Andreas Acoluthus
Encyclopedia
Andreas Acoluthus was a German
scholar of orientalism
and professor of theology
at Breslau (Wrocław). A native of Bernstadt (Bierutów)
, Lower Silesia
, he was the son of Johannes Acoluthus, pastor
of St. Elisabeth and superintendent of the churches and schools of Breslau.
, Persian
, Syriac and Ethiopia
n. He later also learned Mauritania
n, Turkish
, Coptic
, Armenian
and Chinese
. In 1674 he went to Wittenberg, then Leipzig
, where he held private lectures on oriental languages.
By circumstance, he came into possession of an Armenian Bible, so that he was able to publish in 1680 the first Armenian print in Germany
, prophet Obadiah
with observations.
Acoluthus returned in 1683 to Breslau where he entered the practical religious service. In 1689 he became professor of the Hebrew language
at the St. Elisabeth school, one year later he became senior at St. Bernhard.
with translations into Persian and Turkish was looted during the wars against the Ottoman Empire
. At this time, the Qur'an was almost unknown in Germany, as the only other known edition in Arabic script was burned by order of the pope
. Therefore, Acoluthus decided to publish this book with a Latin
translation, a plan which found the goodwill of Frederick III of Saxony. The latter provided Acoluthus with a yearly pension. However, only a partial edition was published. Acoluthus was in the following accepted as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
in Berlin
.
Andreal Acoluthus was the father of Johann Karl Acoluthus von Folgersberg, who was ennobled by Charles VI
.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
scholar of orientalism
Orientalism
Orientalism is a term used for the imitation or depiction of aspects of Eastern cultures in the West by writers, designers and artists, as well as having other meanings...
and professor of theology
Theology
Theology is the systematic and rational study of religion and its influences and of the nature of religious truths, or the learned profession acquired by completing specialized training in religious studies, usually at a university or school of divinity or seminary.-Definition:Augustine of Hippo...
at Breslau (Wrocław). A native of Bernstadt (Bierutów)
Bierutów
Bierutów is a town in Oleśnica County, Lower Silesian Voivodeship, in south-western Poland. It is the seat of the administrative district called Gmina Bierutów. Prior to 1945 it was in Germany...
, Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia
Lower Silesia ; is the northwestern part of the historical and geographical region of Silesia; Upper Silesia is to the southeast.Throughout its history Lower Silesia has been under the control of the medieval Kingdom of Poland, the Kingdom of Bohemia and the Austrian Habsburg Monarchy from 1526...
, he was the son of Johannes Acoluthus, pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
of St. Elisabeth and superintendent of the churches and schools of Breslau.
Early life and education
He attended the school of St. Elisabeth in Breslau and was in taught by August Pfeiffer in: Rabbinic, ArabicArabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
, Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
, Syriac and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n. He later also learned Mauritania
Mauritania
Mauritania is a country in the Maghreb and West Africa. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west, by Western Sahara in the north, by Algeria in the northeast, by Mali in the east and southeast, and by Senegal in the southwest...
n, Turkish
Turkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
, Coptic
Coptic language
Coptic or Coptic Egyptian is the current stage of the Egyptian language, a northern Afro-Asiatic language spoken in Egypt until at least the 17th century. Egyptian began to be written using the Greek alphabet in the 1st century...
, Armenian
Armenian language
The Armenian language is an Indo-European language spoken by the Armenian people. It is the official language of the Republic of Armenia as well as in the region of Nagorno-Karabakh. The language is also widely spoken by Armenian communities in the Armenian diaspora...
and Chinese
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
. In 1674 he went to Wittenberg, then Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
, where he held private lectures on oriental languages.
By circumstance, he came into possession of an Armenian Bible, so that he was able to publish in 1680 the first Armenian print in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, prophet Obadiah
Obadiah
Obadiah is a Biblical theophorical name, meaning "servant of Yahweh" or "worshipper of Yahweh." It is related to "Abdeel", "servant of God", which is also cognate to the Arabic name "Abdullah". Turkish name Abdil or Abdi. The form of Obadiah's name used in the Septuagint is Obdios; in Latin it is...
with observations.
Acoluthus returned in 1683 to Breslau where he entered the practical religious service. In 1689 he became professor of the Hebrew language
Hebrew language
Hebrew is a Semitic language of the Afroasiatic language family. Culturally, is it considered by Jews and other religious groups as the language of the Jewish people, though other Jewish languages had originated among diaspora Jews, and the Hebrew language is also used by non-Jewish groups, such...
at the St. Elisabeth school, one year later he became senior at St. Bernhard.
Studies
His studies reached a new zenith when an Arabic manuscript of the Qur'anQur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
with translations into Persian and Turkish was looted during the wars against the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. At this time, the Qur'an was almost unknown in Germany, as the only other known edition in Arabic script was burned by order of the pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
. Therefore, Acoluthus decided to publish this book with a Latin
Latin
Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...
translation, a plan which found the goodwill of Frederick III of Saxony. The latter provided Acoluthus with a yearly pension. However, only a partial edition was published. Acoluthus was in the following accepted as a member of the Prussian Academy of Sciences
Prussian Academy of Sciences
The Prussian Academy of Sciences was an academy established in Berlin on 11 July 1700, four years after the Akademie der Künste or "Arts Academy", to which "Berlin Academy" may also refer.-Origins:...
in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
.
Andreal Acoluthus was the father of Johann Karl Acoluthus von Folgersberg, who was ennobled by Charles VI
Charles VI, Holy Roman Emperor
Charles VI was the penultimate Habsburg sovereign of the Habsburg Empire. He succeeded his elder brother, Joseph I, as Holy Roman Emperor, King of Bohemia , Hungary and Croatia , Archduke of Austria, etc., in 1711...
.