InfoPersons, originating from Poland
Jan Jessenius
Born: December 27, 1566, in WrocławDied: June 21, 1621, in Prague
He was a doctor, politician and philosopher from Slovak origin. He was from an old Hungarian (magyar) noble family, House of Jeszenszky. He is renowned rather for his tragic fate than for his work in the field of anatomy and surgery.
Jessenius studied philosophy and medicine at the universities of Wittenberg and Leipzig, and medicine at the university of Padua. In 1591, he earned a doctorate in medicine and a doctorate in philosophy for his work “On the right of people to resist tyrants”. During his visit to Prague from 8-12 June 1600, he performed the first public autopsy in the Czech lands. His notes on the autopsy were later published. After the lost battle of White Mountain and suppression of the uprising of the Czech estates, Jessenius as one of the leaders of the uprising was accused of insulting the imperial majesty. On the emperor’s order, he was arrested by Charles I of Liechtenstein on 1 December 1620. During the notorious execution of the 27 leaders of the Czech estates on the Old Town Square, the executioner first cut out Jessenius’ tongue and then beheaded him.
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Polonica stamps:
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Czech Republic 2016, 22 VI |
Hungary 2016, 22 VI |
Slovakia 2016, 22 VI |
