Philipp Clüver

Philipp Clüver (also Klüwer, often Latinized as Philippus Cluverius; * 1580 in Gdansk, † December 31, 1622 in Leiden, Netherlands ) was a German geographer and historian, the strong influence on the revival of geographical science in Europe had, and as the founder historical geography applies.

Life

The son of Danzig mintmaster should be according to the will of the Father, lawyer and diplomat. At the age of 20 he was sent to study law to Leiden, where, however, he turned to under the influence of Joseph Justus Scaliger archeology and particularly since the ancient geography. This led to a break with his father. He became a soldier in Bohemia and fought as such in Hungary against the Turks. 1607-1613 he toured much of Europe, where he was supported by his mother secretly. In London he met the humanist Isaac Casaubon and married there too. In 1615 he settled permanently in Leiden, where he as geographus Academicus in the following years was permanently employed with a salary of 500 florins. 1617-1618 he traveled once more, and indeed walking through Italy and Sicily. His writings have been published by the then still relatively young publisher Elsevier, which earned them not bad, but the children of the early deceased unsupported.

Work

Clüver approached the geography of the history and the classical authors. Among his most important works, the Introductio heard in Universam Geographiam ( introduction to universal geography ) of 1624th The first of six volumes dealing generally with the earth, but his fame is based more on the other five volumes. They contain brief descriptions of the countries, with emphasis on a human and historical perspective. This Introductio remained until the mid-18th century, a standard work of geography.

Writings

• Germania Antiqua libri tres ( 1616)
• Siciliae Antiquae libri duo ( 1619)
• Sardinia et Corsica Antiqua ( 1619)
• Italia Antiqua ( 1624, posthumous)
• Introductio in Universam Geographiam (1624-1629)