The legend of Arnau de The legend of Arnau de Vilanova, Vilanova,

from the Middle Ages to from the Middle Ages to the Early Modern Timesthe Early Modern Times

Sebastià Giralt Sebastià Giralt (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)(Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona)

Conference 'Les légendes des savants et Conference 'Les légendes des savants et des philosophes au Moyen Age et à la des philosophes au Moyen Age et à la

Renaissance', Tours, Renaissance', Tours, 16th-18th September 2010 16th-18th September 2010

Juan Antonio Paniagua (1920-2010)Juan Antonio Paniagua (1920-2010)

In memoriamIn memoriam

(Arnaldus de Villanova, c. 1240-1311)(Arnaldus de Villanova, c. 1240-1311)

Le trésor des pauvres, Lyon, Claude Nourry, 1527

Some factors that Some factors that generated the legend of generated the legend of

Arnau de VilanovaArnau de Vilanova Apocalyptic prophetism and religious heterodoxy Apocalyptic prophetism and religious heterodoxy

accusations and prohibition of the Inquisition, accusations and prohibition of the Inquisition, Supposed proximity to Kabbalah (spiritual work), Supposed proximity to Kabbalah (spiritual work), Interest in astrology and natural magic (medical Interest in astrology and natural magic (medical

work),work), Episodes of his biography susceptible to be Episodes of his biography susceptible to be

related with occult arts related with occult arts Interpretatio de Interpretatio de visionibus in somniisvisionibus in somniis (1308), dedicated to kings (1308), dedicated to kings Jaume II of Aragon and Frederic III of Sicily.Jaume II of Aragon and Frederic III of Sicily.

TraditionsTraditions

NecromancerNecromancer

AlchemistAlchemist

Eschatological prophet Eschatological prophet

Magician

apocryphal writings Arnau’s fame

14th c. 16th c.

Persecution of Arnau’s Persecution of Arnau’s spiritual writings:spiritual writings:

Sentence of the Inquisition Sentence of the Inquisition of Tarragona (1316),of Tarragona (1316),

Directorium inquisitorumDirectorium inquisitorum by by Nicolau Eimeric (1376).Nicolau Eimeric (1376).

11. The prophet. The prophet

Arnau, Hartmann Schedel, Liber Chronicorum, 1493

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (1493-1494),

Symphorien Champier De medicine claris scriptoribus (1506)Arnaldi Vita (1520)

Giovanni Villani, Giovanni Villani, Nuova Nuova cronicacronica (1308-1348), (1308-1348),

Antonino Pierozzi, Antonino Pierozzi, ChroniconChronicon (1440 -1459 (1440 -1459))

Hartmann Schedel, Hartmann Schedel, Liber Liber ChronicorumChronicorum (1493) (1493)

Marsilio Ficino, Consiglio contro la pestilentia (1481)

2. The alchemist2. The alchemist First attribution to Arnau First attribution to Arnau

(1323-1350), (1323-1350), Giovanni d’Andrea Giovanni d’Andrea

making of gold (1346-1347),making of gold (1346-1347), Joan de Rocatalhada Joan de Rocatalhada

(Iohannes de Rupescissa), (Iohannes de Rupescissa), Liber lucisLiber lucis (1350), (1350),

Chaucer, Chaucer, The Canon's The Canon's Yeoman TaleYeoman Tale (1386-1400). (1386-1400).

What is first: his fame as an What is first: his fame as an alchemist or the attribution alchemist or the attribution of apocryphals?of apocryphals?

Ramon Llull’s conversion Ramon Llull’s conversion to alchemy by Arnau’s to alchemy by Arnau’s

teachingteaching Pseudolullian writings:Pseudolullian writings: Codicillus Codicillus Marsilio Ficino (1481)Marsilio Ficino (1481) Murchi (1504) Murchi (1504) Champier (1520)Champier (1520)

Ramon Llull and Arnau de Vilanova, 15 c., Florence,

BNC, ms. B.R. 52, f. 237v)

HomunculusHomunculus

Alonso de Madrigal, el Tostado, Alonso de Madrigal, el Tostado, In librum ParadoxarumIn librum Paradoxarum

Juan of Mariana, Juan of Mariana, Historiae de Historiae de rebus Hispaniaerebus Hispaniae (1592) (1592)

Homunculus, 19th century engraving of Goethe's Faust

3. The 3. The necromancernecromancer

Raonament d’AvinyóRaonament d’Avinyó (1310): (1310): heretic (“heretge”), heretic (“heretge”), fool (“fantàstich”), fool (“fantàstich”), necromancer necromancer

(“nigromàntich”), (“nigromàntich”), enchanter (“encantador”).enchanter (“encantador”).

