Caspar Barlaeus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Caspar Barlaeus
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| Born | February 12, 1584 |
| Died | January 14, 1648 (aged 63) |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Theological work | |
Caspar Barlaeus (born February 12, 1584 – died January 14, 1648) was a very smart Dutch person. He was good at many things, like writing poems, studying history, and understanding religion. People called him a polymath because he knew so much about different subjects. He was also a Renaissance humanist, which means he believed in the importance of human values and learning, like people did during the Renaissance period.
Contents
Life Story
Caspar Barlaeus was born in Antwerp. His parents had to leave Antwerp soon after he was born. Spanish soldiers took over the city. They moved to Zaltbommel, where his father became the head of a Latin school.
Caspar went to the University of Leiden. He studied religion and philosophy there. After his studies, he worked as a preacher for about 18 months. He then returned to Leiden in 1612 to work at a college. From 1617, he also taught philosophy at the university.
However, he lost his job in 1619. This happened because he supported a group called the Remonstrants. After this, he studied medicine and earned a degree. But he never worked as a doctor.
In 1631, he became a professor in Amsterdam. He taught philosophy and public speaking at the Athenaeum Illustre. This school is now known as the University of Amsterdam. Caspar Barlaeus gave his first speech there in January 1632. He also encouraged other smart people to teach at the school. A powerful person named Andries de Graeff was one of his neighbors and helped him a lot.
Barlaeus sometimes had strange ideas. He once thought he was made of glass. This is a rare condition called the Glass delusion.
His Writings
Barlaeus wrote many books of poetry. Most of his poems were in Latin. He also wrote a special tribute for a mapmaker named Willem Blaeu in 1622.
He was also very interested in maps and history. In 1622, he translated a book about the West Indies. In 1627, he wrote the text for an atlas of Italy. This atlas was made by Jodocus Hondius.
In 1647, Barlaeus wrote a book about the Dutch in Brazil. This book was inspired by John Maurice of Nassau, who led the Dutch in Recife. The book, called Rerum per octennium in Brasilia et alibi nuper gestarum sub praefectura, included many maps and pictures of Brazil. For 160 years, these pictures were the main way people in Europe saw Brazilian landscapes. Brazilians today still see them as very important early art.
In 1638, Barlaeus wrote another important book. It was about the visit of the French queen mother, Marie de Medici, to Amsterdam. Her visit was a big deal for the Dutch Republic. It showed that other countries recognized the new Dutch nation. Even though Marie de Medici was in exile, Amsterdam celebrated her visit with amazing shows. There were parades and special buildings built on the water. These shows honored her when she arrived.
Death and Legacy
Barlaeus passed away in Amsterdam. Another writer, Franciscus Plante, wrote about his death in 1648.
A school in Amsterdam, the Barlaeus Gymnasium, is named after him. There is also a street called Van Baerlestraat in Amsterdam and Nieuwe-Tonge.
Works
- Manes Auriaci (1625)
- Hymnus ad Christum (1628)
- Poemata (1628)
- Medicea hospes (1638)
- Faces augustae (1643)
- Rerum in Brasilia et alibi gestarum (1647)
- Verscheyde Nederduytsche gedichten (1651)
- Mercator sapiens, sive Oratio de coniungendis mercaturae et philosophiae studiis
