The King’s Governor and the Stars: Heinrich Rantzau’s Relationship with Astrology : A Contribution to the Cultural History of the 16th Century / edited by Günther Oestmann.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Oestmann, Günther, editor.

Series:

Late Antiquity and Medieval Studies E-Books Online, Collection 2026.

Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy and Science ; 47.

Late Antiquity and Medieval Studies E-Books Online, Collection 2026

Medieval and Early Modern Philosophy and Science ; 47

Language:

English

Latin

Subjects (All):

Early Modern History.

History.

Intellectual History.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (466 pages) : illustrations.

Other Title:

A Contribution to the Cultural History of the 16th Century

Place of Publication:

Leiden ; Boston : Brill, 2027.

Language Note:

English and Latin

Summary:

Heinrich Rantzau (1526–1598), the Danish king’s governor in the duchies of Schleswig and Holstein, was a multifaceted and fascinating personality. His diverse activities as a landowner, financier, entrepreneur, patron, builder, and politician have repeatedly occupied historians. As a leading representative of humanistic education and culture, he achieved European fame, and with his passion for books was considered a black swan among contemporary noblemen. Rantzau was well versed in astrology, aligned his entire life with the stars, corresponded with numerous important scholars of his time, and edited several astrological textbooks. The book examines Heinrich Rantzau’s relationship with astrology in detail for the first time and treats historical horoscopes as a special source genre in the history of science.

Contents:

Preface

List of Figures

Abbreviations

Timeline

1 Studying the History of Astrology: Problems and Developments

2 On the Analysis and Interpretation of Historical Horoscopes, or How to Deal with “Wretched Subjects”

2.1 The Parameters: Astronomical and Mathematical Requirements

2.2 Date

2.3 Time

2.4 Geographical Coordinates

2.5 Planetary Positions

2.6 Houses and House Division (Domification)

2.7 The Use of House Tables

3 Heinrich Rantzau

3.1 State of Research

3.2 Biography of Heinrich Rantzau

3.3 Astronomy in Wittenberg in the First Half of the 16th Century

3.4 The History of Heinrich Rantzau’s Library and Its Holdings

3.5 The Astrological Works of Heinrich Rantzau

3.6 Rantzau’s Astrological Manuscripts

3.7 Rantzau’s Correspondence

3.8 Scientific Contacts in astrologicis

4 Heinrich Rantzau’s Instruments

4.1 Astrological Indications on Scientific Instruments and Clocks

4.2 Rantzau’s Folding Tablet: An aide-mémoire for Astrological Purposes

4.3 The Astrological Table in Rantzau’s Library

4.4 The Astrolabe by Heinrich Knaust

4.5 Hans Gruber’s Table Clock

4.6 The Astronomical Clock at Breitenburg Castle

5 The Horoscope of Heinrich Rantzau

5.1 Time and Place of Birth

5.2 The “Copenhagen Horoscope”

5.3 The Horoscope in the Ptolemy Commentary by Conrad Dasypodius

5.4 Thomas Finck’s Horoscope for Heinrich Rantzau

5.5 The Two Horoscopes by Wilhelm Misocacus for Heinrich Rantzau

5.6 Further Transmission of the Horoscope

5.7 Some Remarks on Forecasting Techniques

5.8 Sixtus Hemminga’s Comments on Heinrich Rantzau’s Horoscope

6 Heinrich Rantzau’s Attitude towards Astrology

6.1 Contestation in astrologicisThe Death of Rantzau’s Son Johann and the Correspondence with the Astrology Critic Sixtus Hemminga

6.2 Astrological Aspects in the Reports ( relationes ) of Heinrich Rantzau

6.3 The Correspondence with Justus Lipsius

7 Conclusion

8 Archival Records

8.1 Manuscripts

8.2 Heinrich Rantzau’s Correspondence with Justus Lipsius

8.3 Heinrich Rantzau’s Correspondence with Tycho Brahe

9 Transcriptions and Translations

9.1 Heinrich Rantzau, Preface to the Tractatus astrologicus , 1593

9.2 Transcriptions and Translations from the Breitenburg Manuscript of Letters

9.3 Three Letters from Heinrich Rantzau’s Correspondence with Gerhard Mercator

9.4 Heinrich Rantzau’s Own Interpretation of His Horoscope

9.5 Heinrich Rantzau to Cyprianus Leovitius (Segeberg, 23 September 1571)

9.6 Preface by Conrad Dasypodius with Dedication to Heinrich Rantzau

9.7 Sixtus Hemminga’s Criticism of Rantzau’s Horoscope Provided by Dasypodius for Heinrich Rantzau

9.8 Two Letters from Heinrich Rantzau to Justus Lipsius

9.9 Letter from Tycho Brahe to Heinrich Below (Uraniborg, 7 December 1587)

9.10 Excerpt from the Biobibliography of Heinrich Rantzau by Johannes Moller

9.11 From Heinrich Rantzau’s “Relations” to King Frederik II

9.12 The “Copenhagen Horoscope” for Heinrich Rantzau

9.13 The Horoscope of Heinrich Rantzau in the Speculum astrologiae of Iunctinus

Bibliography

Index.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9789004767447

Publisher Number:

10.1163/9789004767447 DOI