Skyscript Astrology Forum

I dont know about anyone else but I sometimes find it a bit bewildering keeping up with all the astrologers during the medieval and early modern era. The field seems quite crowded at times. For hellenistic astrology Project Hindsight have already put out this handy online catalogue of important astrologers.

http://www.projecthindsight.com/reference/catalog.html

Benjamin Dykes translations are also highlighting the role of important Persian and Arabic astrologers. However, I thought it might be handy to do a DIY chronology of the main european astrologers in the medieval and early modern era. My focus is more those that left writings behind although knowledge of good practitioners is important too. Not everyone on my list is an astrologer-for example Saint Thomas Aquinas and Saint Albertus Magnus. However, these are figures with important views on astrology from the Church. Equally, some figures such as Thomas Digges or John Flamsteed were astronomers that were sympathetic to astrology.

Its obviously not a complete list but a starting point for others to expand upon. For my own reference I am adding personal notes about most of these astrologers. I have taken a liberty with nationalities. Clearly Italy and Germany were not united nations in this period. On the other hand I have listed astrologers in medieval nations that are now part of a larger state: eg. Scotland, Aragon etc.

We do seem lacking in Spanish, Portugese and eastern European astrologers from this era. No doubt an anglophile bias in our understanding. Please chip in with other suggestions. If you have any suggestions about any important figures you feel have been left out please post your comments.

NOTE: I WILL EDIT THIS LIST AS NEW CONTRIBUTIONS COME IN

Timeline of European Astrologers 1000CE-1800CE

12th Century CE

William of Conches (c. 1090 ? 1154) born Conches, Normandy, France.

Abelard of Bath (c. 1080 ? c. 1152) born England.

Rabbi Abraham ben Meir ibn Ezra (1089-1164) born Tudela, Aragon, (Spain)

Hildegard of Bingen (1098-1179), born Bermersheim vor der H?he, Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany)

Herman of Carinthia (c. 1100-1160) possibly Kor?ula island (Croatia) or in northern (central) Istria, (Croatia).

Gerard of Cremona (1114 -1187) born Cremona, Lombardy, (Italy)

Plato of Tivoli (Plato Tiburtinus) (12th century CE) born Tivoli, Lazio, (Italy)

John of Seville (12th century CE) born , Spain

13th Century CE

Michael Scot (c.1175 ? 1232) born Scotland

Johannes de Sacrobosco or Sacro Bosco (aka John of Holywood or Halifax?) , (c. 1195 ? c. 1256 CE) born England?, Scotland?

Guido Bonatti (L: Guido Bonatus) (c 1207-1296) born Forli, Emilia-Romagna, (Italy)

Saint Albertus Magnus (Albert von Bollst?dt) (c 1193/1206 ? 1280) born Lauingen, Bavaria, (Germany)

Johannes Campanus (I: Giovanni Campano) (1220?1296) born Novara, (Italy)

Saint Thomas Aquinas (1225 ?1274) born Aquino, Lazio (Italy)

Roger Bacon (c. 1214?1294) born Ilchester, Somerset, England

Leopold of Austria (13th CE) born Austria

Ramon Llull (E: Raymond Lull) (1232? 1315) born Palma, Majorca, Aragon (Spain)

Peter of Albano (I: Pietro d'Abano) (1257-1315), born Abano, Veneto, (Italy)

Cecco d?Ascoli (Francesco degli Stabili) (1257? 1327) born Ancarano, Abruzzo, (Italy)

14th Century CE

Peter d?Ailly (1351?1420) born Compi?gne , Picardy, France

John Ashenden (fl. C. 1360-1380) born England

John Abramius (fl. c. 1370-1390) born Byzantium

Anthony de Montulmo (I: Antonio de Montulmo) (late 14th century) Born Italy

15th century CE

George of Trebizond (L: Georgius Trapezuntius) (1395 ? 1472 or 1473) born Crete

Lorenzo Bonincontri (L: Laurentinius Bonincontrius), born San Miniato, Tuscany, Italy. (1410 ?1491)

George von Peuerbach (1423-1461) born Peuerbach near Linz, Austria.

Marsilio Ficino (1433-1499) born Figline Valdarno, Tuscany, (Italy)

Martin Bylica (1433-1493) born Olkusz, Poland

Johannes M?ller (L: Regiomontanus) (1436?1476) born K?nigsberg, Bavaria (Germany)

Albert Brudzewski, (P: Wojciech Brudzewski) (L: Albertus de Brudzewo) (ca 1445-ca 1497) , born Brudzewo, near Kalisz, Poland

John of G?og?w (P:Jan G?ogowczyk) (1445-1507), born G?og?w (G: Glogau), Lower Silesia, (Poland)

Johannes Lichtenberger (1458-1510 or 1503) born Green Bach , Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany)

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola (1463-1494) Born (Italy)

Johannes Angelus (1463 - 1512) born Aichen, Bavaria (Germany)

Johann(es) Virdung (ca 1465-1535) born Hassfurt, Bavaria, (Germany)

15th-mid 16th Century CE

Nicolaus Copernicus (P: Mikolaj Kopernik, G: Nikolaus Kopernikus) (1473 ?1543) born Thorn (P: Toru?), (Poland)

Luca Gaurico (L:Lucas Gauricus) 1476 ? 1558 born Rome, (Italy)

Johannes Schoener-(1477 -1547) born Karlstadt am Main, Bavaria, (Germany)

Georg Tannstetter ( aka "Collimitius") (1482-1535), born Rain, Swabia, Bavaria, (Germany)

Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486?1535) born Cologne, North Rhine-Westphalia, (Germany)

Paracelsus (Phillippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim)
(1493-1541) born Einsiedeln , Switzerland.

