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John Dee
1527–1609 · England
Description
John Dee was an English mathematician, astronomer, teacher, astrologer, occultist, and alchemist. He was the court astronomer for, and advisor to, Elizabeth I, and spent much of his time on alchemy, divination, and Hermetic philosophy. As an antiquarian, he had one of the largest libraries in England at the time. As a political advisor, he advocated the foundation of English colonies in the New World to form a "British Empire", a term he is credited with coining.
Facts
| Born | 13 July 1527, Tower Ward, London, England |
| Died | December 1608 or March 1609(1609-03-00) (aged 81), Mortlake, Surrey, England |
| Education | St John's College, CambridgeLouvain University |
| Known for | Advisor to Queen Elizabeth I |
| Spouses | Katherine Constable (m. 1565; died 1574) Unknown (m. 1575; died 1576) Jane Fromond (m. 1578; died 1604) |
| Children | 7 or 8 (incl. Arthur) |
| Fields | Mathematics, alchemy, astrology, Hermeticism, navigation |
| Institutions | Trinity College, CambridgeChrist's College, Manchester |
| Academic advisors | Gemma Frisius, Gerardus Mercator |
| Notable students | Thomas Digges |
Life & work in brief
Summarised by section — one row per topic, for fast reading.
| Work / contribution | Significance |
|---|---|
| Biography | Dee was born in Tower Ward, London, to Rowland Dee, of Welsh descent, and Johanna, daughter of William Wild. |
| Personal life | Dee "promoted English overseas exploration and expansion in terms of a political and spiritual renewal at home". |
| Achievements | Dee was a devout Christian, with his religiosity influenced by doctrines from Hermetic, Platonic, and Pythagorean systems, which were pervasive in the Renaissance. |
| Reputation and significance | Some ten years after Dee's death, the antiquarian Sir Robert Cotton, 1st Baronet, of Connington bought land around Dee's house and began digging for papers and artifacts. |
| Literary and cultural references | Dee was a popular figure in literary works by his contemporaries and he has continued to feature in popular culture, particularly in fiction or fantasy set during his lifetime or dealing with magic or the occult. |