Michael Scot (12th century CE)

Michael Scot, also known as Michael Scotus, was a mediaeval scholar and astrologer who lived in the 12th century. He was born in Scotland, and he spent much of his life travelling and studying in various parts of Europe, including Italy, Spain, and France.

Michael Scot is known for his work as a translator, and he is credited with introducing many important works of Arabic science and philosophy to the Western world. Among his most famous translations are works by the famous Islamic philosopher and scientist, Ibn Rushd (also known as Averroes), as well as the “Liber Abaci,” a book on mathematics by the Italian mathematician Leonardo Fibonacci.

In addition to his work as a translator, Michael Scot was also an astrologer and an alchemist. He was known for his skill in predicting the future and was believed to have cast horoscopes for various rulers and nobles. He was also said to have developed a reputation as a sorcerer or magician, and some of his contemporaries accused him of practising black magic.

Despite his somewhat controversial reputation, Michael Scot was widely respected as a scholar and translator during his lifetime, and his contributions to the fields of science and philosophy were highly regarded. His translations helped to introduce many important ideas and concepts from the Islamic world to Western Europe, and his work had a significant impact on the development of mediaeval thought and culture.

Digitized Books:

Liber physiognomiae. [Paris, Antoine Caillaut, about 1483-1484] ➤

Liber physiognomiae. [Treviso], [ca. 1483] ➤

Liber physiognomiae. [Lyon, Nicolaus Philippi, and Marcus Reinhart, about 1478] ➤

Liber physiognomiae. [Venezia, Jacobus de Fivizzano],1477 ➤

Liber physiognomiae. [Köln, Ulrich Zel, about 1485] ➤

Liber physiognomiae.[Basel, Johann Amerbach, about 1485-1486] ➤

Liber physiognomiae. [Basel, Michael Wenssler, about 1485] ➤

Expositio super auctorem spherae ➤

Physionomia laqual compiloe maestro Michael Scotto; a prieghi di Federico romano imperatore, huomo di gran scienza ➤

Physionomia Laqval Compiloe Maestro Michael Scotto […] et e cosa molto notabile: e da tener secreta; pero che l’e di grande efficacia & comprende cose secrete della natura, bastanti ad ogni Astrologo Et e diuiso in tre parti ➤

Physonomia laqual compilo maestro Michael Scotto, a preghi de Federico romano imperatore huomo de gran scientia. Et è cosa molto notabile, e da tenir secreta, però che la è de grande efficacia e comprende cose secrete della natura, che basta ad ogni astrologo. Et è diviso il ditto libro in quattro parte ➤

De secretis mulierum libellus, scholiis auctus, et a mendis repurgatus. De virtutibus herbarum, lapidum, et animalium quorundam libellus. De mirabilibus mundi, ac de quibusdam effectibus causatis a quibusdam animalibus. Cum indice locupletissimo ➤

Contemplatio frvitionis & usus magistri Michaelis Layng Scoti in sacratissima theologia bacchalarii formati Parisiensis academie ➤

De secretis mulierum libellus, scholiis auctus, et a mendis repurgatus. De virtutibus herbarum, lapidum, et animalium quorundam libellus. De mirabilibus mundi, ac de quibusdam effectibus causatis a quibusdam animalibus ➤