Johannes Crato von Krafftheim began his life in 1519 as Johannes Krafft before ascending to the highest echelons of European medical service. An intellectual prodigy from Wrocław, he spent his career traversing the courts of Prague, Vienna, and his native city, eventually serving as the primary personal physician to three separate Holy Roman emperors during the sixteenth century.
Formative Years and Academic Training
Born to artisan Christoph Krafft, he received early support from the Breslau city council to pursue advanced education. He studied theology at the University of Wittenberg, living within the household of Martin Luther for six years. Following a suggestion from Luther to pivot away from theology, he moved to Italy. Under the guidance of professor Johannes Baptista Montanus at the University of Padua, he earned his Doctor of Medicine degree.
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Returning to Breslau in 1550, he served as the second town physician. His work during the 1554 plague, bolstered by his earlier authored Pestordnung, earned him a salary of 100 Thalers. His reputation eventually drew the attention of the imperial court. He became personal physician to Emperor Ferdinand I in 1560 and later served Emperor Maximilian II for eleven years.
The Autopsy of Emperor Maximilian II
In October 1576, Crato collaborated with court surgeon Peter Suma to conduct a documented autopsy on Emperor Maximilian II in Regensburg. While the procedure primarily facilitated specific religious funerary rites, it remains a notable event in medical history. The emperor's organs were preserved in a gold-plated copper vessel, now marked by a memorial stone within the Regensburg Cathedral.
Final Years
After a period of retirement at his Rückers estate in the County of Glatz, he returned to Breslau in 1583 to assist common citizens during a recurring pestilence. He died in 1585, shortly after his wife succumbed to the same disease. Throughout his lifetime, he published works such as Idea doctrinae Hippocraticae in 1554 and contributed to the foundational knowledge of his era through his extensive scholarly network.
Fast facts
- Born: 1519, Wrocław
- Died: 1585, Wrocław
- Primary Field: Medicine
- Education: Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and University of Padua
- Key Position: Personal physician to three Holy Roman emperors
- Academic Title: Doctor of Medicine
- Rank Held: Count Palatine
- Notable Work: Methodus therapeutica ex Galeni et J. B. Montani sententia
Questions readers ask
Which emperors did he serve?
He served Holy Roman emperors Ferdinand I, Maximilian II, and Rudolph II.
What was his role in the 1576 autopsy?
He performed the autopsy alongside court surgeon Peter Suma in Regensburg to prepare the remains of Maximilian II for burial.
Achievements
- Fields: medicine