16th century CE

Philip Melancthon (G: Philipp Schwartzerdt) (1495-1565) born Bretten ,Baden-W?rttemberg (Germany)

Pier Angelo Manzo (pseudonym-L: Marcus Stellatus Palingenius or
I: Marcello Palingenio Stellato) (1500/1503?1543) born at La Stellata, near Ferrara, Emilia-Romagna, (Italy)

Gerolomo Cardano (F: J?r?me Cardan) (1501 ? 1576) born Pavia, Lombardy (Italy)

Nostradamus (F: Michel de Nostredame) (1503-1566) born Saint R?my, Provence, France

Francisco Guintini ( L: Franciscus Junctinus) (1522-1580 or 1590) born Florence,Tuscany, (Italy)

John Dee (1527?1608 or 1609) born London, England

Valentine Naibod (1523 ?1593) born Calau, Brandenburg, (Germany)

Johann (es) Garcaeus the Younger (1530-1574) born Wittenberg, Saxony-Anhalt, (Germany)

Claude Dariot (1533-1594) born Pommard, Burgundy, France

Thomas Digges (1543-1595) born England

Richard Forster (1546?-1616) born Coventry, England

Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) born Knudstrup Castle, near Svalov Denmark

Giordano Bruno (1548-1600), born Nola, near Naples, Campania, (Italy)

Simon Forman, (1552-1611) born Quidhampton, near Salisbury, Wiltshire, England.

Giovanni Magini (1555-1617) born Padua, (Italy)

John Napier (1550-1617) born Edinburgh, Scotland

16th-17th Century CE

Galileo Galilei (1564 ? 1642) born Pisa, Tuscany, (Italy)

Tommaso Campanella (1568 ?1639) born, Stignano ,Reggio Calabria (Italy)

Andrea Argoli (1570?1657) born Tagliacozzo, Abruzzo, (Italy)

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) born Weil der Stadt, Baden-W?rttemberg (Germany)

Robert Fludd, (17 January 1574-1637) born Bearsted, Kent, England.

Jean-Baptiste Morin ( L: Morinus) (1583 ? 1656) born Villefranche-sur-Sa?ne , Beaujolais , France

17th century CE

Placidus de Titis (I: Placido de Titi) (1603-1668) born Perugia, Umbria, (Italy)

William Lilly (1602-1681) born Diseworth, Leicestershire, England

John Booker (1603?1667) born Manchester, England

Marie Cunitz (1610 - 1644), born Lower Silesia, (Poland)

Richard Saunders (1613 ? 1692) born England

Nicholas Culpeper (1616 ?1654) born Isfield, Sussex , England

John Goad (1616-1687) born London, England

George Wharton-(1617? 1681) born Westmorland, England

Elias Ashmole (1617-1692) born Lichfield, Staffordshire, England

Christopher Ness or Nesse (1621-1705). born London, England.

William Ramesey (1626-) born London, England

John Gadbury (1627?1704) born Wheatley, Oxfordshire, England

John Blagrave born England

John Heydon (1629-ca. 1668), born London

Henry Coley (1633-1707) born Oxford, England

John Partridge (1644-1714) born East Sheen, Surrey, England

James Corss (??) born Scotland

John Flamsteed (1646?1719) born Denby, Derbyshire

John Whalley (1653-1724) born England

18th Century CE

Ebineezer Sibley (1751-1799 or 1800) born Bristol, England

Late 18th century-19th Century CE

John Worsdale (1766-1826) born Lincolnshire, England

James Wilson (fl. early 19th century)

Mark wrote:

15th century CE

Laurentinius Bonincontrius (1410-1502) born?

nice list, i will put aside.

Lorenzo Bonincontri, from San Miniato, Tuscany.

I will add Giovanni Magini (1555-1617) from Padova (Padua). Many like North say that he was the author of Placido house system, obviously on the ground it was the original Ptolemaic method.


I'm leaving a couple of days in order to hear Bezza on the great conjunctions, i will read you when I'm back

margherita

To Mark,

Thank you!

margherita wrote:I will add Giovanni Magini (1555-1617) from Padova (Padua). Many like North say that he was the author of Placido house system, obviously on the ground it was the original Ptolemaic method.

Just to clarify, North certainly didn't think it was the original Ptolemaic method! (Apologies for the off-topic remark.)

