Marcin Kromer (
Latin
Latin ( or ) is a classical language belonging to the Italic languages, Italic branch of the Indo-European languages. Latin was originally spoken by the Latins (Italic tribe), Latins in Latium (now known as Lazio), the lower Tiber area aroun ...
: ''Martinus Cromerus''; 11 November 1512 – 23 March 1589) was
Prince-Bishop of Warmia (Ermland), a Polish
cartographer
Cartography (; from , 'papyrus, sheet of paper, map'; and , 'write') is the study and practice of making and using maps. Combining science, aesthetics and technique, cartography builds on the premise that reality (or an imagined reality) can ...
,
diplomat
A diplomat (from ; romanization, romanized ''diploma'') is a person appointed by a state (polity), state, International organization, intergovernmental, or Non-governmental organization, nongovernmental institution to conduct diplomacy with one ...
and
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human species; as well as the ...
in the
Kingdom of Poland
The Kingdom of Poland (; Latin: ''Regnum Poloniae'') was a monarchy in Central Europe during the Middle Ages, medieval period from 1025 until 1385.
Background
The West Slavs, West Slavic tribe of Polans (western), Polans who lived in what i ...
and later in the
Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
The Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth, also referred to as Poland–Lithuania or the First Polish Republic (), was a federation, federative real union between the Crown of the Kingdom of Poland, Kingdom of Poland and the Grand Duchy of Lithuania ...
. He was a personal secretary to two
Kings of Poland,
Sigismund I the Old and
Sigismund II Augustus.
Biography
Kromer was born in 1512 into a prominent
burgher family of German descent in
Biecz, in
Lesser Poland
Lesser Poland, often known by its Polish name ''Małopolska'' (; ), is a historical region situated in southern and south-eastern Poland. Its capital and largest city is Kraków. Throughout centuries, Lesser Poland developed a separate cult ...
. He completed his basic education in a local church-run school. In 1528 he transferred to
Kraków
, officially the Royal Capital City of Kraków, is the List of cities and towns in Poland, second-largest and one of the oldest cities in Poland. Situated on the Vistula River in Lesser Poland Voivodeship, the city has a population of 804,237 ...
, where in 1530 he graduated as a
bachelor at the
Cracow Academy. In 1533–37 he worked at the Royal Chancellery in Kraków. Thereafter he went to
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
, where he studied
law
Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior, with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been variously described as a science and as the ar ...
for two years. Returning to Poland in 1540, he became secretary to Archbishop
Piotr Gamrat. As the latter's personal advisor, he was also his envoy and representative to
Rome
Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...
, where he spent two years until 1544. He then became a
canon in Kraków.
In 1545, upon the death of his mentor, Kromer accepted the latter's post as personal secretary to Poland's King
Sigismund I the Old. He was also an associate of
Samuel Maciejowski, who later became Chancellor of the Crown. A specialist on
Royal Prussia and
Warmia, in 1551 Kromer became head of the Warmian
canonry
Canon () is a Christian title usually used to refer to a member of certain bodies in subject to an canon law, ecclesiastical rule.
Originally, a canon was a cleric living with others in a clergy house or, later, in one of the houses within the p ...
. However, his church career did not proceed as planned, since he was seen as one of the best Polish diplomats of the age and was frequently required by the court to leave his post to serve as envoy on various diplomatic missions. In 1552, for his services to the King, he was
ennobled and granted a
coat of arms
A coat of arms is a heraldry, heraldic communication design, visual design on an escutcheon (heraldry), escutcheon (i.e., shield), surcoat, or tabard (the last two being outer garments), originating in Europe. The coat of arms on an escutcheon f ...
.
From 1558 to 1564 Kromer served as Polish envoy to
Emperor Ferdinand I, who in recognition of Kromer's services added his own family coat-of-arms to Kromer's. The latter's tasks included advocacy of King Sigismund's claims to the inheritance of the late Queen-Consort
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza (2 February 1494 – 19 November 1557) was Queen consort, Queen of Kingdom of Poland (1385–1569), Poland and List of Lithuanian consorts, Grand Duchess of Lithuania as the second wife of Sigismund the Old, and Duchess of Bari and ...
, which was also claimed by the King of Spain, who, however, based his claims on a forged
testament.
In 1564 Kromer was recalled to Poland, where he was promoted within the church hierarchy and took the post of
coadjutor (''de facto'' bishop) of the
Bishopric of Warmia, to succeed on the demise of Prince-Bishop
Stanislaus Hosius. After nine years at that post, Kromer was officially promoted to
Prince-Bishop
A prince-bishop is a bishop who is also the civil ruler of some secular principality and sovereignty, as opposed to '' Prince of the Church'' itself, a title associated with cardinals. Since 1951, the sole extant prince-bishop has been the ...
. He spent the rest of his days in Warmia, keeping diaries and writing several books on the history of Poland. He died on 23 March 1589 in
Heilsberg (Lidzbark Warmiński).
