Christian Freiherr Knorr von Rosenroth (July 15, 1636 – May 4, 1689), pseudonym Peganius Rautner, was a Silesian-born German poet, mystic and Kabbalist most noted for his translation of portions of the Zohar and other Kabbalistic texts from Hebrew to Latin.
Biography edit
Early life edit
Knorr von Rosenroth was the son of Abraham Benedikt von Rosenroth (1594-1654), a Protestant minister, and Susanna Neumann. He was born in Raudten in the Silesian principality of Wohlau. The exact date of his birth is uncertain. The Jewish Encyclopedia puts it in 1631, but the Christian Cyclopedia and Christian Knorr von Rosenroth Society give the date as 1636. Whether it was July 15th or 16th is also in question.
In November of 1645 the family moved to Tschepplau in Glogau to escape the effects of the Thirty Years' War and the Counter-Reformation.
Education edit
Knorr's father intended him to pursue a political posting at court. His education reflected that aspiration. He entered the Latin school in Fraustadt in 1648 and in 1652 enrolled in the Paedagogium at Stettin where he studied theology, law, history, philosophy and both classical and modern languages. In 1655 he enrolled at the University of Leipzig where he earned a baccalaureate in 1659 and a Masters degree in 1660 after presenting his thesis on ancient numismatics, De Antiquis Romanor Numismatib Consecrationem Illustrantibus. That same year he became a member of the Collegium Anthologicum, one of three such scholarly societies in Leipzig which explored theology, philosophy, antiquities, history and science. The societies where characterized by the intellectual ferment of the early Enlightenment. Knorr was last mentioned in the societies minutes in November of 1662.
Travel and influences edit
In 1663 he undertook a three year academic pilgrimage to study in the Netherlands, France and England. While in Amsterdam he was engaged as an interpreter for an Armenian prince and became interested in oriental languages. In Holland he also met Francis Mercury van Helmont, who was to play a vital role in his future, and in England he met Henry More. He was also exposed to protestant offshoots such as the Mennonites and Christian Conventionalists, theospophy and the followers of Paracelsus. Upon his return in 1666 Knorr settled in Sulzbach.
After his time in the Collegium and the influences of his travels Knorr's interests turned more toward the sciences, alchemy, hermetic literature and the Kabbalah.
In 1677 he wrote the forward to Francis Mercury van Helmont's Naturalalphabets der heiligen Sprache (Natural Alphabet of the Holy Language, a book which expressed van Helmont's thesis that Hebrew was the original language of creation and bore an intrinsic relationship to the physical world.
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Marriage and children edit
Knorr von Rosenroth married Anna Sophia Paumgartner von Holenstein und Anghoff (d.1696) on July 17, 1668 in Regensburg, the seat of the Imperial Diet.
The marriage produced four children, two of whom died in infancy.
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Death and afterwards edit
[If applicable] Legacy If any, describe. See Charles Darwin for example.
Religious views edit
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Works edit
Published works edit
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- De Antiquis Romanor. Numismatib. Consecrationem Illustrantibus, 1660
- Des... Sever. Boetii... Christl.- Vernunfftgemesser Trost u. Unterricht/in Widerwertigkeit u. Bestürtzung üb. dem vermeinten Wohl-oder Übelstand der Bösen u. Frommen, 1667, 16972
- Eigentliche Erklärung üb. d. Gesichter der Offenbarung S. Johannis/Voll unterschiedl. neuer Christl. Meinungen, 1670, 16712 (under the psuedonym A. B. Peganius)
- Harmonia Evangeliorum, 1672, 16992, with forward by A. H. Francke
- Conjugium Phoebi et Palladis oder Die/durch Phoebi u. Palladis Vermählung/erfundene Fortpflantzung des Goldes... in e. Chymisches Pracht-Spiel verfasset, 1677
- Kabbala Denudata, Vol I, 1677
- Des... Joh. Bapt. Portae v. Neapolis Magia Naturalis od. Haus-, Kunst- und Wunder-Buch, 1680, 17132
- Aufgang der Artzney-Kunst... in d. Hochteutsche Sprache übers... und mit deutl. Anmerckungen... erl., 1683
- Kabbalae Denudatae Vol II: Id est Liber Sohar Restitutus..., 1684
- Neuer Helicon mit seinen Neun Musen/Das ist: Geistl. Sitten-Lieder... Theils neu gemacht/theils aus andern alten/bey Unterrichtung seiner Kinder geändert... auch Ein geistl. Lust-Spiel/Von d. Vermählung Christi mit d. Seelen, 1684, 16993.
Letters edit
References edit
- Deutsch, Gotthard and Broydé, Isaac. "Rosenroth, Baron Von (Christian Knorr)" Jewish Encyclopedia, 1906, New York: Funk & Waganalls.
- Dienst, Karl. "Knorr von Rosenroth , Christian" Biographisch-Bibliographische Kirchenlexikon, Volume IV, 1992, Nordhausen, DE: Verlag Traugott Bautz.
- Lueker, Erwin L., et al. (Eds). "Knorr von Rosenroth, Christian" Christian Cyclopedia, 2000, St. Lewis: Concordia Publishing House.
- Roe, Anthony. (2000), "The Qabalist Countess". Retrieved Dec. 29, 2005
- Shear, Adam. "Coudert, The Impact of the Kabbalah in the Seventeenth Century: The Life and Thought of Francis Mercury van Helmont (1614-1698)" The Jewish Quarterly Review, Vol 94, No.1 (Winter 2004), Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press
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See also edit
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External links edit
- "Rosenroth, Baron von (Christian Knorr)" at JewishEncyclopedia.com
- "Knorr von Rosenroth, Christian" at Christian Cyclopedia Online Edition
- Google translation of "Knorr von Rosenroth, Christian" at Biographisch-Bibliographische Kirchenlexikon
- Google translation of "Die Leipziger Gelehrtengesellschaften (Scholar Societies) at Universität Leipzig
- Adam Shear's review of Coudert's The Impact of the Kabbalah in the Seventeenth Century at The Jewish Quarterly Review (PDF File)