Page:History of the German people at the close of the Middle Ages vol1.djvu/151

 UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER CENTRES OF LEARNING 139 the gates of Nuremberg when, in June 1741 (some weeks later than the birth of Albert Diirer), the great reformer of the sciences of astronomy and mathematics, Johann Miiller — * the wonder of his time ' — surnamed Eegiomontanus after his home in Lower Franconia, took up his abode there. He raised the city to the position of one of the chief centres of mathematical and physical science, and contributed much towards making it ' the capital of German art.' In 1448 Eegiomontanus, then barely twelve years old, had entered the University of Leipsic in order to study philosophy and mathematics. Two years later he had gone to Vienna to perfect his studies under George Peuerbach, the most eminent astronomical pro- fessor of his day. At Vienna, in his sixteenth year, he obtained the degree of B.A., and in 1458 he started lectures on mathematics and astronomy, and in 1461 on philology. In conjunction with Peuerbach, and under the patronage of Cardinal Bessarion and Bishop Johann von Grosswardein, he compiled several pioneer works on the science of astronomy. 1 These two men were the founders of astronomical calculation and ob- servation. While the Germans, owing to their limited maritime power, were not able to do much towards geographical discovery, they very justly claim to have laid the foundation of modern mathematical geography through Eegiomontanus and Peuerbach. The century in which such men as these nourished may justly be called the German century of geographical science. 1 In the words of Humboldt and Peschel, ' Peuerbach and Eegiomon- tanus influenced Copernicus and his disciples as did this latter influence Newton and Galileo.' See also H. Wuttke in Die Erdkunde %m letzten Drittel des Mittelalters. Dresden, 1871.