Page:Catholic Encyclopedia, volume 8.djvu/869

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LANGEN

executed in the cupola of Sant' Andrea della Valle his greatest work, representing the Virjiin seated in the clouds, and distinguished by grandeur, daring, boldness of design, and masterly colouring. He was then attracted to Naples and was occupied for a couple of years in painting the cupola of San Gennaro, and in carrj-ing out similar work in San Martino. Here again he was the rival of Domenichino, who was at work at the cupola of the treasury when he died, and Lanfranco was employed to finish the fresco, but he destroyed almost all the work of his great rival, excepting the decorations in the angles, and these still remain to prove that with the solitary exception of the cupola in Home, Domenichino's work was far more accomplished than that of his persistent rival. After executing this work, he returned to Rome, where he spent the remainder of his life, and his pro- ductions pleased Urban VIII so much that he con- ferred upon him the honour of knighthood.

His works can be studied in Madrid. Florence, Paris, Vienna, and Dresden, as well as in the places already mentioned. He left behind him several fine etchings, and a few drawings.

Bellori, VUc de' Pitlori ScuUori e Archetti Moderni (Rome, 1672), also a similar work on the artist (Rome, 1731), and his description of the Vatican (1751).

George Ch.\rles Williamson.

Lang, Matthew, cardinal. Bishop of Gurk and Archbishop of Salzburg, b. at Augsburg in 146S; d. at Salzburg, 30 March, 1540. After receiving a secular education at Ingolstadt, Tiibingen, and Vienna, he entered the chancery of Archbishop Berthold von Henneberg of Mainz, became secretary of Emperor Maximilian I in 1494, imperial councillor in 1501, and chancellor in 1508. The emperor esteemed him very highlj', and gave liim many ecclesiastical benefices. After being raised to the nobility with the title of " von Wellenburg" in 149S. he became provost of the cathe- dral of Augsburg in 1500, and shortly after also of that of Constance. In 1503 he was appointed coadjutor, and on 5 October, 1505, Prince-Bishop of Gurk. Though bishop, he remained in the imperial chancery as a layman, not even once visiting his diocese as long as he was Bishop of Gurk (from 1505 to 11 March, 1522). As imperial legate he directed the emperor's negotiations with France, ^'enice, Hvingarj', and the pope from 1.508 to 1515. On 10 March, 1511, Pope Julius II created him cardinal, but kept him in petto until 24 November, 1512. Despite imperial influence he was unsuccessful in his aspirations to the Sees of Mainz, Magdeburg, Halberstadt, and Trent, but was finally appointed coadjutor of the See of Salzburg in 1514, against the express wish of Archbishop Leonard Keutschach of Salzburg. Afterthe death of the latter, on S June. 1519, Lang became Archbishop of Salzburg. On 24 September, 1519, he was ordained prie-st and on the next day consecrated bishop. Though originally a promoter of the schismatic Council of Pisa, he later effected a settlement between the pope and the em- peror, and joined the Lateran Council on 3 December, 1512. It was due chiefly to his influence that Charles V was elected emperor in 1519. He also induced Charles V in 1521 to take measures against Luther, suppressed the Peasants' War in his domain between 1525 and 152(3, insisted on church reform at the synods which he held in Mtihldorf in 1.522 and 1537, and joined the league of Catholic princes at Ratisbon on 7 July, 1524. In 1529 he received the title of " Primate of Germany ". Cardinal Lang was a friend of letters, but a proud and ambitious prince of t he Church. His suppression of Protestantism and his ecclesiastical reforms were dictated rather by political than reli- gious motives.

Hauthai.er. Kurdimil MuUhius Lang und dir Tfligiutsoziale flewegung seiner Zeit. IBIT-ISAO (Salzburg. 1896); ScHMID. Den Knrdinala u. Erzbischola von Salzburg (1519-40) Malthaun iMng Verhalten zw Reformation (Furth, 1901); Legers m Mitthcil-

ungm der GetelUchafl fur Halzburgitehe Landeskunde, XLVT (Salzburg, 1906), 437-517.

