuable insights:
- Wikimedia Commons: Explore related media and visual materials.
- Project Gutenberg: Access digitized versions of his works.
- Digital Archives: View scanned editions of De proprietatibus rerum from various libraries, including historical printings and translations.
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References
References
- M.C. Seymour (ed.). On the Properties of Things: John Trevisa's Translation of Bartholomaeus Anglicus, De Proprietatibus Rerum, 3 vols., Oxford University Press, Oxford 1975-1988.
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This page has been generated by an Artificial Intelligence and is intended solely for educational and informational purposes. The content is derived from a snapshot of publicly available data, primarily from Wikipedia, and may not encompass the entirety of current scholarly understanding or historical detail. While efforts have been made to ensure accuracy and clarity, the information should be considered a starting point for further research.
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