Martini Biographical Inforation

Martini, Martino, 1614-1661Alternative Names:Wei Kuangguo 34907;21281;22283;, Jitai 28639;27888; ; Wei K’uang-kuo, Chi-t’ai ; Wei K’ouang-Kouo, Tsi-T’aiReligious Affiliation:Society of Jesus (Roman Catholic)

Source: Dehergne, Répertoire (1973)

Martini, Martino (ital.; allem.) P.
Martinus de Martinis (JS 134, 338v); Martinho Miz’ (JS 134, 352); Martinho Martis (JS 134, 346); Martinus Martins.
Wei K’ouang-Kouo, Tsi-T’ai (Pf.; Brog. alt. 523, fo. 58: GOUEI KOUAN KOUE, Martinus MARTINS).
N. “germanus, natus Tridenti” (JS 134, 326), allemand de Trente, alors capitale du Tyrol italien, 1614 -E. 8 oct. 1632 Rome (Rom. 57, 21; 173, 20v dit 7 oct.).
Emb. 26 mars 1640 sur le Na. Sra. d’Atalaia (W 890; JS 125, 125).
Arr. 1643 Hangchow; Shanghai; “Venxui” (Suian, Souei-ngan hien), TP 1936, p. 327 n.; JA 49-V- 13 fo. 177v); 1646, Ningpo, où était la cour de LONG-WOU (BN. Lisbonne Fondo Geral ms 772, 346 sq. Mandarin?); 1648, supérieur résidence de Hangchow (JS 134, 337), puis Pékin et Grande Muraille; 1650, élu procureur, gagne Rome par le Foukien, les Philippines, Batavia, où il est prisonnier, 1653; Bergen, Norvège, 31 août 1653; Hambourg; Amsterdam, 1654 et Anvers où il publie le Novus Atlas Sinensis; Rome, fin 1654; obtient le décret du 23 mars 1656 sur les rites, après avoir proposé ses dubia (M 423, 265-270, STREIT V no. 2263, 2264, 2268); quitte Gênes pour Lisbonne 8 janv. 1656 (Arch. Bruxelles ms 872-915 fo. 72- 78) instructions reçues (ARSI FG. 722 no. 10, cf AHSI 9 (1940) 289-291); emb. sur le Bom Jesus da Vidigueira, 4 avril 1657 (W 1031a); pris par les corsaires; arr. Hangchow 11 juin 1659; y bâtit nouvelle église, 1660 (JA 49-V-14, 712-715). Sa Grammaire, TP XXI, 381, 386.
V. Rome, maison professe, 15 août 1655, pr. (Lus. 7, 147): Martinus MARTINI.
M. 6 juin 1661, Hangchow (HS 48, 102 dit: 15 juin, M. “in Sinis”).

Il réclame pour la Chine un Séminaire, et aussi de tenter la route par terre (ARSI, FG. 730, an 1655). -Son voyage (DUYVENDAK, TP 32 (1936), 293-344.
Pf. 256; NCE (F.A. ROULEAU).
SCHRAMEIER, Dr., On Martin Martini, Journal Peking Oriental Society II (1888) no. 2, 99-119; THOELEN 352; DUYVENDAK, TP XXXII, 1936, 294-344; Walter FUCHS, The Mongol Atlas of China, pp. 22-23; BERNARD (MAITRE), H., Les sources mongoles et chinoises de l’Atlas Martini (1655), MS 1947, 260-265; BIERMANN, B., War M.M. chinesischer Mandarin? NZM XI (1955), 221-225; SCHMIDT-PRETORIA, W., Martinus Martini…. Archiv für Wissenschaftliche Geographie, X (Bonn 1956), 239-249; SZCZÉSNIAK, B., The Seventeenth Century Maps of China, Imago Mundi, XIII (1956), 116-136, et, A Note on the Studies of Longitudes….Imago Mundi XV (1961), 89-93; Günther HAMANN, P.M.M., ein Tiroler Jesuit als Begründer der Geographie Chinas, Tiroler Heimat 29-30 (Innsbruck 1965-1966), 101-110, et, du même, Das Leben der Chinesen in der Sicht eines Tiroler Missionars….., Archiv für Östereichische Geschichte 125 (Wien 1966), 96-120; Edwin J. Van KLEY, Europe’s “Discovery” of China and the writing of World History, AHR, t. 76 no. 2, April 1971; Dr Ir. C. KOEMAN, John Blaeu and His grand Atlas, 1970, le chapitre concernant la Chine; W.K. 240-241; STREIT V no. 2232, XIII no. 1295; WB no. 34-35; PINOT, 200-202, 478; SF III.


