János Zsámboky

Johannes Sambucus, actually János Zsámboky, more spelling variants Johann Sambucus, Joannes Sambucus, Joannes Bochius, PSI Sabucus (sic), Sambuci, Zsámboki, Jehan Sambucus, Ján Sambucus, Jean and John Sambucus Sambucus Pannonicus, (* July 25, 1531 or 30. July 1531 or June 1, 1531 in Trnava ( Trnava, Nagyszombat ), ( now Slovakia ), † June 13, 1584 in Vienna ) was a Hungarian physician, humanist scholar, polymath, poet, art collector and patron.

Life and work

Johannes Sambucus came from Trnava ( Nagyszombat, then in Hungary, now Trnava, Slovak Republic), was born there in July 1531.

He graduated first from 1542 in Vienna, Leipzig, Wittenberg, Ingolstadt, Strasbourg and Paris in a study of philology ( ancient languages ​​, law, history and philosophy). In particular, he was influenced by the works of Plato. In 1551 he reached the master's degree in philosophy from the University of Paris. From 1558 to 1564 travels took him to Venice, Padua, Genoa, Naples, Milan, Ghent and Antwerp. At the University of Padua, he turned to the study of medicine, became in 1555 the Medical Licentiate and settled as a physician in Vienna, which was then in 1560 it became a center well of the Hungarian scientific and cultural life.

During his stay in Italy Sambucus had a then popular art form that " Emblemata " met. Since he, connoisseur of antiquity and Latin Lore was a poet, he was offered here an ideal platform intellectual and artistic activity. 1564 appeared the first edition of his " Emblemata " within a short time followed by five more, which made him suddenly as a master of this form of literature internationally famous. He was the first Hungarian writer whose works have been translated into French and will soon be translated into English.

Sambucus prompted in Vienna in 1581 and the publication of the first edition of the Corpus iuris Hungarici. The principles contained therein, based on legal rules of antiquity, he added one of the foundations of the Hungarian legal system.

Soon became Sambucus court physician of Emperor Maximilian II, as well as the Imperial Council and Hofhistoriograf. From his evidence thereby obtained considerable fortune he lay down as a consequence the then largest private library of the world. The library contained numerous previously unknown ancient and contemporary Greek and Latin manuscripts ( among contemporary example Janus Pannonius and Antonio BONFINI ), whose texts he allowed the pressure in some cases even edited or through generous patronage. Many eulogies in the prefaces of the resulting prints proclaim it. He has published several maps and geographical descriptions herein, eg " Hungaria ," " Transilvaniae Descriptio " and " Illirium " and even wrote Latin poems. In addition, he had a large coin and art collection.

Sambucus led with numerous personalities of the humanistic spirit of his time, a letter correspondence. From it is also many translations and commentaries on works of Greek and Roman writers of antiquity, as well as essays on the history of Hungary come.

Johannes Sambucus died on June 13, 1584 in Vienna. In the Singer street in the 1st, House No. 3, a plaque is attached.

The collection of Sambucus formed the basis for the manuscript collection of the Austrian National Library.