Mabillon, Jean

Mabillon, Jean

▪ French scholar
born Nov. 23, 1632, near Reims, Fr.
died Dec. 27, 1707, Paris
 French monastic scholar, antiquarian, and historian who pioneered the study of ancient handwriting ( paleography).

      He entered Saint-Rémi Abbey, Reims, in 1653 and became a Benedictine monk the following year. He was ordained priest (1660) at Corbie, Fr., before moving in 1664 to St. Germain-des-Prés, Paris, headquarters of the Maurists (Maurist), a congregation of French Benedictine scholars. He worked there for 20 years, coediting in 1667 the works of Abbot St. Bernard of Clairvaux and Lives of the Benedictine saints (9 vol., 1668–1701).

      With the aid of his colleagues, Mabillon wrote De Re Diplomatica (1681; supplement, 1704), in which he established the principles for determining the authenticity and dates of medieval manuscripts. De Re Diplomatica founded the science of diplomatics—the critical study of the formal sources of history—and practically created Latin paleography, the science fundamental to European diplomatics. De Re Diplomatica challenged the Jesuit Daniel Papebroch—who had declared that nearly all Merovingian documents were spurious and that no authentic charters survived from times before AD 700—and caused a major controversy between the Benedictines and the Jesuits.

      In 1691 Mabillon had to defend the Maurists' mode of living against Abbot de Rancé of La Trappe, Fr. (founder of the reformed Cistercians called Trappists), who favoured manual work for monks. The ensuing dispute caused Mabillon to write (1691–92) Traité des études monastiques (“Treatise on Monastic Studies”) and Réflexions sur la réponse de M. l'abbé de la Trappe (“Reflections on the Reply of the Abbot of La Trappe”); both works embodied the Maurists' ideas and program for ecclesiastical studies. Generally considered the greatest of the Maurists, Mabillon died amid the colossal production of the Benedictine Annals, 4 vol. (1703–07; vol. 5, posthumously, 1713; vol. 6, the work of other authors, 1739).

Additional Reading
Henri Leclercq, Mabillon, 2 vol. (1953–57); Joseph Urban Bergkamp, Dom Jean Mabillon and the Benedictine Historical School of Saint-Maur (1928).

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем сделать НИР

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Mabillon, Jean — • Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Saint Maur (1632 1707) Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Mabillon, Jean — ► (1632 1707) Erudito francés. Autor del tratado De re diplomatica libri sex, que inició la moderna ciencia diplomática y paleográfica …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • MABILLON, JEAN —    a French Benedictine and eminent scholar; wrote a history of his order and edited St. Bernard s works (1632 1707) …   The Nuttall Encyclopaedia

  • Mabillon — Mabillon, Jean …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Mabillon — Jean Mabillon Jean Mabillon Jean Mabillon [Dom.] (23 novembre 1632 à Saint Pierremont, dans les Ardennes – 27 décembre 1707 à Saint Germain des Prés) est un moine, érudit et historien français, principalement connu comme étant le fondateur de la… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Jean Mabillon — Jean Mabillon. Jean Mabillon (23 November 1632 – 27 December 1707) was a French Benedictine monk and scholar, considered the founder of palaeography and diplomatics.[1] He was born in Saint Pierremont, Ardennes as the son of Estienne Mabillon… …   Wikipedia

  • Jean Mabillon —     Jean Mabillon     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Jean Mabillon     Benedictine monk of the Congregation of Saint Maur, born at Saint Pierremont between Mouzon and the Chartreuse of Mont Dieu in Champagne, 23 November, 1632; died at Paris, 27… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Jean Mabillon — Jean Mabillon. Jean Mabillon, llamado también Dom Mabillon (23 de noviembre de 1632, Saint Pierremont, Champagne – 27 de diciembre de 1707, Saint Germain des Prés) fue un monje, erudito e historiador francés, conocido como fundador de dos… …   Wikipedia Español

  • MABILLON (J.) — MABILLON JEAN (1632 1707) Moine bénédictin de l’abbaye de Saint Germain des Prés, où il aide dom Luc d’Achery à la bibliothèque, Jean Mabillon voyage beaucoup pour prendre copie d’actes conservés dans les abbayes d’Europe. Il est amené à tirer… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Jean Charlier de Gerson — Jean de Gerson Pour les articles homonymes, voir Gerson. Jean Gerson. Jean Charlier de Gerson (Gerson, près de Rethel, 1363 …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”