Petrus Ryff
Encyclopedia
Petrus Ryff (May 8, 1552 – May 19, 1629) was a Swiss
mathematician
, physician
and chronicle
r from Basel
.
Petrus Ryff enrolled in the University of his hometown in 1569; he received the Baccalaureus in 1572 and the Magister Philosophiae
degree in 1576. He continued to study Medicine, following the lectures of Theodor Zwinger
, Thomas Erastus
, Felix Plater
, and Johann Nicolaus Stupanus. He was awarded the degree of Medical Doctor
in 1584. After that he practiced medicine for a few years, until he succeeded Christian Wursteisen
as Professor of Mathematics at the University of Basel
in 1586, a position he held until his death in 1629. In 1596 he became a Consultant of the School of Medicine, where he was an active member and 7 times Dean.
He was the author of several books of mathematics, astronomy, and astrology. Among the last is a prognostication for 1594. However, Petrus Ryff is best remembered for continuing and publishing the Basler Chronicles his granduncle Fridolin Ryff maintained between 1514 and 1541. After Fridolin died the chronicles were bequeathed to his daughter Magdalena, who passed them on to Petrus Ryff. He continued the chronicles from 1543–1585, and in 1585 he published the chronicles. The Basler Chroniken were edited and re-published in 1872 by the Historische und Antiquarische Gesellschaft zu Basel. They provide an invaluable source of information about the history of Basel, and that part of Europe in the 16th century.
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
mathematician
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
, physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and chronicle
Chronicle
Generally a chronicle is a historical account of facts and events ranged in chronological order, as in a time line. Typically, equal weight is given for historically important events and local events, the purpose being the recording of events that occurred, seen from the perspective of the...
r from Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
.
Life and work
Petrus Ryff was born in Basel, Switzerland. He was the son of Daniel Ryff (1529–1612), and Ursula Zimmermann, and the grandnephew of Basler chronicler Fridolin Ryff.Petrus Ryff enrolled in the University of his hometown in 1569; he received the Baccalaureus in 1572 and the Magister Philosophiae
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
degree in 1576. He continued to study Medicine, following the lectures of Theodor Zwinger
Theodor Zwinger
Theodor Zwinger the Elder was a Swiss physician and humanist scholar. He made significant contributions to the emerging genres of reference and travel literature...
, Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus
Thomas Erastus was a Swiss physician and theologian best known for a posthumously published work in which he argued that the sins of Christians should be punished by the state, and not by the church withholding the sacraments...
, Felix Plater
Felix Plater
Felix Plater was a Swiss physician, professor in Basel, well known for his classification of psychiatric diseases, and was also the first to describe an intracranial tumour ....
, and Johann Nicolaus Stupanus. He was awarded the degree of Medical Doctor
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
in 1584. After that he practiced medicine for a few years, until he succeeded Christian Wursteisen
Christian Wursteisen
Christian Wurstisen was a mathematician, theologician, historian from Basel. His name is also given as Wursteisen, Wurzticius, Ursticius, Urstisius, or Urstis.- Life :...
as Professor of Mathematics at the University of Basel
University of Basel
The University of Basel is located in Basel, Switzerland, and is considered to be one of leading universities in the country...
in 1586, a position he held until his death in 1629. In 1596 he became a Consultant of the School of Medicine, where he was an active member and 7 times Dean.
He was the author of several books of mathematics, astronomy, and astrology. Among the last is a prognostication for 1594. However, Petrus Ryff is best remembered for continuing and publishing the Basler Chronicles his granduncle Fridolin Ryff maintained between 1514 and 1541. After Fridolin died the chronicles were bequeathed to his daughter Magdalena, who passed them on to Petrus Ryff. He continued the chronicles from 1543–1585, and in 1585 he published the chronicles. The Basler Chroniken were edited and re-published in 1872 by the Historische und Antiquarische Gesellschaft zu Basel. They provide an invaluable source of information about the history of Basel, and that part of Europe in the 16th century.
Selected works
- De Affectibus cordis, disputatio. Basel: 1584. OCLC 165706088
- Historiam Basiliensem, quam patruus ejus Fridolinus Ryff, senator ac scholarcha, a primordiis urbis inceptam & ad sue usque tempora protactum reliquit, ab a. 1514 ad vitae suae terminum continuatit, qua vero hactenus non fuit edita. Basel: 1585.
- Sphaera mundi : hoc est, Elementa cosmographiae, legibus logicis, in usum Acad. Basiliensis, Basel: 1593. OCLC 258505324
- Quaestiones geometricae, in Euclidis et P. Rami - Quibus geodesiam adjecimus per usum radii geometrici, Frankfurt: 1600. OCLC 60916808
- Compendium arithmeticae Vrstisii, Oxford: 1627
- Editio Altera, cui accessit Commentatio Optica, sive brevis Tractatio de Perspectiva Communi, Oxford: 1665