Salomon Schweigger facts for kids
Salomon Schweigger (born March 30, 1551 – died June 21, 1622) was a German Lutheran minister and scholar from the 16th century. He was also an anthropologist, meaning he studied human societies and cultures. He wrote a famous travel book about his adventures in the Balkans, Constantinople (modern-day Istanbul), and the Middle East. He also created the first German translation of the Qur'an, which is the holy book of Islam.
Contents
Life and Travels
Salomon Schweigger was born in a town called Sulz am Neckar in Germany. His father was a clerk and looked after children in an orphanage. Salomon went to school at a convent and later studied theology (the study of religion) and classical philology (the study of ancient languages and literature) at the University of Tübingen.
Journey to Constantinople
In 1576, after finishing his studies, Schweigger found a job as a chaplain for Joachim von Sintzendorff. Sintzendorff was an ambassador from the Habsburg Empire to Istanbul. So, in 1578, Schweigger traveled with an Austrian group from Vienna to Constantinople. This was a special trip for Emperor Rudolf II to meet with Sultan Murad III.
Schweigger stayed in Constantinople for several years, working as a court preacher. During this time, he kept a detailed diary. In his diary, he wrote about his own experiences and gave interesting details about life in the Ottoman Empire. He described the people, their customs, food, and buildings. He even wrote about the nose rings worn by women and the "exotic" things he saw, like jugglers and fires.
Exploring the Middle East
In 1581, Schweigger left Constantinople. He traveled to Egypt and Jerusalem. He visited Ramla and wrote about the Jewish people living there. In Egypt, he explored with other travelers. He also visited Damascus before returning to Germany. His journey back took him through Crete and Venice.
Life Back Home
After returning to Germany, Schweigger worked as a pastor in the town of Grötzingen from 1581 to 1589. Later, he became a pastor in Wilhermsdorf. In 1605, the city of Nuremberg asked him to work at the Frauenkirche church, where he stayed for 17 years.
His Famous Book and Translation
Salomon Schweigger's experiences in the Balkans, Turkey, and the Middle East became famous in his book. It was called "Ein newe Reiss Beschreibung aus Teutschland Nach Constantinopel und Jerusalem" (A New Travel Description from Germany to Constantinople and Jerusalem). This book was published in 1608.
Translating the Qur'an
Schweigger is also known for creating the first German version of the Qur'an. While in the Ottoman Empire, he found an Italian translation of the Qur'an. He then translated this Italian version into German. He published his German translation in 1616. It was later printed again in 1623 and in other editions.
It's interesting to know that Schweigger's German translation was actually a translation of an Italian translation, which itself was based on a Latin translation from the 12th century. This German version was later translated into Dutch in 1641.
Family Life
Salomon Schweigger was married twice. His first wife was Susanna Michael. They had a son named Immanuel, who later became the father of a famous sculptor named Georg Schweigger. After Susanna passed away, Salomon married Elisabetha Vischer in 1585. They had a son named Solomon, whose family continued to live in Nuremberg. Salomon Schweigger passed away at the age of 71 in Nürnberg and was buried in St. Rochus Cemetery.
Images for kids
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Salomon Schweigger
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Schweigger's drawing of Constantinople around 1578
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The title page of Schweigger's famous travel book (1608)
