Johannes Sleidanus
John Sleidanus, John also Philippson of Schleiden (* 1506 in Schleiden, † October 31, 1556 in Strasbourg ) was a lawyer and diplomat from the former Duchy of Luxembourg, to which the rule Schleiden belonged.
Life
Sleidanus was after his birth town of Schleiden, in the Duchy of Luxembourg (Spanish Netherlands ), named. He studied in Liege, at the University of Cologne and at the University of Leuven before he moved to in 1533 to study law in Paris and Orléans. After graduation, he was hired in 1540 by Francis I as a diplomat. In 1541 he took part in Regensburg ( Regensburg Colloquy ) and in 1544 at the Diet of Speyer in the Reichstag. Because of increasing intrigues of the French court in 1544, he moved to Strasbourg on. At that time he was already influenced Protestant, and in 1544 he undertook to write the history of the Reformation. Sleidanus was supported by Landgrave Philipp I of Hesse and by other Protestant princes. In the first years after the relocation to Strasbourg Sleidan continued working for Joachim du Bellay, while Martin Bucer and Jacob Sturm of Sturmeck for his attitude as inserting Reformation historian at Smalcald League. In the spring of 1545 Sleidan was formally employed as a diplomat, translator and historian of the Smalcald League and immediately began his work on the history of the Reformation. At the same time he had also fulfill his diplomatic obligations and was so about August to December 1545 sent to England to mediate in the peace negotiations between France and England. The Smalcald War 1546/47 meant for Sleidan first the end of his career, but he took advantage of the free time for the translation of another French historical work of Philippe de Commynes and a political work of Claude de Seyssel. 1551/52 represented Sleidan the city of Strasbourg as ambassador at the Council of Trent; as well as a facilitator for the imminent conquest of the city of Strasbourg by the French King Henry II ( 1552).
His major work on the political and religious conditions of the reign of Emperor Charles V was originally written in Latin, was published in 1555 in Strasbourg and has been translated into English five years later. It draws on a wide range of documents and is the best contemporary account of the Reformation. As a student of Philippe de Commynes, which he translated, Sleidanus was liberal-minded, surprisingly impartial and showed interest for the political background of the Reformation and the legal aspects of the positions of the German princes. Probably because of its objectivity was the work currently its publication is not very popular. " De quatuor Summis imperiis " and especially the " Commentaries " were the basis of modern history and shaped the Reformation research into the 20th century.
Works (excerpts)
- De statu religionis et rei publicae Carolo V. Caesare Commentaries (About the state of religion and the state under the Emperor Charles V ), 1555 ( continuously propagated and continued ), 1785-86 ed In the end, German 1771-73 by JS Semler in 4 vols. , important source work history of the Reformation
- De quattuor monarchiis, 1556 ( a textbook of world history from the perspective of the biblical doctrine of the four world empires )
- Locust Sleidani Opvscvla Qvaedam, Qvorvm Ipse partim Avctor, partim interpres. I, De quatuor Summis Imperiis Lib. III. II, Cl. Sesellii de Repub. Gallorum & regum officiis, libri II Latine Redditi. III, Summa doctrinae Platonis De Rep. & legibus. IV Orationes duae: una ad Carolum V. Caesarem; altera ad Germaniae Principes & Ordines Imperii. Omnia nunc primum simul ita iuncta opera & studio Heliae Putschii. Accesserunt Seorsum Commentarii & notae Guil. Xylandri in libros de IV Monarchiis, nunc primum in lucem editi. Hanau 1608 digitized.