Martin Delrio facts for kids

Martin Delrio (born May 17, 1551 – died October 19, 1608) was a Dutch Jesuit priest and theologian. He studied at many schools and earned a law degree in 1574. After working in politics in the Spanish Netherlands, he joined the Jesuit order in 1580.

He taught or studied at Jesuit colleges across Europe. These included places like Bordeaux, Douai, Graz, Mainz, and Leuven. He was a friend of the famous writer Justus Lipsius. He also wrote many books, including notes on classic texts and religious writings.

Delrio is best known for his six-volume work, Magical Investigations. This book, published between 1599 and 1600, was about magic, superstition, and witchcraft.

Life of Martin Delrio

Early Years and Education

Martin Delrio was born in Antwerp on May 17, 1551. His parents were Antonio del Río, a Spanish merchant, and Eleonora López de Villanova. The Del Río family was part of a large Spanish community in Antwerp.

Young Martin went to a Latin school in Lier. He quickly showed he was very smart. At just 12 years old, he started studying at the Old University of Leuven in 1563.

At Leuven, he studied with a humanist named Cornelius Valerius. He also met other bright young scholars, like Justus Lipsius. Their friendship would later become very important. Delrio's first book was an edition of a Roman writer named Gaius Iulius Solinus. He also published an edition of Claudian's works.

Delrio traveled a lot for his studies. He was at the University of Paris in 1567 and 1568. He also spent time in Douai. In 1572, he started at the University of Salamanca and finished his degree two years later.

Political Career Path

Martin Delrio's family wanted him to have a career in politics. His law degree from Salamanca was important for this. The Spanish rulers valued such degrees. They also valued noble titles.

Money left by Martin's grandfather was used to buy him the title of Lord of Aartselaar. At age 10, Martin Delrio officially promised to protect widows and orphans. His family also hosted important people visiting Antwerp.

When the Dutch Revolt began, some family members worked for the Council of Troubles. This was a strict group set up by the new governor, Fernando Álvarez de Toledo, 3rd Duke of Alba. Martin's father became responsible for seizing property.

After returning from Spain, Martin also joined the government. In 1577, the new governor, Don John of Austria, appointed Martin to the Council of Brabant. Martin quickly moved up and became vice-chancellor of Brabant in 1578.

However, these were difficult years for the Delrio family. Martin's cousin was arrested and later died. His father lost his money and died in exile. Martin's own career also slowed down.

After Don John died, the new governor, Alexander Farnese, Duke of Parma, focused on making peace. People whose loyalty was clear, like Martin, received less attention. Martin seems to have lost his position.

Joining the Jesuits

On December 27, 1579, Martin Delrio wrote to the Jesuit leader, asking to join the Society of Jesus. He said he truly wanted a religious life. His political career was not going well, and his family was in trouble. This might have also influenced his decision.

He did not wait for a reply and went to Spain. He officially joined the Society of Jesus on May 9, 1580.

Joining the Jesuits did not stop his travels. In 1584, he was sent back to the Low Countries for missionary work. He stopped in Bordeaux and stayed there for two years. It is not known if he met the famous writer Michel de Montaigne there. However, the two men were distant cousins.

During this time, Delrio started working on a new version of his book on Senecan tragedy. This book, published in 1593–94, showed his continued interest in classic writings. These classics were very important in Jesuit education.

His travels after 1586 are not fully clear. In 1587, he was in Mainz. In 1589, he was in Leuven and Douai. From 1591 to 1593, he was in Liège.

Finally, in 1594, he became a professor at the Jesuit college in Leuven. He taught about the Old Testament books, the Song of Songs and the Book of Lamentations. During these years, he also gave sermons about the Virgin Mary. He collected these sermons in a book called Florida Mariana (Marian Blossoms, 1598).

In Leuven, he reconnected with his university friend Justus Lipsius. Lipsius said Delrio helped him convert to Catholicism. This made their names and reputations linked forever.

Delrio's time in Leuven was sometimes difficult. He complained about the college leaders to the main Jesuit leader in Rome. This led to him being sent to Graz in Austria. There, he impressed Archduke Ferdinand, who later became Ferdinand II, Holy Roman Emperor.

Delrio always wanted to return to Spain. In 1604, he finally got an excuse to travel there. He taught at Valladolid and Salamanca. In 1607, he asked to return to the Low Countries, and his request was granted. He left Valladolid on August 18. On October 19, 1608, just three days after returning to Leuven, Martin Delrio died.

Martin Delrio's Works

Magical Investigations

Martin Delrio's most famous work is Magical Investigations (in Latin, Disquisitiones Magicae). It first came out in three volumes in Leuven in 1599 and 1600. The book quickly became very popular. It was reprinted many times, even as late as 1755.

Historians used to think this book simply repeated ideas from an older work called Malleus Maleficarum (Hammer of the Witches). Some believed Delrio brought these ideas to the Low Countries. For example, historian Hugh Trevor Roper called it the "new Catholic Malleus." He even claimed Delrio was directly responsible for witch burnings.

People also thought Delrio's book was based on his own experiences as a judge. However, it is now known that Delrio had very little personal experience with witchcraft. He probably never even met someone accused of being a witch.

The Investigations was actually a book based on studying texts. Delrio used his knowledge of classic writings and Church history. He also used stories about saints and reports from the New World. Because it was based on texts, it was hard to argue against.

Unlike books by other writers, Delrio's work was not based on personal experiences. This made his ideas harder to question. However, some people have suggested that because it was not based on real-world events, it had less impact on actual witch hunts. People who doubted witchcraft often used the book's more moderate comments to support their views.

See also

In Spanish: Martín del Río (teólogo) para niños