Beatus Rhenanus

Beatus Rhenanus (22 August 1485 – 20 July 1547), also known as Beatus Bild, was a German humanist, religious reformer, classical scholar, and book collector.

Rhenanus was born in Schlettstadt (Sélestat) in Alsace. His father, Anton Bild, was a prosperous butcher from Rhinau (the source of his name "Rhenanus", which Beatus Latinised from his father, who was known as the "Rhinauer", the "man from Rheinau"). Anton emigrated to Schlettstadt and eventually became one of its Burgermeisters. He was able to provide his son with an excellent education. Rhenanus attended the famous Latin school of Schlettstadt, and in 1503, went to the University of Paris, where he came under the influence of Jacobus Faber Stapulensis, an eminent Aristotelian.