Albertus Magnus

 NAME Albertus Magnus (also known as Saint Albert the Great).

WHAT FAMOUS FOR A Dominican friar, philosopher, and scientist of the 13th century, Albertus Magnus was famed for being one of the greatest minds of the Middle Ages. He worked to reconcile Aristotelian philosophy with Christian theology and was later declared a Doctor of the Church.

BIRTH Born around 1200 AD (possibly circa 1193-1206) in Lauingen an der Donau, Swabia (now Bavaria, Germany)

FAMILY BACKGROUND Born into a wealthy German family of minor nobility with connections to the Hohenstaufen rulers of the Holy Roman Empire. His father was likely a member of the ministerial class or possibly the Count of Bollstädt, though this latter claim is disputed by modern historians

CHILDHOOD Albert spent his early years in Lauingen and possibly at the family manor in nearby Bollstädt. His writings suggest he was a keen observer of nature from childhood, with access to activities like falconry due to his noble connections. He closely observed nature in the fields, woods, lakes, and rivers around his home

EDUCATION Initially educated at home or local schools, Albert later studied liberal arts at the University of Padua around 1222-1223, where he received instruction in Aristotle's writings and encountered Jordan of Saxony, master general of the Dominican Order

CAREER RECORD

1223: Joined the Dominican Order at Padua

1228: Completed theological training and began teaching as a lecturer in Germany

1241-1245: Studied at University of Paris, becoming master of theology

1245-1248: Taught theology at University of Paris

1248: Founded Dominican studium generale in Cologne

1254-1257: Provincial of Dominican German province

1260-1262: Bishop of Regensburg

1263-1264: Papal preacher for crusade in German-speaking lands

1269-1280: Lector emeritus at Cologne

APPEARANCE Accounts describe him as modest in dress, with the simple robes of a Dominican friar, though no detailed physical description survives.

Bust of Albertus Magnus by Vincenzo Onofri, c. 1493 by Sailko

FASHION  As a Dominican friar, Albert would have worn the traditional black and white Dominican habit. He cared little for personal adornment.

CHARACTER Albert was humble, intellectually curious, systematic, and deeply devout. He possessed remarkable perseverance and dedication to learning, combined with administrative abilities and diplomatic skills. His character was marked by a desire to reconcile faith with reason and a commitment to empirical observation

SPEAKING VOICE Albert was known as an effective preacher and teacher whose courses at Paris were "flooded with students." He successfully preached the crusade in German-speaking countries and was recognized for his eloquence. (1)

SENSE OF HUMOUR His systematic and scholarly nature suggests a serious temperament focused on intellectual pursuits

RELATIONSHIPS Albert's most famous relationship was with his student Thomas Aquinas, who studied under him in Paris and Cologne. Their close friendship lasted until Thomas's death in 1274, which deeply grieved Albert. He wept whenever Thomas was mentioned and may have traveled to Paris to defend his teachings. Albert also maintained scholarly relationships with other Dominican colleagues and corresponded with various Church authorities

MONEY AND FAME Despite his noble birth, Albert embraced Dominican poverty. As Bishop of Regensburg, neighboring bishops sent him gifts out of compassion, thinking him poor, but he gave these to the poor or used them to clear diocesan debts. 

He achieved great renown during his lifetime as a scholar, being quoted as readily as Aristotle and Arabian philosophers

FOOD AND DRINK He ate simply in keeping with Dominican rules—bread, vegetables, and modest portions. His writings occasionally touched on agriculture and diet, showing his broad interest in daily life.

MUSIC AND ARTS Albert showed interest in music as part of his comprehensive studies. He rejected the ancient concept of "music of the spheres" as absurd, arguing that astronomical bodies had no capability of producing sound. 

Albertus showed respect for the arts as reflections of divine creativity, though his main focus remained science and theology.