In his works, Kromer advocated the reform of Poland's scientific and cultural life. One of his notable demands was providing the Cracow Academy with new privileges to restore its position as one of the renowned universities in
Central Europe
Central Europe is a geographical region of Europe between Eastern Europe, Eastern, Southern Europe, Southern, Western Europe, Western and Northern Europe, Northern Europe. Central Europe is known for its cultural diversity; however, countries in ...
. He also promoted the active defence of the
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church (), also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the List of Christian denominations by number of members, largest Christian church, with 1.27 to 1.41 billion baptized Catholics Catholic Church by country, worldwid ...
against the growing
Reformation
The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...
.
Martin Kromer and
Stanislaus Hosius (Stanisław Hozjusz) were the two bishops most instrumental in causing Royal Prussia's diocese of Warmia to return to or remain Catholic during a time of major conversions to Protestantism, especially in the neighboring
Duchy of Prussia
The Duchy of Prussia (, , ) or Ducal Prussia (; ) was a duchy in the region of Prussia established as a result of secularization of the Monastic Prussia, the territory that remained under the control of the State of the Teutonic Order until t ...
which almost surrounded the Prince-Bishopric of Warmia, and had converted to Lutheranism as the first state to do so.
Works
Marcin Kromer published his works in Latin and Polish.
In Latin
*''Musicae elementa'', Kraków, 1532, survived only one fragment: ''De plana musica liber prior''.
*''Martini Cromeri Sermo de tvenda dignitate sacerdotii, Petricoviae in Synodo habitus'', Kraków, 1542,
*''Martini Cromeri De origine et rebvs gestis Polonorvm libri XXX. Adiecta est in fine, eiusdem autoris funebris Oratio Sigismvndi regis uitam compendiose complexa'', 1555,
*''Martini Cromeri Varmiensis Episcopi Polonia: siue de origine et rebus gestis Polonorum libri XXX'
of 1555 (About origins and history of Poles in thirty books) in Latin, (Polish translation ''O sprawach, dziejach i wszystkich innych potocznościach koronnych polskich'' published in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
1589,
*''
Polonia sive de situ, populis, moribus, magistratibus et Republica regni Polonici libri duo'' published in
Cologne
Cologne ( ; ; ) is the largest city of the States of Germany, German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the List of cities in Germany by population, fourth-most populous city of Germany with nearly 1.1 million inhabitants in the city pr ...
in 1577 (Poland, about location, culture and offices) in Latin, (Polish translation ''Polska, czyli o położeniu, obyczajach, urzędach Rzeczypospolitej Królestwa Polskiego'' in 1853)
*''Catecheses sive Institvtiones dvodecim de septem Sacramentis & sacrificio Missae & de funeribus exequiis : ad vtilitatem parochorum & aliorum Sacerdotum, in Polonicam Germanicamq
elinguam conversae'' Kraków, 1570,
*''Oratio Martini Cromeri in fvnere optimi & maximi principis, Sigismundi, eius nominis primi Polonorum, Litvanorum, Russorum, Prussorum, & Masouiorum Regis, etc.'', Kraków, 1548,
In Polish
*''Rozmowa dworzanina z mnichem'', ''Czego sye krzesciyánski człowyek dźyerżeć ma : mnichá z dworzáninem rozmowa wtora'' of 1551-1554 (in English: "Discourse between a Courtier and a Monk")
*''Historyja prawdziwa o przygodzie żałosnej książęcia finlandzkiego Jana i królewny polskiej Katarzyny'' from 1570, (in English: "A True Story of the Sorrowful Adventure of John, Prince of Finland, and the Polish Princess, Catherine"), a narrative about the love and adventures of
John III of Sweden and
Catherine Jagiellon of Poland, parents to
Sigismund III Vasa
Sigismund III Vasa (, ; 20 June 1566 – 30 April 1632
N.S.) was King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania from 1587 to 1632 and, as Sigismund, King of Sweden from 1592 to 1599. He was the first Polish sovereign from the House of Vasa. Re ...
http://staropolska.pl/ang/renaissance/Kromer/kromer.php3
[Marcin Kromer - Historyja prawdziwa o przygodzie żałosnej książęcia finlandzkiego Jana i królewny polskiej Katarzyny, oprac. Janusz Małłek, wyd. Pojezierze - Olsztyn 1983,]
Bibliography
*F. Hipler, ''Die deutschen Predigten und Katechesen der ermländischen Bischöfe Hosius und Cromer'', Cologne, 1885
See also
*
List of Poles
This is a partial list of notable Polish people, Polish or Polish language, Polish-speaking or -writing people. People of partial Polish heritage have their respective ancestries credited.
Physics
*Miedziak Antal
* Czesław Białobrzesk ...
References
External links
Polish site with coats of armsWorks by Marcin Kromerin digital library
Polona
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kromer, Marcin
1512 births
1589 deaths
People from Gorlice County
Bishops of Warmia
16th-century Roman Catholic bishops in Poland
16th-century Polish nobility
16th-century Polish historians
Polish male non-fiction writers
Diplomats of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth
Ambassadors of Poland to Austria
Jagiellonian University alumni
Polish music theorists
Ecclesiastical senators of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth