Lucas Watzenrode the Elder
Encyclopedia
Lucas Watzenrode the Elder (German also Lukas, Polish Łukasz) (1400–1462) was a merchant in the Hanseatic Prussia
n city of Thorn
(Toruń), father of Bishop Lucas Watzenrode the Younger
, and grandfather of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus
.
, to a German merchant family, who had come there from Weizenrodau (earlier Wazygenrode) near Schweidnitz (Świdnica). Lucas fought against the Teutonic Knights and was wounded. In the Thorn citizen registry, Watzenrode the Elder was registered as a landowner, businessmen, judge, councilman, etc., as living on Seglergasse (Sailor Lane). In 1436 he married Katharina von Rüdiger. In 1448 he and other burghers of Thorn are recorded as having been summoned to court at Limburg
. He died at his birthplace in 1462.
, who became bishop of Warmia and strongly supported the independence of Warmia from the Teutonic state, Lucas and his wife Katharina had two daughters who both married in Thorn — Barbara to Nicolaus Copernicus, Christina to Tideman von Allen.
After Barbara Koppernigk and her husband died, Lucas the Younger cared for their four children, Katharina, Barbara, Andreas and Niklas, who would become known as the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Christina and Tideman's daughter Cordula von Allen married Reinhold Feldstedt, who was born 1468 in Danzig (Gdańsk) and died 1529 in Danzig. Their daughter Katharina Feldstedt married Herman Giese
, born 1523 in Danzig. A descendant was Tiedemann Giese
, a famous bishop of Culm and bishop of Warmia.
Prussia
Prussia was a German kingdom and historic state originating out of the Duchy of Prussia and the Margraviate of Brandenburg. For centuries, the House of Hohenzollern ruled Prussia, successfully expanding its size by way of an unusually well-organized and effective army. Prussia shaped the history...
n city of Thorn
Torun
Toruń is an ancient city in northern Poland, on the Vistula River. Its population is more than 205,934 as of June 2009. Toruń is one of the oldest cities in Poland. The medieval old town of Toruń is the birthplace of the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus....
(Toruń), father of Bishop Lucas Watzenrode the Younger
Lucas Watzenrode the Younger
Lucas Watzenrode the Younger was Prince-Bishop of Warmia and patron to his nephew, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.-Early life:...
, and grandfather of astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus
Nicolaus Copernicus was a Renaissance astronomer and the first person to formulate a comprehensive heliocentric cosmology which displaced the Earth from the center of the universe....
.
Life
Watzenrode the Elder was born 1400 in Thorn, Monastic state of the Teutonic KnightsMonastic State of the Teutonic Knights
The State of the Teutonic Order, , also Monastic State of the Teutonic Knights or Ordensstaat , was formed in 1224 during the Northern Crusades, the Teutonic Knights' conquest of the pagan West-Baltic Old Prussians in the 13th century....
, to a German merchant family, who had come there from Weizenrodau (earlier Wazygenrode) near Schweidnitz (Świdnica). Lucas fought against the Teutonic Knights and was wounded. In the Thorn citizen registry, Watzenrode the Elder was registered as a landowner, businessmen, judge, councilman, etc., as living on Seglergasse (Sailor Lane). In 1436 he married Katharina von Rüdiger. In 1448 he and other burghers of Thorn are recorded as having been summoned to court at Limburg
Limburg
Limburg may refer to:A province divided between Belgium and the Netherlands as consequence of the Treaty of London* Province of Limburg , a former province of the United Kingdom of the Netherlands...
. He died at his birthplace in 1462.
Offspring
In addition to their son Lucas Watzenrode the YoungerLucas Watzenrode the Younger
Lucas Watzenrode the Younger was Prince-Bishop of Warmia and patron to his nephew, astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.-Early life:...
, who became bishop of Warmia and strongly supported the independence of Warmia from the Teutonic state, Lucas and his wife Katharina had two daughters who both married in Thorn — Barbara to Nicolaus Copernicus, Christina to Tideman von Allen.
After Barbara Koppernigk and her husband died, Lucas the Younger cared for their four children, Katharina, Barbara, Andreas and Niklas, who would become known as the astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus.
Christina and Tideman's daughter Cordula von Allen married Reinhold Feldstedt, who was born 1468 in Danzig (Gdańsk) and died 1529 in Danzig. Their daughter Katharina Feldstedt married Herman Giese
Giese
Giese is a German surname.Notable people with the surname Giese include:* Albrecht Giese - a councilman and diplomat from Danzig* Dan Giese - American baseball player* Erich Giese - German naval officer...
, born 1523 in Danzig. A descendant was Tiedemann Giese
Tiedemann Giese
Tiedemann Giese Tiedemann Giese Tiedemann Giese (1 June 1480 – 23 October 1550, Heilsberg (Lidzbark), was a member of the patrician Giese family of Danzig (Gdańsk). The brother of the Hanseatic League merchant Georg Giese and relative of Albrecht Giese he became Bishop of Culm (Chełmno) first...
, a famous bishop of Culm and bishop of Warmia.