In 1552, he met Gerolamo Cardano in London, with whom he investigated a purported perpetual motion machine and a gem supposed to have magical properties. He returned to England with a major collection of mathematical and astronomical instruments. Dee also met, worked and learnt from other continental mathematicians, such as Federico Commandino in Italy. He studied under Gemma Frisius and became friends with the cartographers Gerardus Mercator and Abraham Ortelius. In the late 1540s and early 1550s, he travelled in Europe, studying at Louvain (1548) and Brussels and lecturing in Paris on Euclid. At Trinity, the clever stage effects he produced for a production of Aristophanes' Peace earned him lasting repute as a magician. His abilities recognised, he became an original fellow of Trinity College, Cambridge on its foundation by Henry VIII in 1546. He entered St John's College, Cambridge in November 1542, aged 15, graduating BA in 1545 or early 1546. ĭee attended Chelmsford Chantry School (now King Edward VI Grammar School) from 1535 to 1542. His family had arrived in London with Henry Tudor's coronation as Henry VII. John Dee claimed descent from Rhodri the Great, 9th century ruler of Gwynedd, and constructed a pedigree accordingly. His father Roland was a mercer and gentleman courtier to Henry VIII. His grandfather was Bedo Ddu of Nant-y-groes, Pilleth, Radnorshire John retained his connection with the locality. His surname "Dee" reflects the Welsh du ( black). He died in poverty in London and his gravesite is unknown.ĭee was born in Tower Ward, London, to Rowland Dee, of Welsh descent, and Johanna, daughter of William Wild. He eventually returned to the Queen's service, but was turned away when she was succeeded by James I. Upon his return to England, he found his home and library vandalised. He aligned himself with several individuals who may have been charlatans, travelled through Europe and was accused of spying for the English crown. ĭee eventually left Elizabeth's service and went on a quest for additional knowledge in the deeper realms of the occult and supernatural. As a political advisor, he advocated the foundation of English colonies in the New World to form a " British Empire", a term he is credited with coining. As an antiquarian, he had one of the largest libraries in England at the time. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divination, and Hermetic philosophy. John Dee (13 July 1527 – 1608 or 1609) was an English mathematician, astronomer, astrologer, teacher, occultist, and alchemist. Mathematics, alchemy, astrology, Hermeticism, navigation
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