Michael Ott.

Langen, Rudolph von, humanist and divine, b. at the village of Everswinkel, near Miinster, Westphalia, 1438 or 1439; d. at Miinster, 25 Dec, 1519. His fam- ily belonged to the nobility; according to Hermann Hamelmann, he received his schooling at Deventer, in the school of Thomas a Kempis, together with Rudolf Agricola, Alexander Hegius, -\nton Liber of Soest, Count Maurice von Spielcnberg. and Ludwig Dringen- berg. But this cannot be possible. Thomas was cer- tainly not a teacher. Count Spielenberg and Drin- genl:)erg were much older; possibly Agricola and Liber were his schoolfellows, but where there is no saying. In 1456 he entered the University of Erfurt, and re- ceived the degree of B..\. in 1459, and M..\. in 1460. But before this he was made canon of the cathedral of Miinster, and provost of the old cathedral in 1462. He went to Rome in 1466 in connexion with the election of a bishop. But Hamelmann is wrong in what he has to saj' about his having been the scholar of the most renowned Italian humanists. He was only there a short time. Xcither did Count Spiegelberg go with him, as he went to Rome in 1463, and several of the other scientists mentioned had been dead a long time. But it is true that Langen absorted many new ideas in Italy. At Mimster he was the centre of liter- ary life, as weU as of humanistic efforts. He was sur- rounded by a group of men of similar tastes. He pos- sessed a good classical library, which he liberally placed at the disposal of others. Young Hermann von dem Busche was one of his pupils, to whom he im- parted a love of classical literature. Hamelmann says he went to Rome a second time, with Hermann von dem Busche (1486). But this is not very prob- able.

Langen's own literary work is not important. It is true that he was well read, but he lacked poetical tal- ent. He wrote a poem about the destruction of Jeru- salem, which has not been preserved; also a prose work, which was published in Deventer about 1485. In 1486 the first printmg office at Miinster, belonging to Johann Limburg, printed his poems. In 1493 he published the "Rosarium lieatissimae virginis glorio- sissimaeque dei matris Maris''; about 1494 an epitaph on Albertus Magnus; and the " Horse de sancta cruce" in 1496. All these, as well as numerous other lesser poetical attempts, met with no better success than the collection of 1846, in spite of their ethical gravity, and his inspiration for all that was noble and good. But Langen's influence upon others was far more impor- tant. His most meritorious work was the reform which he brought about in the cathedral school, which took place in 1500. It became a humanistic institu- tion, patterned after the one at Deventer. The course of instruction was changed, and other masters were called. But the school was more indebted to the sub- rector, Johannes Murmellius, than to the rector, Ti- mann Kemener; the former was one of the ablest Ger- man humanists, and the flourishing condition of the school and its widespread influence, which reached to Schleswig and Pomerania, drew numerous scholars. It was by this work that Langen raised the literary life of the town of Miinster to the greatest activity. He was a pious and noble man. who led a truly re- ligous fife. The inscription on his tomb at Munster lauds him as the patron of scholars and the friend of the poor.

Parmet, Rudolph von Langen: Leben und gesammelte Gedichte des erslen Af iinsterischen Humnnisli'n (Miinster, 1S69); Nord- HOFF, Denkwiirdigkeiten au.i dem Af iinsterisehen Humanismua (Miinster, 1874); Hamelmann, Oratio de Rudolf Langio von InSO in desrhichlliche Werke, I. pt. II, 1-34; I, pt. III. 15-371 (Mdiuiter, 1H0.')-1908); Reichling. Die Re'orm der Domsdiule zu Mimster (Berlin, 1900); BiiBHER, Das lilerarisdte Leben in Munster (.Mimster, 1906).

Kle.mens Loffler.