Rudolph von Langen

Who was Rudolph von Langen?

Rudolph von Langen was a German Catholic divine, who helped introduced Humanistic ideas to the town of Munster, Westphalia. He was born in the village of Everswinkel, near Munster, to an aristocratic family.

There is dispute as to his education. According to Hermann Hamelmann, he received his schooling at Deventer, in the school of Thomas a Kempis, together with Rodolphus Agricola, Alexander Hegius, Anton Liber of Soest, Count Maurice von Spielenberg, and Ludwig Dringenberg. However, the Catholic Encyclopedia disputes this. In 1456 he entered the University of Erfurt, and received the degree of B.A. in 1459, and M.A. in 1460. But before this he was made Canon of the cathedral of Munster, and provost of the old cathedral in 1462. He went to Rome in 1466 in connection with the election of a bishop. At Munster he was the centre of literary life, as well as of humanistic efforts. He was surrounded by a group of men of similar tastes. He possessed a good classical library, which he placed at the disposal of others. Hermann von dem Busche, later to become a prominent humanist, was one of his pupils, to whom he imparted a love of classical literature. In 1500, he reformed the cathedral school of Munster into a humanistic institution, patterned after the one at Deventer. The course of instruction was changed, and other masters were called. The school was also indebted to the subrector, Johannes Murmellius, a leading Dutch humanist, and its flourishing condition and widespread influence, which reached to Schleswig and Pomerania, drew numerous scholars. He died in Munster. The inscription on Langen's tomb there lauds him as the patron of scholars and the friend of the poor.