Jan Jesenius

Jan Jesenius (also written as Jessenius or known as Jan Jesenský; 1566, Wrocław – 1621, Prague) was a medieval physician, politician and philosopher of Slovak origin.

Jan Jesenius, son of Balthasar Jesenský (1536 – 1600) and Marha Schueller. Studied at the Elisabethgymnasium in Wrocław and from 1583 at the University of Wittenberg, 1585 at University of Leipzig, and 1588 University of Padua.

From 1593 medician of Prince of Saxony; 1594 professor of anatomy at the University of Wittenberg; after 1600 settled down in Prague as professor and anatomical consultant for Rudolf II, King of Bohemia and Holy Roman Emperor; 1617 elected rector of the Charles University of Prague. In 1600, he demonstrated the first public autopsy in the Czech Lands, which brought an extraordinary interest at that time. He wrote a study about it; in 2005 this study was newly published by Karolinum, a publishing house of the Charles University of Prague.

He was an excellent diplomate and orator and after the dethronisation of Habsburgs in Bohemia, he took several diplomatic missions for Bohemian estates or Directorium (cabinet) and for the newly-voted king Frederick of the Palatinate. After the defeat of King Frederick of Bohemia by Emperor Ferdinand II, Jesenius was one of the 27 Bohemian noblemen executed on June 21, 1621 at the Old Town Square in Prague (where there is currently a memorial with their names).

For other members of his family, see the Jesensky article.