Bohuslav Balbín


Bohuslav Balbín was a Czech writer, historian, geographer and Jesuit, called the "Czech Pliny". He became well known also as an advocate of the Czech language in the time of incoming germanization of the Czech lands.

Life

Balbín was born in Hradec Králové into a middle class Roman Catholic family. He was educated mostly in the Jesuit schools, he soon joined the Society of Jesus. After finishing studies in philosophy at University of Olomouc, he taught in Jesuit colleges in Prague, Třeboň, Brno, Jičín, Jindřichův Hradec and Český Krumlov.
After writing of several textbooks and didactic theatre plays, he also became acquainted with historical sources of archives and libraries. His entire life was devoted to collecting and editing materials about Czech history, and his researches have often been utilized by the Bollandists. Balbín died, aged 66, in Prague.

Work

He wrote over thirty works, the most important from which is Miscellanea Historica regni Bohemiae, in which he described the geography, natural history, and chief historical events of his native land. The work includes brief vitae of prominent Czechs.
The sections of the work:
Bohuslav Balbín is known in Czech Lands mostly for his "Apology for the Slavic and especially Czech language", written in Latin. He was the first to edit the ancient chronicle of the tenth century known as the Life of St. Ludmilla and Martyrdom of St. Wenceslas, which is considered the oldest historical work written in the Czech lands by a Czech. Balbinus wrote also De archiepiscopis Bohemiae and Bohemia Sancta, sive de sanctis Bohemiae, Moraviae, Silesiae, Lusatiae. His book Vita beatae Joannis Nepomuceni martyris was published in Prague, 1670, is in large part responsible for the developed legend of Saint John of Nepomuk. Balbin also wrote one reference book about stylistics and two works devoted to rhetoric