Martin Gansten wrote: Just to clarify, North certainly didn't think it was the original Ptolemaic method! (Apologies for the off-topic remark.)

I was waiting for such a comment from you, I know your opinion about Ptolemy house system
Anyway you are right in putting things better, obviously I meant that were Magini/Placido to support this idea.

margherita

We do seem lacking in Spanish, Portugese and eastern European astrologers from this era.

The only one I have is "the book of crosses" by Oneydalla (translated by order of Alfonso X)

Lorenzo Bonincontri, from San Miniato, Tuscany.

I will add Giovanni Magini (1555-1617) from Padova (Padua).

Thanks Margherita!

I would have added town of birth for the above list but its not always known in the older figures. I have gone back and added for for those I have available.

I plan to update information in the original post so hopefully this thread can be ongoing as people come up with new suggestions. I am also aware of a few omissions of my own I should have added.

Thanks for the information on Lorenzo Bonincontri. I was trying to hunt down information online on 'Laurentinius Bonincontrius' but it was scant. I do have the old track Project Hindsight translation of his book on elections but I didn't have it to hand.

Geographically there are massive gaps here. Is that a reflection of reality or simply our ignorance of what was happening? For example, what was happening in eastern europe during this era? The only person I have on the list is Copernicus. Apart from the towering figure of Tycho Brahe what did the Scandanavian countries offer us? Then there is astrology in the Byzantine world. I have added a couple of astrologers that moved west but there must have been many others. Astrology didn't die out in Byzantium before the fall of Constantinople in 1453. Indeed, the spread of classical scholars and their libraries were undeniably factors that kick started the Italian renaissance.

Spain and Portugal represent the other important route through which classical knowledge was transmitted across Europe. Indeed this could be called nothing less than a crosssroads of Islamic, Christian and Jewish cultures. Its little wonder that Michael Scot first set out for Spain to study at the universities of Toledo and Cordoba established by the Arabs.

Yuzuru wrote:

The only one I have is "the book of crosses" by Oneydalla (translated by order of Alfonso X)

If I understand correctly it was translated by order of Alfonso X from Arabic into Castilian in 1259 by Yehuda Al-Cohen. Was Oneydalla an astrologer based in Muslim Spain?

I suspected the lack of information on astrology in medieval eastern europe simply reflected lack of research available in English rather than its non-existence.

I was therefore pleased to come across this website by Darin Hayton. He is a historian of science at Haverford University, Pennsylvania, USA and his academic specialism includes the medieval astrology of Poland and Hungary.

http://www.haverford.edu/hist/faculty/h ... l#fortunes

Contrary to many standard astrological histories Poland and Hungary were significant centres of astrological activity in their own right during the medieval period. Noteable 15th century Polish astrologers listed by Darin Hayton include the following:

Maritn Krol, Martin Bylica, Jan Stercze, Johannes Glogau and Albertus Brudzewo

Martin Bylica in particular seems to have enjoyed particular prominence in his own time. His writings have been preserved in locations as distant as Paris, France and Novogorod, Russia.

To quote from the link:

In 1467 the Polish astrologer Martin Bylica arrived in Pozsony (Bratislava), where he and Regiomontanus took up chairs in astronomy at the fledgling university, the Academia Istropolitana. By the summer of 1468 he had succeeded in gaining Matthias Corvinus?s generous patronage and soon become the king?s chief advisor. Over the next two decades Bylica tirelessly accompanied Corvinus on military campaigns and diplomatic missions, served as liaison between Corvinus and the faculty at the University of Vienna, and helped to develop an observatory at Corvinus?s court in Buda.

Darin Hayton has also done research on Cracow University as an important centre of astrological study in medieval Poland.

Mark

margherita wrote:

Martin Gansten wrote: Just to clarify, North certainly didn't think it was the original Ptolemaic method! (Apologies for the off-topic remark.)

I was waiting for such a comment from you, I know your opinion about Ptolemy house system
Anyway you are right in putting things better, obviously I meant that were Magini/Placido to support this idea.

margherita

http://screencast.com/t/COMu0lMwm5
http://screencast.com/t/RTNmGqAypmeB


The Placidus house system is based essentially on an understanding of the directions by Ptolemy. Magini has shown in his book, "Primi Tabulea Mobile" by 1604, the calculation of the different directions in the way of Regiomontanus and also in "Ratio Ptolemy".

Hello Wolfgang,

Wolfgang wrote:
The Placidus house system is based essentially on an understanding of the directions by Ptolemy. Magini has shown in his book, "Primi Tabulea Mobile" by 1604, the calculation of the different directions in the way of Regiomontanus and also in "Ratio Ptolemy".

Obviously- to make Martin unhappy it should be the viam rationalem, quam iuxta Ptolemaei formam....


margherita

Hello Magherita,

in correct latin (as also in this book), you are absolutely right!

Wolfgang

Wolfgang wrote:Hello Magherita,

in correct latin (as also in this book), you are absolutely right!

I copied , but I will improve, at least I'm trying.

margherita