LITERATURE Albert was extraordinarily prolific, producing works that fill 21-38 volumes depending on the edition. His writings include commentaries on virtually all of Aristotle's works, theological treatises, and scientific works on mineralogy, botany, zoology, astronomy, and other subjects. Major works include Summa de Creaturis, De animalibus, De Mineralibus, and extensive biblical commentaries. 

De animalibus (c. 1450–1500, Biblioteca Medicea Laurenziana) by Sailko

NATURE  Albertus Magnus was passionate about natural philosophy and empirical observation. He conducted detailed studies of plants, animals, minerals, and astronomical phenomena. His work De Mineralibus pioneered mineralogy, while his botanical and zoological studies were groundbreaking. De animalibus is a comprehensive treatise on animals written in 26 books, synthesizing Aristotle's zoology with Albertus's own extensive empirical observations.  He emphasized that natural science must investigate causes rather than simply accept reports

PETS He had a particular fascination with animals and his scientific writings demonstrate extensive knowledge of animal behavior and characteristics

HOBBIES AND SPORTS Albert's primary recreational activity appears to have been scholarly research and writing, which he pursued with remarkable dedication throughout his life

As Bishop of Regensburg, he was known for his humility, refusing to ride a horse as was customary for bishops, instead traversing his diocese on foot, earning him the affectionate nickname "Boots the Bishop"

SCIENCE AND MATHS Albertus Magnus was a pioneer across many sciences. He explored alchemy, astronomy, zoology, botany, and geology, and attempted to classify nature long before modern science. In De Mineralibus, he described gemstones, metals, and salts. He experimented with optics, studied plant physiology, observed animal behavior, and recorded comets. Remarkably, he recognized the Earth’s spherical shape and even entertained the idea of life in the Southern Hemisphere.

CHRISTIAN FAITH Albertus Magnus’s Christian faith was central to his life and scholarship, shaping his integration of Aristotelian philosophy with Catholic doctrine and his approach to theology, science, and ethics.

Albertus Magnus was  born into a Catholic family in Swabia. However, his decision to join the Dominican Order appears to have been significant and somewhat surprising to his noble family, who likely expected him to pursue a secular or ecclesiastical career more typical for his social rank.

He became a Dominican friar around 1223, reportedly after a period of study at the University of Padua. Some hagiographical sources suggest that his decision may have been influenced by a mystical experience or an apparition of the Virgin Mary, urging him to adopt the Dominican life, though these details cannot be confirmed historically. The Dominican Order was then flourishing as a new preaching and teaching order, known for its academic engagement and rigorous intellectual life, which deeply appealed to Albertus’s scholarly temperament and spiritual ideals. (2)

The Apparition of the Virgin to Saint Albert the Great by Vicente Salvador Gomez

By joining the Dominicans, Albertus embraced a life of poverty, study, preaching, and devotion, which allowed him to combine his intellectual gifts with his Christian commitment and set the stage for his influential career as a theologian, philosopher, and scientist.

PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY Albertus Magnus was one of those people who seemed to get interested in absolutely everything—philosophy, theology, plants, rocks, stars, you name it. He had this rather endearing conviction that faith and reason weren’t enemies at all, but in fact two good friends who just needed a bit of help getting along. If you put them in the same room, Albert thought, they’d stop glaring at each other and start realising they’d both come from the same house anyway.

Albert had a particular fondness for Aristotle, though he didn’t just copy him like a schoolboy scribbling homework. He insisted on poking and prodding nature itself—plants, animals, even comets—instead of relying on what dusty old books said about them. “Look for the causes and relationships,” he more or less told his students, “don’t just nod because someone important said so.” It was radical stuff, but it meant that natural science started being taken seriously at universities.

He was equally insistent that the truths of philosophy and the truths of faith were, when properly understood, two sides of the same divine coin. Albert even ventured into ethics and natural law, suggesting that God’s order is visible in everything from the movements of the heavens to the stirrings of the human conscience.

