Paul Skalić

Stanislav Pavao Skalić (1534-1573), also known as Paul Skalich or Paulus Scalichius de Lika, was an encyclopedist, Renaissance humanist, and adventurer born in Zagreb, Croatia, and who lived part of his life in Germany. [http://www.hr/darko/etf/lat.html#skal "Croatian Humanists, Ecumenists, Latinists, and Encyclopaedists"] (1995)] His surname is also rendered in various other ways: e.g., in English, "Skalich, Scalich, Scaliger;" in Latin, "Scalichius" or "Scaligius;" and in Spanish, "Scalitzius".

Skalić studied theology and philosophy in Vienna and later moved around Europe, living in Bologna, Rome, Bohemia, Poland, France and Germany, among other places. [Lovro Županović. "Skalić, Pavao." "New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians"]

His book "Encyclopaedia seu orbis disciplinarum tam sacrarum quam prophanarum epistemon" ("Encyclopaedia, or Knowledge of the World of Disciplines"; Basel, 1559) is probably the first book en-titled "encyclopedia". Robert Collison later wrote that the work was poorly written, only being important today for its use of the word "encyclopaedia," and that Joachim Sterck van Ringelbergh had used the word "cyclopaedia" to describe his work in 1541. [Collison, Robert. "Encyclopaedias". 2nd ed. (Hafner, 1966) p. 80] Skalić also wrote a treatise on music: "Dialogus de Lyra" (Cologne, 1570).

He and preacher John Funck exercised great influence over Albert (1490-1568), first duke of Prussia, and became wealthy. Religious differences with the king of Poland led to the execution of Funck and the rise of Skalić.

Nationality

References vary regarding Mr. Skalić's nationality. M. Girardi-Karšulin at the University of Zagreb claims that he is Croatian, [ [http://www.mzos.hr/svibor/6/01/334/proj_e.htm "Basic philosophical problems in Pavao Skaliæ's work"] (1994)] as does the modern Croatian historian Darko Žubrinić. But many modern English encyclopedias, such as "Encyclopædia Britannica" [ [http://www.britannica.com/eb/article-9106030 "Encyclopædia Britannica" "encyclopaedia"] ] "Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia", and "Encarta" [ [http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761551647/Encyclopedia.html "Encarta" "Encyclopedia"] ] indicate that he is German. This could be because he lived at the time when Lika and the rest of Croatia was part of the Habsburg Monarchy, although, as stated above, he spent a major part of his life in Germany, where he [very] probably died.

Older works like the Spanish "Enciclopedia universal ilustrada europeoamericana" ("Espasa") (vol. 19, (1930) page 1166) say that he is an Hungarian count ("y esta voz, ya latinizada, se emplea en el rótulo de la obra del conde húngaro Scalitzus"," "and this term, now Latinized, is used in the heading of the work of the Hungarian count Scalitzius".) The Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition (1910–1911) on page 169 says the same, referring to him as "Paulus Scalichius de Lika, an Hungarian count" [ [http://en.wikisource.org/w/index.php?title=User:Tim_Starling/ScanSet_TIFF_demo&vol=09&page=EB9A392 "Encyclopædia Britannica" 1911 scan] ] . This raises the possibility that the reference was to the Kingdom of Hungary, of which Lika and Croatia in general was also part at the time.

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