Letters of introduction as means of the respublica literaria’s consolidation (based on the Philip Melanchthon’s correspondence)

Abstract

The author analyzed the activities of the German humanist and reformer Philip Melanchthon (1497–1560) and his role in strengthening and building up the «Republic of letters» by establishing communication between European humanists, who have found themselves in various religious camps. Important means of communication among the humanists were letters: this epistolary tradition, which originated in antiquity, was revived during the Renaissance times. P. Melanchthon gave special consideration to this type of communication that allows overcoming cultural and scientific isolation of some regions of Europe, and which has become an important factor to overcome ideological differences between antagonistic religious movements and achieve effective communication between various ideological spectrums. Through letters of introduction were also opening up some opportunities of student exchange, that expanded scientific knowledge and the borders of the Republic of scholars. The focus of the study is given to letters of introduction written by P.Melanchthon to Italian humanist Johannes Baptista Ignatius (Johannes Baptista Egnatius, 1472–1553).