Alfred of Sareshel facts for kids

Alfred of Sarashel, also known as Alfred the Philosopher or Alfred the Englishman, was a very smart person who lived a long time ago. He was born in England sometime in the 1100s and passed away in the 1200s.

We don't know many details about his life. However, we do know that he moved to Spain. In Spain, he worked at a special place called the Toledo School of Translators. This school was famous for translating important books. Alfred helped by changing texts from Arabic and Greek into Latin. Latin was the main language for learning and science back then.

What Alfred Wrote and Translated

Alfred of Sarashel was very busy. He worked on many different books and ideas. Here are some of his important works:

Translated Books

• De plantis (On Plants): Alfred translated this book from Arabic into Latin. It was originally thought to be written by Aristotle, a famous ancient Greek philosopher. Later, during the Renaissance, this Latin version was even translated back into Greek!
• Ibn Sina's Mineralogy Text: He translated a text by Ibn Sina (a famous Persian doctor and philosopher) about minerals. This work was included in a larger collection about Aristotle's Meteors.

His Own Writings

• Commentaries on Aristotle: Alfred wrote several notes and explanations about the works of Aristotle. He wrote four commentaries just on Aristotle's book Meteors, which was about weather and natural events. These notes were around until the 1600s, but sadly, they are now lost.
• De motu cordis (On the Motion of the Heart): This book was about how the heart moves. Alfred dedicated it to another scholar named Alexander Nequam.
• De naturis Rerum (On the Natures of Things): This work likely explored different aspects of nature and the world around him.
• De Educatione Accipitrum (On the Mode of Training Hawks): This book was about how to train hawks, which were used for hunting. This shows his interest in practical skills and animals.
• Books on Boethius: Alfred wrote five books explaining De consolatione philosophiae (On the Consolation of Philosophy) by Boethius. This was a very important philosophical work from the early Middle Ages.
• De Musica (On Music): This book was about music. It shows that Alfred was interested in many different subjects, not just science and philosophy.

See also

In Spanish: Alfredo de Sareshel para niños

• Toledo School of Translators
• Latin translations of the 12th century