About
Michael Servetus (Miguel Servet), born in 1511 in Villanueva de Sijena (Aragon) and burned at the stake in Geneva in 1553, was a Spanish theologian, physician, and humanist. He studied law and theology at Zaragoza and Toulouse, then medicine in Paris. In 1531 he published a major anti-Trinitarian work, On the Errors of the Trinity, which drew opposition from both Catholics and Protestants. He was the first European to correctly describe pulmonary circulation of the blood, in his work Christianismi Restitutio (1553). He also published notable editions of Ptolemy's Geography. His correspondence with Calvin and his heterodox ideas led to his arrest and execution for heresy, sparking a major controversy over religious toleration.
* 1511-01-01 — † 1553-10-27
Major works
- De Trinitatis erroribus libri vii (1531)theological treatise
- Christianismi Restitutio (1553)theological work
- Géographie de Ptolémée (édition)critical edition
Key milestones
- 1531Publication of On the Errors of the Trinity, condemned by both Catholic and Protestant authorities.
- 1553Publication of Christianismi Restitutio, containing the first description of pulmonary circulation.
- 1553Executed in Geneva for heresy, after a controversial trial.
Themes
Anti-TrinitarianismFreedom of consciencePulmonary circulationGeographyMedicine
Sources: britannica.com · onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu