Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski

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Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski
Polish philosophy
Main interests
Politics, theology
Notable ideas
Equality before the law

Andrzej Frycz Modrzewski (

Latin: Andreas Fricius Modrevius) (20 September 1503 – 1572) was a Polish Renaissance scholar, humanist and theologian, called "the father of Polish democracy". His book De Republica emendanda (O poprawie Rzeczypospolitej) was widely read and praised across most of Renaissance Europe, influencing thinkers such as Jean Bodin, Hugo Grotius and Johannes Althusius.[1][2]

Life

Modrzewski was born in

Lutheran University he met Martin Luther and other early Protestant reformers in Wittenberg. He also took care of the library of Erasmus
bought by Łaski.

From 1540 onwards, he served as the titular

Polish brethren
), he became in danger of being accused of heresy and was ultimately stripped of his ecclesiastical titles and offices. The king, however, issued a letter of protection for him. In 1553 he retired to his native Wolbórz.

Modrzewski debuted as a writer in 1543 with the work called Lascius, sive de poena homicidii (On The Penalty for Manslaughter; or Łaski, czyli O karze za mężobójstwo in

Paul V placed the book on the Index Librorum Prohibitorum
(list of prohibited books).

De Republica emendanda

Modrzewski's crowning achievement printed in 1551 was: Commentariorum De Republica emendanda libri quinque (Five Books of Commentaries on the Improvement of Commonwealth, or Rozważań o poprawie Rzeczypospolitej ksiąg pięć in Polish) published in the printing house of Łazarz Andrysowic. Originally it was to include all five manuscripts: 1. De Moribus (On Customs); 2. De Legibus (On Laws); 3. De Bello (On War); 4. De Ecclesia (On Church), and 5. De Schola (On School). However, as some of Modrevius' theses were considered unorthodox by the Church and opposed, only the three first books were included in the original publication.

The first complete edition – consisting of all five beforementioned books, and dialogues entitled: De utraque specie Coenae Domini ('On the twofold nature of the Lord's Table') – was published in 1554 in Basel by Johannes Oporinus, after which Modrzewski was forced to leave the capital. The first Polish translation by Cyprian Bazylik was published in Łosk in 1577. The book was widely read and praised across Renaissance Europe. It was translated into German, French, Spanish, and Russian in the 17th century.[1]

Other works

  • 1543: Lascius sive de poena homicidii (On The Penalty For Manslaughter, Polish title: Łaski albo o karze za mężobójstwo)
  • 1545: Oratio Philatelis Peripatetici in senatulo hominum scholasticorum de decreto conventus, quo pagi civibus adimi permittuntur, habita... (The Discourse Of A Truthful Peripatethic spoken among the learned men about the parliamentary decree, which allows country estates to be taken away from townfolk, Polish title Mowa Prawdomówcy Perypatetyka o postanowieniu sejmu zezwalającym na odbieranie mieszczanom wiejskich posiadłości, wypowiedziana w kole ludzi uczonych)
  • 1561: Narratio simplex rei novae et eiusdem pessimi exempli... (Simple story considering the curious case and the bad example which it is..., Polish title Prosta opowieść o niezwykłej sprawie stanowiącej zgubny przykład, a zarazem użalenie się na krzywdy i skarga przeciw Stanisławowi Orzechowskiemu z Rusi)
  • 1590: Silvae, including Modrevius' four theological discourses (De tribus personis et una essentia Dei, On the three Persons and one essence of God; De necessitate conventus habendi ad sedandas religionis controversias, On the necessity of gathering to cease the religious controversies; De Iesu Christo On Jesus Christ; De Homousio On Homousia")

Lineage

Descendants of Modrzewski's daughter,

Princess Mathilde, Duchess of Brabant.[6]

Quotes

  • "Without laws there can be no true freedom." (Bez praw nie może być prawdziwej wolności.)
  • "The peasant is not your slave, he is your neighbor."

See also

Notes

  1. ^
    Prof. dr hab. Edmund Kotarski, "Andrzej FRYCZ Modrzewski (Fricius Modrevius)" with bibliography.
    Virtual Library of Polish Literature. Retrieved September 28, 2011.
  2. ISSN 0003-0554
    .
  3. ^ a b Augustyniak, Urszula (2010). "Pro Republica Emendanda. Andrzeja Frycza Modrzewskiego program naprawy społeczeństwa i państwa". In Samsonowicz, Henryk (ed.). KSAP XX LAT (PDF). KSAP. p. 102.
  4. ^ Teki Dworzaczka - Strona główna
  5. ^ Lech Kaczyński h. Pomian: genealogia (Potomkowie Sejmu Wielkiego)
  6. ^ Mathilde Marie Christine d'Udekem d'Acoz: genealogia (Potomkowie Sejmu Wielkiego)

External links

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