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E-book Reformation, Revolution, Renovation : The Roots and Reception of the Rosicrucian Call for General Reform

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Penilaian

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At the beginning of the seventeenth century, three mysterious texts stirredup much debate in the intellectual world: TheFama Fraternitatis(Fame ofthe Fraternity, 1614), theConfessioFraternitatis(Confession of the Fraternity,1615),and,differentfrombutrelatedtoboth,theChymischeHochzeit:ChristianiRosencreutz(Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosencreutz, 1616).2 While theChemicalWeddingpresents a fictional autobiographical narrative, the first twotexts are manifestos, mission statements. Their authors remained anonym-ous, but claimed to be members of a secret fraternity founded by a ChristianRosencreutzintheearlyfifteenthcentury.3Writtenduringthethirdgenerationof the Reformation, in the midst of early modern scientific transformations,and on the eve of the Thirty Years’ War (1618–1648), these two provocative manifestoscalledforageneralreformationof religious,scientific,andpoliticallife and announced the coming of a new era.No sooner had the manifestos been published than their call receivedresponsesfromallquartersof Europe.Intheyearsimmediatelyaftertheirpub-lication,hundredsof letters,pamphlets,andbookswerewrittenbyenthusiastswho wished to come into contact with this elusive brotherhood, and all overNorthern Europe authors claimed to be members of that enigmatic fratern-ity. They penned their support and admiration for these revolutionary textsand hailed the harbingers of a new time of prosperity. In response, academicauthors,shockedandoutragedbythesesubversivewritings,wroteharshlettersandtractsfulminatingagainsttheRosicrucianbrethren,theirparadoxicalmis-sion statements, and the followers that wrote in their wake.4 The Rosicrucianmanifestosstirredupsomuchcontroversythatforoveradecadetheywerethefocus of a large international and intellectually pervasive dispute. By 1625, theRosicrucian controversy had been discussed in over four hundred texts. The Rosicrucian response had begun in a somewhat clandestine manneralreadyseveralyearsbeforethefirstmanifesto,theFama,waspublishedin1614.TheGermanParacelsiantheosopherandfirstcommentatoronthemanifestos,Adam Haslmayr (ca. 1562–ca. 1631), gained access to this mysterious mater-ial as early as 1610, and soon wrote anAnswerto theFama. Printed in 1612,two years before that manifesto itself would appear in print, he claimed inhis audacious reply that he awaited with anticipation the emergence of thebrethren from their hiding place.6 1610 was also the year that his friend, theGerman alchemist and editor Benedictus Figulus (real name Benedict Töpfer,1567-after 1619), acquired a copy of theFama, presumably thanks to Haslmayr,and ensured its wider distribution.7 Such was the allure of this manifesto thatbefore long the German ruling elite became involved. In 1611, Prince Augustvon Anhalt-Plötzkau (1575–1653) expressed an interest in theFama. In a letterdated that year, he asked both Haslmayr and the collector of Paracelsian andWeigelianmanuscripts,KarlWidemann(1555–1637),to write a public response to the text.

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Ketersediaan

Informasi Detail

Judul Seri

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No. Panggil

909.5 DEV r

Penerbit

Netherlands : BRILL., 2022

Deskripsi Fisik

445 hlm

Bahasa

English

ISBN/ISSN

9789004249394

Klasifikasi

909.5

Tipe Isi

text

Tipe Media

computer

Tipe Pembawa

online resource

Edisi

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Subjek

World History 16th Century, 1500 - 1599

Info Detail Spesifik

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Pernyataan Tanggungjawab

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Versi lain/terkait

Lampiran Berkas

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