The Astronomer and the Witch: Johannes Kepler's Fight for his Mother
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | 4.12 (796 Votes) |
| Asin | : | 0198736770 |
| Format Type | : | paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 272 Pages |
| Publish Date | : | 2017-05-19 |
| Language | : | English |
DESCRIPTION:
Ulinka Rublack is Professor of Early Modern European History at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of St John's College. One of the most original historians of her generation, she has published widely on early modern European history, including Reformation Europe (2005),
And, as the story unfolds, it appears that there were moments when even Katharina's children wondered whether their mother really did have nothing to hide. On the contrary, he clearly believed in them. A defender of Copernicus's sun-centred universe, he famously discovered that planets move in ellipses and defined the three laws of planetary motion. While advancing rational explanations for the phenomena that his mother's accusers attributed to witchcraft, Kepler nevertheless did not call into question the existence of magic and witches. Kepler's defense of his mother also offers us a fascinating glimpse into the great astronomer's world view, on the cusp between Reformation and scientific revolution. In The Astronomer and the Witch, Ulinka Rublack pieces together the tale of this extraordinary episode in Kepler's life, one that takes us to the heart of his changing world. The proceedings led to a criminal trial that lasted six years, with Kepler conducting his mother's defense. Perhaps less well known is that in 1615, when Kepler was at the height of his career, his widowed mother Katharina was accused of witchcraft. First and foremost an intense family drama, the story brings to life the world of a small Lutheran community in the center of Europe at a time of deep religious and political turmoil - a century after the Reformation and on the threshold of the Thirty Years' War. Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) was one of the m
"A German Witch Trial" according to R. Lee Hadden. A readable work about the mother of the famed astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1571-16A German Witch Trial A readable work about the mother of the famed astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), who was accused of witchcraft in Germany. In 1615, his 73 year old mother, Katharina Kepler was accused of bewitching several people in town, and over the next six years a continuing trial and imprisonment was challenged by her son. Later, after a year of imprisonment, she was threatened with torture to confess her crimes. Only Johannes and his siblings kept up a steady opposit. 0), who was accused of witchcraft in Germany. In 1615, his 7A German Witch Trial A readable work about the mother of the famed astronomer, Johannes Kepler (1571-1630), who was accused of witchcraft in Germany. In 1615, his 73 year old mother, Katharina Kepler was accused of bewitching several people in town, and over the next six years a continuing trial and imprisonment was challenged by her son. Later, after a year of imprisonment, she was threatened with torture to confess her crimes. Only Johannes and his siblings kept up a steady opposit. year old mother, Katharina Kepler was accused of bewitching several people in town, and over the next six years a continuing trial and imprisonment was challenged by her son. Later, after a year of imprisonment, she was threatened with torture to confess her crimes. Only Johannes and his siblings kept up a steady opposit. Highly recommended David Blank (Westlake, Ohio) Thank you, Professor Rublack, for this outstanding work on Johannes Kepler and his times. I believe the author has firmly accomplished her stated objective (p. 306) of presenting history by “…restoring nuance to our account of past lives and respect for different voices from a wide social spectrum…”The complex characters in this book could hardly have been invented; instead they have been “rediscovered” from the author’. rather it is a fun read. Even back then men had mothers who This book is not really for the scientists or the historians, rather it is a fun read. Even back then men had mothers who could be difficult for their sons to deal with.
Kern, Austrian Studies Newsmagazine. She makes us understand how witchcraft could be credible and why people feared it so much. "An enthralling, many-sided book At once a vivid introduction to a fascinating social and cultural world; a profound analysis of a witch trialand a deep study of one of the greatest scientists who ever lived" --Professor Anthony Grafton, Princeton University "Gripping and inspiring, this tale of the six-year battle to clear Katharina Kepler of the charge of witchcraft yields striking new insights into the personalities and families involved, their communities and their culture The past, with its hopes and fears, comes wonderfully to life in this scholarly masterwork." --Professor Nicholas Jardine, University of Cambridge "This book takes you right to the heart of life in the seventeenth century, with all its sense of intellectual possibility, its dreams and its fears. How was it possible for