Petrus Bertius (also Peter Bertius; Pieter de Bert) (14 November 1565 – 13 October 1629) was a

Flemish Flemish (''Vlaams'') is a Low Franconian dialect cluster of the Dutch language. It is sometimes referred to as Flemish Dutch (), Belgian Dutch ( ), or Southern Dutch (). Flemish is native to Flanders, a historical region in northern Belgium; ...

philosopher, theologian, historian, geographer and cartographer. Bertius published much in mathematics, and historical and theological works, but he is now best known as cartographer with his edition of the '' Geographia'' of

Ptolemy Claudius Ptolemy (; grc-gre, Πτολεμαῖος, ; la, Claudius Ptolemaeus; AD) was a mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, geographer, and music theorist, who wrote about a dozen scientific treatises, three of which were of importanc ...

(based on Mercator's edition from 1578), and for its atlas. Petrus Bertius by Vinkeles 1787

Early life

He was born in Beveren (Alveringem), the son of a Flemish preacher Pieter Michielszoon Bardt, who left Flanders for religious exile in London around 1568, with his family. In 1577 Petrus Bertius returned to the Netherlands, to study at the University of Leiden. He supported himself by tutoring younger students and continued travelling in Europe. In 1593 he was appointed to subregent of the Leiden ''Statencollege'', marrying in the same year Maritgen, daughter of

Johannes Kuchlinus Johannes is a Medieval Latin form of the personal name that usually appears as "John (name), John" in English language contexts. It is a variant of the Greek and Classical Latin variants (Ιωάννης, ''Ioannes (given name), Ioannes''), itself ...

, the first regent of the ''Statencollege'', whom he would succeed after his death in 1606 as a regent. He was also connected by marriage to

Jodocus Hondius Jodocus Hondius (Latinized version of his Dutch language, Dutch name: ''Joost de Hondt'') (17 October 1563 – 12 February 1612) was a Flemish people, Flemish and Dutch engraving, engraver and cartographer. He is sometimes called Jodocus Hon ...

and Pieter van den Keere, his brothers-in-law and both cartographers, and this would influence his later life.Walter A. Goffart, ''Historical atlases: the first three hundred years, 1570-1870'' (2003), p. 70.

Philosophy & theology

Bertius wrote an introduction to

Boethius Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius, commonly known as Boethius (; Latin: ''Boetius''; 480 – 524 AD), was a Roman senator, consul, ''magister officiorum'', historian, and philosopher of the Early Middle Ages. He was a central figure in the tr ...

's Consolations of Philosophy, which was published in

Giovanni Antonio Volpi Giovanni Antonio Volpi (1686–1717) was an Italian editor, publisher and poet. He was born in Padua. In 1717, along with his brother Gaetano and the engraver Giuseppe Comino, they founded a publishing house and book shop under the name of ''Librer ...

's edition of the text in 1721. Bertius was a friend of Jacobus Arminius, and spoke at his funeral in 1609. A controversy arose with Francis Gomarus, the chief opponent of

Arminianism Arminianism is a branch of Protestantism based on the theological ideas of the Dutch Reformed theologian Jacobus Arminius (1560–1609) and his historic supporters known as Remonstrants. Dutch Arminianism was originally articulated in the ''Re ...

, on the basis of the published version of the funeral oration. Bertius held views on essential doctrines that were unwelcome even to his friends. He was accused of Semipelagianism. In 1612 Bertius published ''Hymenaeus desertor'', a Latin work that went further than Arminius in theology, against the advice of fellow

Remonstrant The Remonstrants (or the Remonstrant Brotherhood) is a Protestant movement that had split from the Dutch Reformed Church in the early 17th century. The early Remonstrants supported Jacobus Arminius, and after his death, continued to maintain his ...

s. The ''Hymenaeus desertor'' was widely circulated, but was unpopular: William Louis, Count of Nassau-Dillenburg disliked it, and Johan van Oldenbarnevelt with other politicians felt that Bertius had gone against them. Bertius persisted, however, in 1613 with a Dutch translation, which he reprinted in 1615 in Leiden. Eventually Bertius lost his teaching position, and was also forbidden to give private lessons.

Later life

In 1618 Bertius was given an appointment as a cosmographer to the court of

Louis XIII Louis XIII (; sometimes called the Just; 27 September 1601 – 14 May 1643) was King of France from 1610 until his death in 1643 and King of Navarre (as Louis II) from 1610 to 1620, when the crown of Navarre was merged with the French crown ...

. His career in cartography had started in 1598, with the publication of a Latin edition of a miniature atlas ''Caert Thresoor'' by

Barent Langenes Barend or (somewhat dated spelling) Barent is a Dutch male given name and occasional middle name. As of 2014, there are over 4,000 men in the Netherlands with this as their first name, and nearly 3,000 with it as their middle name. It was likely de ...

,Carl Moreland and David Bannister, ''Antique Maps'' (1986), p. 105. which he translated as ''Tabulae contractae'' (1600). His ''Theatrum geographiae veteris'' had commended him to King Louis. When his academic prospects in the Netherlands were cut down, he went to France. In 1620 he converted to the Catholic Church, and became professor of rhetoric at the Collège de Boncourt, a part of the

University of Paris , image_name = Coat of arms of the University of Paris.svg , image_size = 150px , caption = Coat of Arms , latin_name = Universitas magistrorum et scholarium Parisiensis , motto = ''Hic et ubique terrarum'' (Latin) , mottoeng = Here and a ...

. In 1622 Louis XIII set up a new personal chair in mathematical sciences in the royal college for Bertius, and granted him the title of royal historian. He died in Paris.

Works

* 1609: ''Liick-oratie over de doot van den Eerweerdighen ende wytberoemden Heere Jacobus Arminius'' * 1612: ''Hymenaeus desertor: sive de sanctorum apostasia problemata duo. (1: An fieri possit ut justus deserat justitam suam? 2: An quae deseritur fuerit vera justitia?)'' * 1616: ''Commentariorum Rerum Germanicarum libri tres'', including commentary on the '' Tabula Peutingeriana'' * 1619: ''Theatri Geographiae Veteris'', doi:10.3931/e-rara-85904 (Digitized Edition at E-rara). * 1625: ''Notitia Chorographica Episcopatuum Galliae''

Honours

Bertius Inlet Bertius Inlet ( bg, text=залив Бертий, italic=no, ‘Zaliv Bertius’ \'za-liv 'ber-tiy\) is the 8.3 km wide ice-filled inlet indenting for 9 km Wilkins Coast on the Antarctic Peninsula. It is entered south of Cape Walcott an ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest contine ...

is named after Petrus Bertius.

Notes and references

Citations

Sources

* *

Gallery

File:1602 Gal Belg Vet 29 Bertius Hondius.jpg, Galliae Belgicae Veteris File:1614 Nova Germaniae Bertio.jpg, Nova Germaniae Inferioris File:1616 Zeeland Bertius.jpg, Zeelandia File:1627 Europa Bertius.jpg, Carte de l'Europe File:1640 Afrique Bertius.jpg, Carte de l'Afrique File:1627 Carte de l'Asie Bertius.jpg, Carte de l'Asie File:Iapan-Langenen-1650.jpg, Iapan File:1627 Amerique Bertius.jpg, Carte de l'Amerique

External links

*The Online Books Page: Online Books by Petrus Bertius (Bertius, Petrus, 1565–1629): http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupname?key=Bertius%2C%20Petrus%2C%201565%2D1629 {{DEFAULTSORT:Bertius, Petrus 1565 births 1629 deaths 17th-century Calvinist and Reformed theologians 16th-century Flemish cartographers Remonstrants People from East Flanders Leiden University alumni Academic staff of the University of Paris 17th-century Dutch theologians