Albert also waded into the great medieval mud-wrestle about “universals”—whether things like “tree-ness” actually exist or are just in our heads. With characteristic neatness, he came up with three versions: before things, in things, and after things. (Rather like the options on a restaurant menu, though admittedly harder to digest.)

His greatest legacy was Thomas Aquinas, his student, whom Albert once defended when everyone else was calling him “The Dumb Ox.” Albert, spotting hidden greatness, remarked that this ox would one day make the whole world shake with his bellowing. And he was right. Albert himself left behind a philosophy that treated the world as both holy and intelligible—a place where faith could sing in harmony with reason, and where science could be seen as worship with a magnifying glass.

POLITICS As Bishop of Regensburg, he became involved in local governance and diplomacy. He also acted as papal legate in Germany and mediator in various conflicts, including "the big verdict" of 1258 that resolved conflicts between Cologne citizens and their archbishop

SCANDAL Albert faced some criticism for his integration of Aristotelian philosophy into Christian thought, which some considered dangerous. 

His interest in alchemy and natural sciences led to accusations of practicing magic. 

After Thomas Aquinas's death, some of their joint Aristotelian teachings were condemned in 1277, though Albert may have traveled to Paris to defend them

MILITARY RECORD Albert was commissioned by Pope Urban IV in 1263-1264 to preach the Eighth Crusade throughout German-speaking countries and Bohemia. He approached this mission with enthusiasm, successfully recruiting supporters for the crusade against the Muslim threat to the last Christian strongholds in Palestine

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS Albert maintained remarkable health for most of his long life, traveling extensively on foot throughout his Dominican province and episcopal diocese. In his final years (around 1278-1280), he experienced memory loss and declining mental faculties, described as progressive senility, before his death at approximately age 80

HOMES Albert's primary residences included the family castle at Lauingen in his youth, various Dominican houses during his teaching career, the University of Paris during his studies and professorship, the Dominican studium in Cologne (his primary base), the episcopal residence in Regensburg during his bishopric, and finally the Dominican convent in Cologne where he died

TRAVEL Albert traveled extensively throughout his career. He studied in Padua, taught in Paris, established schools in Cologne, and as Provincial visited over 56 Dominican houses across Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Holland, Latvia, and Poland—always on foot. His travels included diplomatic missions and preaching tours for the crusade

DEATH AND LEGACY Albert died on November 15, 1280, at the Dominican convent in Cologne, Germany, at approximately age 80. His death was apparently from fatigue and the effects of progressive senility that had affected him in his final years. His last will was dated January 1279, when he was still described as "of sound mind and body." (3)

Albertus Magnus is buried in the crypt of the Basilica of St. Andrew (St. Andreas Church) in Cologne, Germany. His remains are placed within a Roman sarcophagus in the church's crypt, making the site a notable place of pilgrimage and historical interest.

He was canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church in 1931 and declared a Doctor of the Church.  Albertus Magnus’s feast day is celebrated on November 15 by the Catholic Church.

Albertus Magnus is the patron saint of scientists, natural scientists, science students, philosophers, and medical technicians. He was declared the patron of all who cultivate the natural sciences by papal decree in 1941, in recognition of his pioneering work in integrating science and faith.

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA Albertus Magnus appears in various medieval manuscripts and later artistic depictions, often shown in his bishop's miter pointing at alchemical scenes. 

Pope John Paul II visited his tomb in Cologne in 1980 for the 700th anniversary of his death. 

Modern institutions, including Albertus Magnus College, commemorate his legacy.

ACHIEVEMENTS Integrated Aristotelian philosophy into Christian theology.

Teacher of Thomas Aquinas, whose work shaped Catholic doctrine.

Prolific author on science, philosophy, and theology.

Canonized as a saint and named patron of natural scientists.

Sources: (1) The Medieval Bestiary (2) My Catholic Life (3) Enyclopedia.com