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Biography of Samuel von Pufendorf, BaronName: Samuel von Pufendorf, BaronBirth Date: January 8, 1632 Death Date: October 26, 1694 Place of Birth: Germany Nationality: German Gender: Male Occupations: historian Samuel von Pufendorf, Baron The German jurist and historian Baron Samuel von Pufendorf (1632-1694) is best known for his influential writings on international and natural law. His works became standard textbooks for both juristical and historical students in the 17th and 18th centuries.Samuel von Pufendorf was born on Jan. 8, 1632, near Chemnitz, Saxony. The son of a Lutheran minister, he began his higher education with the study of theology at the University of Leipzig. His dislike of theological studies caused him to change to legal studies, which he pursued at the University of Jena. In 1658 he traveled to Copenhagen, where he became a tutor to the children of the Swedish ambassador to Denmark. As a result of war between Denmark and Sweden, the Swedish official and his entire retinue were arrested. Pufendorf, consequently, spent 8 months in prison. He apparently used this time to reflect on his previous legal studies, for, after his release, he went …showed first 150 words…
…showed last 150 words…to the service of Elector Frederick William of Brandenburg and his successor, Elector Frederick III, Pufendorf completed a history of the former's reign, but he had barely begun one on Frederick III when he died on Oct. 26, 1694. Although his historical works were rather stilted, they were based on archival material and demonstrated a respect for truth. Pufendorf's general history of Europe, also written during this period of his life (1682), became the "first modern textbook in European history." Further Reading There is little biographical material on Pufendorf in English. A study of his life and ideas is Leonard Krieger, The Politics of Discretion: Pufendorf and the Acceptance of Natural Law (1965). See also George Louis Bissonnette, Pufendorf and the Church Reforms of Peter the Great (1962). General background is in Harry Elmer Barnes, A History of Historical Writing (1937), and Herbert Butterfield, Man on His Past: The Study of the History of Historical Scholarship (1960). |