PETR MIENCIL
HUSITSKÁ TEOLOGICKÁ FAKULTA UNIVERZITY KARLOVY
HUSSITE THEOLOGICAL FACULTY OF CHARLES UNIVERSITY
ASTRONOMY AT A CROSSROADS WITH RELIGION AND POLITICS IN RENAISSANCE PRAGUE – THE
GOLDEN ERA BEFORE THE THIRTY-YEARS WAR
Abstract: This article gives an overview of Renaissance Prague as a meeting place of proto-science,
namely astronomy in its religious and political context of pre-Thirty-Years-War times, during the rule
of emperor Rudolf II, a famous Maecenas of arts, science and all things occult. After introductory
notes and short sketches of Rudolf II, the development of heliocentric theory and a set of short
medallions of astronomers connected to Prague are given. Johannes Kepler, a discoverer of planetary
motion laws, gets more attention in a separate chapter. The epilogue summarises key findings of
what is today called Lutheran astronomy vs. Jesuit astronomy of the 17th century. Method used:
research of primary and secondary literary sources related to astronomy, religion and politics of the
17th century Prague and kingdom of Bohemia.
Keywords: geocentric model; heliocentric model; Johannes Kepler; Rudolf II; Renaissance
THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 93, 2022, No. 3 – 4, Number of Article 2, p. 289 – 314.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.93.3-4.2