Petrus Vulcanius
Encyclopedia
Petrus Vulcanius otherwise Pieter De Smet (born c. 1503–1571) was a humanist
scholar and local government official of Bruges
.
, was the son of Andries De Smet and Margriete Krippijn. He was educated in the Bogaerdenschool in Bruges, a school for poor and abandoned children, supported by the city. In June 1523 he was registered at the University of Leuven
as a "poor man" (arme). Here too he was supported financially by the city of Bruges. He was awarded a degree in law in 1527.
He continued his studies at the Collegium Trilingue
in Leuven
, where he further developed his skills in Latin
and Greek
.
He gained the friendship of Erasmus, of the Hellenist J. van Stazeele, and of the teacher of Hebrew, John van Campen
, and was also close to his fellow townsmen Johannes Vasaeus
(Jan Was) and Jacob van Halewijn, a canon
in the chapter
of the Church of Our Lady in Bruges.
Thanks to the recommendations of Erasmus and of Juan Luis Vives
, Vulcanius lived in London
between 1529 and 1531 as the tutor of Charles Blount
, son of William Blount, Lord Mountjoy
. On 1 September 1531 he was appointed taalman, or legal functionary, of the city of Brugge. From this time onwards he maintained relations with many humanists both in Bruges, such as Vives, Jacobus Curtius, Jan Fevijn and Joris Cassander, and many others outside the city.
In 1543 Vulcanius undertook a long journey to Germany
and Italy
. In the same year he married Adrianette Truwaert. They had five children, including Bonaventura Vulcanius
.
On 1 February 1550 Petrus Vulcanius was appointed administrator (stadspensionaris) of Middelburg
in Zeeland
.
His career reached its highest point when in February 1557 he was appointed procurator of the Great Council of Mechelen
, an office which he retained until his death in Mechelen in 1571.
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
scholar and local government official of Bruges
Bruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
.
Life
Petrus Vulcanius, born Pieter De Smet in BrugesBruges
Bruges is the capital and largest city of the province of West Flanders in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located in the northwest of the country....
, was the son of Andries De Smet and Margriete Krippijn. He was educated in the Bogaerdenschool in Bruges, a school for poor and abandoned children, supported by the city. In June 1523 he was registered at the University of Leuven
Old University of Leuven
The Old University of Leuven is the name historians give to the university, or studium generale, founded in Leuven, Brabant , in 1425, and closed in 1797, a week after the cession to the French Republic of the Austrian Netherlands and the principality of Liège by the Treaty of Campo Formio.When...
as a "poor man" (arme). Here too he was supported financially by the city of Bruges. He was awarded a degree in law in 1527.
He continued his studies at the Collegium Trilingue
Collegium Trilingue
The Collegium Trilingue, often also called Collegium trium linguarum, or, after its creator Collegium Buslidianum , was founded in 1517 under the patronage of the Luxembourgian humanist, Jérôme de Busleyden .The College, in fact inspired by Erasmus who was a friend of...
in Leuven
Leuven
Leuven is the capital of the province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region, Belgium...
, where he further developed his skills in 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...
and Greek
Ancient Greek
Ancient Greek is the stage of the Greek language in the periods spanning the times c. 9th–6th centuries BC, , c. 5th–4th centuries BC , and the c. 3rd century BC – 6th century AD of ancient Greece and the ancient world; being predated in the 2nd millennium BC by Mycenaean Greek...
.
He gained the friendship of Erasmus, of the Hellenist J. van Stazeele, and of the teacher of Hebrew, John van Campen
John van Campen
John van Campen was a Christian professor of Hebrew at Leuven and Cracow.He compiled a Hebrew grammar from Elias Levita's work, which ran through three editions . He also commented on Psalms in a manner to earn the praises of Hupfeld John van Campen (died at Freiburg im Breisgau September 6, 1538)...
, and was also close to his fellow townsmen Johannes Vasaeus
Johannes Vasaeus
Johannes Vasaeus was a Flemish humanist, teacher and historian, who spent his working life in Spain and Portugal.-Life:Vasaeus was born Jan Was or Waes in Bruges...
(Jan Was) and Jacob van Halewijn, a canon
Canon (priest)
A canon is a priest or minister who is a member of certain bodies of the Christian clergy subject to an ecclesiastical rule ....
in the chapter
Cathedral chapter
In accordance with canon law, a cathedral chapter is a college of clerics formed to advise a bishop and, in the case of a vacancy of the episcopal see in some countries, to govern the diocese in his stead. These councils are made up of canons and dignitaries; in the Roman Catholic church their...
of the Church of Our Lady in Bruges.
Thanks to the recommendations of Erasmus and of Juan Luis Vives
Juan Luís Vives
Juan Luis Vives , also Joan Lluís Vives i March , was a Valencian Spanish scholar and humanist.-Biography:Vives was born in Valencia...
, Vulcanius lived in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
between 1529 and 1531 as the tutor of Charles Blount
Charles Blount, 5th Baron Mountjoy
Charles Blount, fifth Baron Mountjoy was an English courtier and patron of learning.-Life:Charles Blount was born on 28 June 1516 in Tournai, where his father, William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy, was governor. Charles Blount's mother was William 's second wife, Alice, daughter of Henry Keble, Lord...
, son of William Blount, Lord Mountjoy
William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy
Sir William Blount, 4th Baron Mountjoy KG was an English scholar and patron of learning.William Blount was born circa 1478 in Barton Blount, Derbyshire, the eldest son of John Blount, 3rd Baron Mountjoy and Lora Berkeley...
. On 1 September 1531 he was appointed taalman, or legal functionary, of the city of Brugge. From this time onwards he maintained relations with many humanists both in Bruges, such as Vives, Jacobus Curtius, Jan Fevijn and Joris Cassander, and many others outside the city.
In 1543 Vulcanius undertook a long journey to 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...
and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. In the same year he married Adrianette Truwaert. They had five children, including Bonaventura Vulcanius
Bonaventura Vulcanius
Bonaventura Vulcanius was a leading personality in Dutch humanism of the 16th and 17th century....
.
On 1 February 1550 Petrus Vulcanius was appointed administrator (stadspensionaris) of Middelburg
Middelburg
Middelburg is a municipality and a city in the south-western Netherlands and the capital of the province of Zeeland. It is situated in the Midden-Zeeland region. It has a population of about 48,000.- History of Middelburg :...
in Zeeland
Zeeland
Zeeland , also called Zealand in English, is the westernmost province of the Netherlands. The province, located in the south-west of the country, consists of a number of islands and a strip bordering Belgium. Its capital is Middelburg. With a population of about 380,000, its area is about...
.
His career reached its highest point when in February 1557 he was appointed procurator of the Great Council of Mechelen
Great Council of Mechelen
From the 15th century onwards, the Great Council of the Netherlands at Mechelen was the highest court in the Burgundian Netherlands. It was responsible for the Dutch-, French- and German-speaking areas...
, an office which he retained until his death in Mechelen in 1571.
Sources
- Dewitte, Alfons, 1978: Peter en Bonaventura De Smet, alias Vulcanius, in: Handelingen van het genootschap voor geschiedenis in Brugge, 1978, pp. 17–42.