Eilmer of Malmesbury facts for kids
Eilmer of Malmesbury was an English monk who lived about 1000 years ago. He is famous for trying to fly using wings he made himself. People sometimes called him Oliver or Elmer too.
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Who Was Eilmer?
Eilmer was a Benedictine monk at Malmesbury Abbey in England. He also studied astrology, which was a way of trying to understand the future by looking at the stars. Most of what we know about Eilmer comes from a book called Deeds of the English Kings. This book was written around 1125 by another monk named William of Malmesbury. William knew people who had met Eilmer when he was an old man.
Eilmer's Age and the Comet
Historians have tried to guess when Eilmer was born. William's book mentions Eilmer talking about Halley's Comet, which appeared in 1066. Eilmer said:
You've come, have you? – You've come, you bring sadness to many. It is long since I saw you; but now you are much more frightening, for I see you bringing trouble to my country.
If Eilmer had seen Halley's Comet before, it would have been in 989. This would mean he was born around 984. He would have been about five or six years old when he first saw the comet. This would be old enough to remember it. However, people back then probably didn't know that comets came back regularly. So, Eilmer might have been talking about a different comet. We know Eilmer was an "old man" in 1066. His flight attempt happened when he was "young." This means his flight probably took place in the early 1000s.
Eilmer's Amazing Flight
When Eilmer was young, he read about the Greek myth of Daedalus. Daedalus was a character who made wings to fly. Eilmer believed this story could be true. So, he decided to try flying himself!
How Eilmer Tried to Fly
Eilmer attached wings to his hands and feet. Then, he jumped from the top of a tall tower at Malmesbury Abbey. William of Malmesbury wrote about it:
He was a smart man for his time, and when he was young, he tried something very brave. He somehow fastened wings to his hands and feet. He thought he could fly like Daedalus, gathering the wind from the top of a tower. He flew for more than 200 meters. But the strong wind and swirling air, plus knowing how risky his attempt was, made him fall. He broke both his legs and was always lame after that. He used to say that he failed because he forgot to add a tail.
The Flight Path
Eilmer flew for more than 200 meters. This means he was in the air for about 15 seconds. We don't know his exact path. The abbey today is not exactly like it was in the 11th century. A lane near the abbey, called "Olivers Lane," is thought to be where he landed. This would have meant flying over many buildings. Experts think he might have glided down a steep hill instead.
Eilmer's wings were like a bird's. But he couldn't balance himself like a bird does. Birds move their wings, head, and legs to stay steady. Eilmer needed a large tail to keep his balance. He couldn't truly soar like a bird. But he might have landed safely if he had remembered to add a tail.
Eilmer's Story Through Time
Besides William's story, we don't have other records of Eilmer's work as a monk. However, his writings on astrology were still read in the 1500s.
Eilmer's Influence
Eilmer's flight story has been told many times over the centuries. Scholars and people interested in human flight kept his story alive. This helped keep the idea of humans flying going strong. Many famous people, like Roger Bacon and John Milton, shared his tale.
In 1986, Maxwell Woosnam studied Eilmer's flight in more detail. He looked at things like the materials Eilmer might have used. He also studied the angles of the glider and how wind would affect it.
People in Eilmer's time were already making small flying toys. Church artists also started drawing angels with more realistic bird-like wings. These drawings showed the curve of the wing that helps create lift for flying. People believed that humans could fly with enough effort and the right equipment. For Eilmer, a monk, flying might have also had a spiritual meaning. He would have thought about the soul and its journey.
Eilmer's Legacy Today
Eilmer's name lives on in modern science. The University of Queensland in Australia has a special computer program. It is used to study how fluids move, and it is named Eilmer4. There is also a short film called "Eilmer the Flying Monk." It tells the story of his attempt to fly, like the myth of Icarus.
See also
In Spanish: Eilmer de Malmesbury para niños
