Alexander Neckam facts for kids

Alexander Neckam (born 8 September 1157 – died 31 March 1217) was an English scholar. He was a poet, theologian, and writer. He is also known for his early writings about the compass. From 1213 until his death, he was the abbot of Cirencester Abbey.

Early Life and Royal Connection

Alexander Neckam was born in St Albans on September 8, 1157. On the very same day, King Richard I was also born. Because of this, Alexander's mother, Hodierna of St Albans, became a wet nurse for the future king.

This meant Alexander grew up as Richard's foster-brother. They spent their early years together in the royal household.

Alexander Neckam's Writings

Alexander Neckam wrote many books on different subjects. He was interested in theology (the study of religion), grammar, and natural history. He also wrote about how things work in nature.

The Compass and Navigation

Alexander Neckam is famous for his writings about the compass. In two of his books, De utensilibus and De naturis rerum, he gives the earliest European descriptions of a magnetized needle used for navigation. He wrote these books around 1190.

He explained how a ship should carry a magnetized needle. This needle was placed on a pivot and would turn to point north. This helped sailors find their way in bad weather or on cloudy nights when they could not see the stars. Neckam did not present this as a new invention. He wrote about it as something many sailors were already doing.

Understanding the World: De naturis rerum

His book De naturis rerum is very important. It was like a science textbook for the 12th century. It describes many things known about the natural world at that time. The part about the compass is found in this book.

Neckam also wrote about theology. His book Speculum speculationum explored religious ideas. He was one of the first thinkers to appreciate the writings of Aristotle in natural science. Aristotle was a famous ancient Greek philosopher.

Other Interesting Works

Neckam also wrote about medicine, taking ideas from doctors of his time. He translated some of Aesop's fables into Latin poetry. These fables are short stories that teach a moral lesson.

He also wrote a poem called Suppletio defectuum. This poem covered more topics about animals, nature, and even the human soul.

Some people think Alexander Neckam might have accidentally started a legend about the Roman poet Virgil. Neckam wrote that "Virgil made a gnat" when talking about one of Virgil's poems. Later readers might have misunderstood this. They thought Virgil actually created a magic fly that killed other flies, which helped keep cities clean!

See Also

• Alexander le Pargiter, also called Alexander of St Albans, a contemporary abbot and writer.
• History of geomagnetism