CompilerLuke Clossey, UC Berkeley, U.S.A.

Considered himself of German nationality [H2 1220]; nationality listed as “de Trente” in BAV Borg. Lat. 523, fol 57r-60v, at 58v; entered Society of Jesus in 1631, according to Huonder 191 and Southwell 589; 1638, Genoa; 1639 Portugal; May 13, 1639, sailed from Lisbon, reaches Cape Verde but forced by unfavorable winds to return to Lisbon [letter of November 8, 1639]; November 6, 1640, arrived at Goa [Pfister 256]; 1646, Ningpo; 1646, back at Hangchow [Pfister 257]; summer of 1654, German lands [Schmidt-Pretoria 234]; Trent [Burrus, “Kino’s Relative,” 106]; late 1654, Rome; 1658, arrived in Hangchow [according to Burrus, “Kino’s Relative,” 106]; Studied mathematics under Kircher at the Roman College [Kircher, China Illustrata, pref.; Magnes sive de arte magnetic opus (Rome, 1654, p. 316) “Martinus Martinius, meus in mathematicis privatus hic Romae discipulus.”]

Primary Sources – T’ien-tchou li tcheng. [Rational proofs of the existence of God]

– Ling-hoen (-sing) li tcheng. [Rational proofs of the immortality of the soul]

– Tchen Tchou ling sing li tcheng. 眞主靈性理證 zhenzhu lingxing lizheng [Veri Dei et animae naturae proabtio] Edition consisting of previous two entries, together. [Reissued at T’ou-sè-wè, 1918 (Catal. 1917, Supplement, nr. 90); BAV Borg. Cin. 324 no. 11; Rac Gen Or. III. 223 (1); as “Divinitatis et Animae Rationialis demonstratio” at ARSI Jap.Sin. I,100]

– K’ieou yeou p’ien/Ch’iu-yu p’ien 逑友篇. qiuyou pian [On Friendship.] Hang-tcheou: 1661. [BAV Borg Cin 364 no 13; Racc Gen Or III 223 (8); ARSI JapSin I,101]

– [Chinese treatise against reincarnation] location unknown. Also known as Contra Pythagoricam transmigrationem animarum. [cited in Ribadeneyra, Bibliotheca scriptorum 589] – Novus altas sinensis. Amsterdam: Bleau, 1665. [contains De bello tartarico and a præfatio ad lectorem; Amsterdam: Blaeu, 1656 (Dutch); Amsterdam: Blaeu, 1656 (French); Amsterdam: Blaeu, 1658 (Spanish); copies at Berlin, Preußischer Kulturbesitz, Staatsbibliothek, Kartenabteilung; HAB 1.2, 2 Geographica 2o]

– Sinicæ Historiæ Decas Prima, Res à gentis origine ad Christum natum in extremâ Asiâ, sive Magno Sinarum Imperio gestas complexa. Monachii Typis Lucae Straubii, Impensis Joannis Wagneri Civis & Bibliopolae Monacensis, Cum Privilegio Caesareo. [Munich: 1658; HAB 217.31 Quodl.; BAV Barberini S.XII.20; [St. Gött. Univ. B.: H. As. II, 4905; Amsterdam: Blaeu, 1659 (Latin); Paris: Barbier, 1692 (French); HAB Gv 179 Amsterdam 1659; see Walravens 170]

