Aubert Miraeus

(Also called Aubert le Mire).

Ecclesiastical historian, born at Brussels, 30 Nov., 1573; died at Antwerp, 19 October, 1640. After studying at Douai and Louvain he was made canon of the cathedral of Antwerp in 1608 and secretary to his uncle, John Miraeus, who was then Bishop of Antwerp. In 1611 he was appointed almoner and librarian to Archduke Albert of Austria then viceroy of the Netherlands, and in 1624 he became dean of the cathedral of Antwerp and vicar general of the diocese. He was an indefatigable historical writer, as is attested by the thirty-nine works on profane, ecclesiastical, and monastic history which he has given to the world. On the whole he is a reliable historian, though some of his works are wanting in thoroughness and accuracy.

His chief literary productions are:

• Rerum toto orbe gestarum chronica a Christo nato ad haec usque tempora, Antwerp,1608 (containing the chronicles of Eusebius, St. Jerome, Sigebert of Gemblours Anselm of Gemblours, and others up to the year 1200, and a continuation of these chronicles by Miraeus up to 1608)

• Notitia episcopatuum orbis universi, Antwerp, 1611, 1613;

• Politia ecclesiastica, sive de statu religionis Christianae per totum orbem, Cologne, 1609, Lyons, 1620;

• Geographica Ecclesiastica, Lyons, 1620

• Notitia ecclesiarum Belgii, Antwerp, 1630 (this work, together with other works of Miraeus on the ecclesiastical history of the Netherlands, was re-edited by Foppens, under the title of "Miraei opera diplomatica et Historica", 4 vols., Brussels, 1723-48);

• Bibliotheca ecclesiastica, 2 vols., Antwerp, 1639-49 (a compilation of short sketches on ecclesiastical writers written by St. Jerome, Gennadius, St. Isidore, St. Ildephonsus, Honorius Augustodunensis, Sigebert of Gemblours, and Henry of Ghent, and is furnished with notes by Miraeus);

• Vita Justi Lipsii, Antwerp, 1609 (Miraeus had Justus Lipsius as teacher at Louvain);

• Originum monasticarum libri IV, Cologne,1620.

He had previously published in separate volumes the beginnings of the Benedictines (Antwerp, 1608), of the Carthusians (Cologne 1609), of the Military Orders (Antwerp, 1609), of the Carmelites (Antwerp, 1610), of the Augustinians, in French (Antwerp, 1611), of the Canons Regular (Cologne, 1614), of the Sisters of the Annunciation (Antwerp, 1618). Some of his letters were published by Burbure in "Messager des Sciences Historiques de Belgique" (1859)

MICHAEL OTT