Ales Zhlutka. The unknown pages of Francysk Skaryna’s biography

Published in: Весці Нацыянальнай акадэміі навук Беларусі. Серыя гуманітарных навук. 2017. № 3. С. 40–50

The article examines the primary sources of the fifteenth-sixteenth centuries that could illuminate some obscure pages of the biography of Francysk Skaryna (Skorina in Russian pronunciation), the first printer and educator for Belarus and Eastern Slavs. The major hypotheses put forward in this article concerns Francysk Skaryna’s dates of birth and death, as well as the place where he received his first education. On the other hand, new information on the family, relatives, wife and sons of Francysk Skaryna is introduced and examined. The new arguments in favor of the possibility that Francysk Skaryna had obtained his diploma of doctor in liberal arts as well as a profound medical training at the University of Copenhagen, are presented. It is also suggested that Francysk Skaryna was part of the Danish delegation to the Fifth Council of the Lateran in Rome, during the summer of 1512, three months before his examinations for doctor medical degree in the University of Padua. The author also asserts that henceforthvwe can identify the anonymous author of medical essay on the ways to cure the “English Sweating sickness” (in Latin: sudor anglicus), sent by Duke Albert of Prussia (in German Albrecht von Preussen) to the Chancellor of Poland Krzysztof Szydłowiecki, as Francysk Skaryna. The article also introduces two new documents found in the archives of the Czech Republic concerning Francysk Skaryna’s son – Simeon.

Read the full text of “The unknown pages of Francysk Skaryna’s biography” in Russian: Александр Жлутко. Неизвестные страницы биографии Франциска Скорины , or Belarusian: Алесь Жлутка. Невядомыя старонкі біяграфіі Францыска Скарыны