– De bello tartarico in Sinis historia, in quâ, quo pacto Tartari hac nostra ætate Sinicum Imperium invaserint ac fere totum occuparint, narratur, eorumque mores breviter describuntur. Antwerp: Balt. Moret, 1654. [Cologne: 1654 (German); Vienna: apud Matthaeum Cosmerovium, 1654(German); Milan: Gio. Battista Bidelli, 1654 (Italian); Martvelt?: Poo, 1654 (Dutch); Antwerp: Woons, 1654 (Dutch); Paris: Henavlt, 1654 (French); Douai: Serrvrier, 1654 (French); London: Crook, 1654 (English); Rome: Ign. de Lazzeris: 1654 (Latin [acc. Schmidt-Pretoria 234]) and 1655; Amersterdam: 1655; Paris: Henavlt, 1656 (French); Lisbon: Valente de Oliveira (Portuguese); Antwerp: 1660 (Dutch); Amsterdam: Valkenier, 1661 (Latin); Madrid: Fernandez de Buendia, 1665 (Spanish); Lyon: Prost, 1667 (French); Paris: Prost, 1667 (French); [Forswenskat aff Ambr. Nidelberg. Wijsingzborg, Joh. Kankel, 1674] (Swedish); see Somervogel V.647 and Cordier, Bibliotheca 623.] [Berlin Preußischer Kulturbesitz Stabi; see China und Europa 156; HAB Gv 180 (Antwerp 1654); HAB Gv 181 (Amsterdam 1655); HAB Gv 182 (Amsterdam 1654); see Walravens 178-9;] Antwerp 1654 in BAV Barberini S XI 32]

– Histori von dem Tartarischen Kriege in welcher erzehlt wird Wie die Tartaren zu Vnserer Zeit in das grosse Reich Sina eingefallen sind vnd dasselbe fast gantz vnter sich gebracht haben: samt deroselben Sitten vnd weise kürtzlich beschreiben: durch den Ehrw. P. Martinvm Martinivm, aufz Trient der Societät Jesu aufz Sina nacher Rom geschickten Procuratorem. Amsterdam, Bey Iohan Blaev. MDCLIV. [Göttigen B. Univ.: H., As. II, 4912]

– Brevis relatio de numero et qualitate christianorum apud Sinas. Rome: de Lazzeris: 1654. [Présentée aux EE. Cardinaux de la Propagande.]; Cologne: 1655 [Sommervogel III/1121] [HAB Tq 782; see Walravens 190]. (German) Augsburg: 1655 [Burrus “Kino’s Relative” 105]; [Rome, 1654 atBAV Racc Gen Oriente III 310]; Rome 1654 at ARSI JapSin II, 152.1]

– Litteræ ad P. Athanasium Kircher, in quibus plures observationes magneticæ adnotantur. November 8, 1640. In Kicher, Arte magnetica.

– Actiones R. P. Martini Martinii, Procuratoris apud S. de propaganda Fide Congregat., MS.

– Zeitung auss der newen Welt oder Chinesischen Königreichen, so P. Martinus Martini der Soc. Jesu Priester (ohnlangst auss selbigen Landen in Hollandt anlangendt) mit sich gebracht hat. Augsburg: Aperger: 1654. [Cordier, Bibliotheca 1083]

– Grammaire chinoise. [See Hunterian Musuem of University of Glasgow’s Grammatica linguae Sinicae a Rev. P. Martino Martinis composita, et a R. Patre Coupleto augementato. See Cordier BS III.1650+; cited in H2 1238]

– Uncompleted Chinese translation of the Works of P. Francisco Suarez, with Tchou Cosma, of Ning-pouo 寧?. 1648-50. [Dunin-Szpot 1648]

– “Explicatio Epistolæ, quam Regina Sinarum misit ad Sanctissu~ Papam Innocentium f. R. Junglie anno quarto, decimo mense, die undecima. Martinus Martini Soctis JESU Expicavit.” [APF SOCG 193 fol 51rv.]

– “Explicatio Epistolæ, Pang Achillei spadonis Jung Liei Sinarum Regis Cancellarij…imperante Junglie anno quarto dicto [X/K]engin, mense Jang, die Hiven [scripsi/sinpsi]. Martinus Martini Soctis JESU Expicavit.” [APF SOCG 193 fol. 54rv.]