Arnau de Vilanova, Isaac Bullart, Academie des sciences et des arts, contenant les vies, et les eloges historiques

des hommes illustres , Amsterdam, D. Elzevier,  1682

Tetragrammaton

Allocutio super Allocutio super TetragrammatonTetragrammaton (1292)(1292)

A diagram on the Tetragrammaton YHWH— or "IEVE" (transcribed into the Latin) as a foundation of the Christian Trinity. Manuscript (ca. 1109) of Dialogi Contra Iudaeos by Petrus Alphonsi

Fame as a Fame as a necromancernecromancer

Suspicions that he was accomplice in Pope in Pope Benedict XI’s death Benedict XI’s death (1304), supposedly (1304), supposedly committed by Bernat committed by Bernat Deliciós (Bernard Deliciós (Bernard Délicieux) Délicieux) trial (1319). trial (1319).

Francesc Eiximenis, Francesc Eiximenis, Primer delPrimer del Crestià Crestià ( (1379 1379 – 1381– 1381).). Arnau de Vilanova, Bertran Boisset,

"La sciensa d'atermenar", 1401 – 1415, Carpentras, Bibliothèque Municipale, ms. n°327

Magical apocryphal Magical apocryphal writingswritings

Liber experimentorumLiber experimentorum by Guilhem de by Guilhem de Perissa, Perissa,

De sigillisDe sigillis, , Remedia contra maleficia,Remedia contra maleficia, Latin version of Latin version of De physicis ligaturisDe physicis ligaturis by by

Costa ben LucaCosta ben Luca..

4. The magician4. The magician1)1) Confusion about the place of his birth: kingdom of Confusion about the place of his birth: kingdom of

Valencia, Catalonia, Provence (Villeneuve-Loubet). Valencia, Catalonia, Provence (Villeneuve-Loubet). 2)2) Initiation to an occult wisdom: alchemy or Initiation to an occult wisdom: alchemy or

“necromancy”.“necromancy”.3)3) Long travels in search of knowledge: University of Long travels in search of knowledge: University of

Paris, Italy (Pythagoreans), al-Andalus, Greece. Paris, Italy (Pythagoreans), al-Andalus, Greece. 4)4) Ambiguous social position: proximity to power Ambiguous social position: proximity to power vsvs. .

heterodoxy.heterodoxy.5)5) Persecution against him by the establishment, Persecution against him by the establishment,

especially the Inquisition.especially the Inquisition.6)6) Medical powers. Medical powers. 7)7) Command of the secrets of nature. Command of the secrets of nature. 8)8) Making of prodigies: creation of gold and Making of prodigies: creation of gold and

homunculus.homunculus.

Controversy on occultismControversy on occultismAgrippa von Nettesheim Agrippa von Nettesheim (1486-1535) (1486-1535) De occulta De occulta philosophia philosophia (1531-1533),(1531-1533),Marsilio Ficino, Marsilio Ficino, Consiglio Consiglio contro la pestilentiacontro la pestilentia (1481), (1481), De vita coelitus De vita coelitus comparanda comparanda (1489),(1489),Paracelsus Paracelsus Jacques Gohory and Jacques Gohory and other paracelsians,other paracelsians,Martín del Río, Martín del Río, Disquisitiones magicaeDisquisitiones magicae (1599-1600).(1599-1600).

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, Disputationes adversus astrologiam divinatricem (1493-1494),Johann Weyer, Johann Weyer, De De praestigiis daemonumpraestigiis daemonum (1566), (1566), Marin MersenneMarin Mersenne, , Quaestiones Quaestiones celeberrimae in Genesimceleberrimae in Genesim (1623),(1623),Athanasius Kircher, Athanasius Kircher, Mundus subterraneusMundus subterraneus (1664) (1664)