Jan Franco


Jan Franco was a physician, mathematician and astronomer who compiled almanacs. He was born in the village of Eersel in the Duchy of Brabant and studied medicine at the University of Leuven. He settled in Brussels to practice medicine and was given the freedom of the city. He was a practicing physician at least until 1594. As he had studied both medicine and mathematics, he was asked to calculate the ephemerides, for purposes of medical astrology. This led to his work as a compiler of almanacs from 1586 to 1611. From 1612 to 1621 Arnout Coninx and his widow were selling almanacs based on Franco's drafts but completed for publication by his son, Jan Franco jr., and by Johannes Regius. At least as late as 1616 almanacs prepared by others were being sold on the strength of their association with Franco.

Publications