Christian Schesaus (1535 – July 30, 1585) was a
Transylvanian Saxon
The Transylvanian Saxons (german: Siebenbürger Sachsen; Transylvanian Saxon: ''Siweberjer Såksen''; ro, Sași ardeleni, sași transilvăneni/transilvani; hu, Erdélyi szászok) are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania ...
humanist,
poet, and a
Lutheran pastor.
He was born in
Mediaș, studied first in
Brașov, and then from 1556 to 1558 at the
University of
Wittenberg.
''Ruinae Pannonnicae'', his best known work, was written in
Latin and composed in
dactylic hexameter on the model of
Virgil's ''
Aeneid''. The subject of the poem deals with the events in
Transylvania,
Hungary,
Wallachia and
Moldavia over the 31-year period of 1540 to 1571. Schesaus insists on the
Roman origin and heritage of
Romanians, backed by evidence he presents (together with proof of
Dacian contributions). The work was first printed in Wittenberg (1571), and it ensured that Schesaus was awarded the title of
Poet Laureate by
Prince Stephen Bathory
Stephen or Steven is a common English first name. It is particularly significant to Christians, as it belonged to Saint Stephen ( grc-gre, Στέφανος ), an early disciple and deacon who, according to the Book of Acts, was stoned to death; ...
.
Around 1580, Christian Schesaus was living in
Biertan; he died of the
plague
Plague or The Plague may refer to:
Agriculture, fauna, and medicine
*Plague (disease), a disease caused by ''Yersinia pestis''
* An epidemic of infectious disease (medical or agricultural)
* A pandemic caused by such a disease
* A swarm of pes ...
. He was buried in
St. Margaret's Church, Mediaș, where his epitaph can still be seen in the choir.
External links
Mediaş personalities
{{DEFAULTSORT:Schesaus, Christian
16th-century German Lutheran clergy
Transylvanian Saxon people
16th-century deaths from plague (disease)
1535 births
1585 deaths
Infectious disease deaths in Romania
German poets
Lutheran poets
People from Mediaș
German male poets