– Letter to General. Rome. August 31, 1634. [ARSI FG 740, 209r-10v]

– Letter to Kircher. Portugal. 1638. [In Kircher’s Magnes sive de arte magnetica: Colon. Agripp. 1643; 381+]

– Letter to Kircher. Evora. February 6, 1639. Latin. [APUG K XIII (567) 74]

– Letter to Kircher. Coimbra. November 8, 1639. Latin. [APUG K XIII (567) 223-4]

– Letter to Kircher. Lisbon. March 16, 1640. Latin. [APUG K XIII (567) 54]

– Letter to Kircher. Novembe 8, 1640 Goa. [In Kircher’s Magnes]

– Letter to Kircher. Macao. November 1, 1642. Latin. [APUG K XIII (567) 189] Annual report, 1646. [MS. 722 Fondo Geral f. 346r+ Lisbon National Library or Ajuda, cited in Biermann War 222]

– Letter to Kircher. Brussels. February 21, 1654. Latin. [APUG K XIII (567) 252] Descriptio chorographica regni Chinae. Huang Ming yitong ganfyu beijue. [published in Purchas His Pilgrimes (1625). See Walravens 112]

– Letter. September 16, 1652. Batavia?. [ARSI Jap. Sin. 22.]

– Letter to P. Lorenz Forer, S.J. Rome. October 1654. [BHStA Jesuitica 591.1]

– Letter to Propaganda. 1654. [APF Arch Prop V. India China et Japonia ad a. 1654. 193 fol. 71+; also 200,207; 193/25 fol. 199; 47 fol. 367]

– Letter to Nickel. Genoa. February 19, 1656. [ARSI Jap. Sin. 162/18 ff See Bosmans]

– “Mem. 1656.” [APF SOCG 193 fol 457rv (fragment)]

– Martini to Pope. [ca. 1656] [APF SOCG 193 fols. 262rv+273rv, with a second copy at 86r-87v.]

– Letter. Macao. November 2, 1658. [BHStA Jesuitica 607.112 (excerpt)]

– Letter to general. Macao. February 5, 1659. [Bibl. Royale de Belgique Mss. 4097, fol. 9]

– Letter to general. Macao. February 6, 1659. [ARSI Jap. Sin. 162/41+]

– Letter to general. Hang-tscheu. July 11, 1659. [ARSI Jap. Sin. 162/51]

Secondary Sources
– Biermann, Benno. “War Martin Martini chinesischer Mandarin?” NZM 11 (1955): 221-5.

– Bosmans, H[enri]. Documents sur Albert Dorville de Bruxelles, missionaire de la Compagnie de Jésus, au XVIIe siècle, et notamment sur les épisodes de son voyage vers Lisbonne & la Chine . Louvain: Bureaux des analectes, Imprimerie et lithographie Van Linthout, 1911 – Burrus, Ernest J. “Kino’s Relative, Father Martino Martini, S. J.: A Comparison of Two Outstanding Missionaries.” Neue Zeitschrift für Missionswissenschaft 31: 100-109.

– Schmidt-Pretoria, Werner. “Martinus Martini: Ein wenig bekannter Geograph hoher Geltung.” Archiv für Wissenschaftliche Geographie X (Bonn 1956): 233-9.

– Walraevens, Hartmut. China Illustrata. Das europäische Chinaverständnis im Spiegel des 16. bis 18. Jahrhunderts. Weinheim: 1987.

Abbreviations APF – Archivio della Santa Congregazione per l’Evangelizzazione dei Populi, Roma SOCG – Scritture Originali riferite nelle Congregazioni Generali
APUG – Archivio della Pontificie Università Gregoriana, Rome K – P. Kircher, Miscellanea Epistolarum (Carteggio di Athanasio Kircher)
ARSI – Archivum Romanum Societatis Jesu (Rome), Provincia Flandro-belgica
FG – Fondo Gesuitico
HS – Historia Societatis
Jap Sin – Provincia Japoniae et vice provincia Sinensis
BAV – Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana
Borg. cin. – Fonds Borgia Cinese
BHStA – Bayerisches Hauptstaatsarchiv, Munich
H2 – Huonder, Anton. Deutsche Jesuitenmissionäre. [unpublished manuscript of second edition; Archiv der Oberdeutschen Provinz, Munich: Anton Huonder, Deutsche Jesuitenmissionäre des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts, 2. Auflage (unveröffentlicht); AMSJ, Abt. 47 (Huonder)] HAB – Herzog-August-Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel

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