Petrus Apianus

Petrus Apianus was a prolific publisher of mathematical and astronomical texts. Born in Saxony to a middle-class family, Apianus was educated at Leipzig University. His most distinguished patron was Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who commissioned Apianus’ greatest work, the ‘Astronomicum Caesareum’ (1540). This book included twenty-one volvelles, which could theoretically be used to calculate everything from eclipses to the time of a baby’s conception. The ‘Astronomicum’ made Apianus famous, earning him the positions of Imperial Knight and Imperial Court Palatine in Charles V’s court. Apianus was known for making cosmography accessible to his readers, which can be seen in his earlier text, the ‘Cosmographia’ (1524). It used interactive paper instruments to explain sixteenth century innovations and ancient knowledge.