Rosicrucian Beacon Magazine - 2011-03 - AMORC

to Krumau, which became a magnet for alchemists and
numerous European nobles as well. Wilhelm befriended
many alchemists and alchemical manuscripts in abundance
could be found in his library. How mystically inclined was
he? That is a difficult question to answer. But certainly the
famous English alchemists John Dee and Edward Kelley
worked together with him in the laboratory in their joint
search for the Philosopher’s Stone. Wilhelm was a typical
Renaissance man, was also interested in astrology and had
his horoscope cast on numerous occasions.
Although Wilhelm’s ultimate quest was to find the
Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary alchemical substance
that made one immortal, he inadvertently helped lay the
foundations of the scientific revolution by allowing many
great minds to flourish in an atmosphere of freedom and
creativity.
The Rosenberg family was the most significant
and influential Bohemian noble house, and played an
important role in Czech medieval history from the 13 th
century until 1611. Members of the family held important
posts at the Prague royal, and later imperial courts, and
were often referred to as “the real lords of the kingdom.”
Under the Rosenbergs, both Krumau and Wittingau
became a paradise for Bohemian as well as European
alchemists.
Bibliography:
Peter Vok von Rosenberg (1539-1611)
Saxony and the Palatinate also employed alchemists. In fact
in the time of Rudolf many of the Bohemian aristocracy
became interested in alchemy. And after Wilhelm von
Rosenberg’s death, under his brother Peter Vok, Krumau
became the most important alchemical centre after Prague.
Wilhelm von Rosenberg was the wealthiest and most
powerful nobleman in Bohemia. He belonged to an older
generation of tolerant Catholics. He had been the Supreme
Burgrave, the highest official in the land and was not only a
fellow member of the Order of the Golden Fleece but held
the Crown at Rudolf ’s coronation in 1575. After Rudolf,
he was the greatest alchemical patron in the land. He had
six laboratories scattered around his domains, and had a
specially built laboratory at Wittingau built especially for
Dee and Kelley. In 1590 Wilhelm gave Kelley an estate and
nine villages after he married a well-educated Bohemian
woman. Kelley was also granted patents of Imperial
nobility by Rudolf who made him court alchemist.
A magnate of the Renaissance and practitioner of
alchemy under Wilhelm, Krumau now became not only
the centre of Rosenberg power but also the centre of the
Bohemian Renaissance. Many important people came
1. Czech and Slovak Republics, published by Eyewitness Travel, ISBN:
1-40531-517-2.
2. Krumau, Die Stadt der mystischen Rose by Václav Vokolek. ISBN:
978-80-7281-324-7.
3. Krummau published by Vitalis. ISBN: 3-934774-62-8.
4. Rudolf II and his World by R.J.W. Evans, ISBN: 0-500-27986-1.
5. Südböhmen by Michael Bussmann & Gabriele Tröger. ISBN:
978-3-89953-408-5.
Coat of arms of Peter Vok von Rosenberg.
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