logo
Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Online Content
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
Tycho Brahe, one of the greatest astronomers of all time, was a colorful character. In my recent article I tried to give a few highlights of his life - but didn't mention the pet elk, for example - including the strange story of his death. You can read about Tycho Brahe here.

But I thought I would share with you some of the speculation - more lurid than substantiated - about his death. It certainly made my jaw drop as I plowed through it!

(1) Kepler poisoned Tycho to get his observational data.
(2) Tycho was a Protestant and the Catholic hierarchy in Prague had him poisoned because of his influence with the emperor.
(3) Tycho was a Dane and the Czech nobility had him poisoned because of his influence with emperor.
(4) Um. The Jesuits, the Inquisition and Tycho's rival Nicolai Reymers (Ursus) were involved. And there was a trap - King Frederick got poisoned too - so Tycho would go to Prague and get murdered. I couldn't quite work that one out.

But my favorite one was the "oedipal" one. King Christian II sent a contract killer to poison him because he thought Tycho had had an affair with his mother and therefore was his father.

Sponsored Post Advertisement
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Online Content
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
Hairs from Tycho's mustache in the Prague Museum were analyzed several years ago by Danish scientists. They found evidence of a considerable amount of mercury.

But permission has been finally granted for a more ambitious project--the exhumation of Tycho's body. This is expected to happen in November of this year.

There is still the person who claims that the King of Denmark had Tycho killed because Tycho was actually his father. He's very excited by what the exhumation will reveal and wants to exhume the bodies of some Danish royalty as well, for DNA tests.

Somehow I don't see that happening! What do you think?

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Online Content
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
After lengthy negotiations, the remains of Tycho Brahe were removed today from his tomb under the floor of a church in Prague's Old Town Square. It took the international team about eight hours to do it. They will have until the end of the week to examine and document the remains.

Tycho Brahe was possibly the greatest astronomer of his time. Certainly his body of extensive and accurate observations made it possible to test the theory of Copernicus and lay the foundations of modern astronomy.

But Tycho isn't having much of a chance to rest in his grave, for he has already been exhumed once before. just over a century ago. Today's exhumation is a more professional affair, and modern technology, including a CT-scan, will be done, as well as a thorough archaeological report.

It may be that Tycho couldn't rest easy anyhow if indeed his end was the result of foul play. However this isn't CSI, so we're unlikely to get an answer to whether he was murdered--and if so, by whom! The report will be published sometime next year.

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
OP Online Content
BellaOnline Editor
Renaissance Human
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 11,915
Likes: 30
The report has been a long time coming. However the team at Denmark's Aarhus University doing the tests on the remains of Tycho Brahe have published some results.

The main one is that the conclusions from some tests of many years ago don't seem to be accurate. Using up-to-date testing methods, the current researchers didn't find mercury in quantity. There was definitely not much there just before his death and not enough to kill him in the five years or so before his death.

So it seems that the King of Denmark probably wasn't Tycho's love child and that we can also reject all of the other fanciful notions about the astronomer's alleged murder.

Tycho led such an eccentric life, perhaps it was fitting that he should die of something as mundane as a bladder infection.


Moderated by  Mona - Astronomy 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Brand New Posts
Make It Sew Easier
by Cheryl - Sewing Editor - 03/27/24 04:34 PM
2024 - on this day in the past ...
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/27/24 01:31 PM
Planner Template Kit - Weekly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:39 PM
Planner Template Kit - Yearly Layout Template
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:37 PM
How to Use Digital Planner Template Kit
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:36 PM
Review - 20 Illustrator Color tips Helen Bradley
by Digital Art and Animation - 03/26/24 07:32 PM
March Equinox to June Solstice
by Mona - Astronomy - 03/26/24 12:27 PM
Hobotrader unleashes never seen opportunity with i
by Jamal molla - 03/26/24 11:55 AM
Psalm for the day
by Angie - 03/25/24 09:05 AM
Genealogy, Sort of
by Angie - 03/24/24 05:39 PM
Sponsor
Safety
We take forum safety very seriously here at BellaOnline. Please be sure to read through our Forum Guidelines. Let us know if you have any questions or comments!
Privacy
This forum uses cookies to ensure smooth navigation from page to page of a thread. If you choose to register and provide your email, that email is solely used to get your password to you and updates on any topics you choose to watch. Nothing else. Ask with any questions!


| About BellaOnline | Privacy Policy | Advertising | Become an Editor |
Website copyright © 2022 Minerva WebWorks LLC. All rights reserved.


Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5