Ulrich Fugger (1528-1584)

Ulrich Fugger , is a German monk born with Augsburg in 1528 and died with Heidelberg in 1584, family member Fugger.

He embraced the ecclesiastical state, and became Camérier of the pope Paul III: after having remained during some time in Italy, it returned to Germany, where, having had several conferences with new the reforming, it ends up adopting their principles. It dislocated its employment then, and applied entirely to the study of the letters. It was an enlightened guard of the scientists, and it contributed to make give better editions of the Greek and Latin authors. Its liberality did not extend only on the writers who honoured Germany then: it is known that it assisted from the famous printer Henri Estienne, and that it gave him a considerable sum. It had formed itself a very invaluable collection of old manuscripts; and it devoted each year to increase it so strong sums, that his/her parents, fearing that it did not end up dissipating their inheritance, made pronounce its prohibition. This feature was sensitive for him but he managed to make cancel the judgment given against him; and the will of his/her brother, who instituted it heir, was confirmed. It was withdrawn with Heidelberg, where it died in June 1584, leaving with the Elector Palatine his rich person library. It bequeathed also a sum for the poor and another for the maintenance with six schoolboys to the Academy.

Some authors, astonished by his inexhaustible richness, said seriously that it was in possession of the philosopher stone and that it left of it the proof in some writings ( Mohof. Polyhistor. , T. 1, p. 31). One looks with more reason like one of the independent sources of the fortune of these traders the mercury oars of Almaden, of which they obtained the concession, and whose products were indispensably necessary for the exploitation of the mines of Potosi.

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