His Eminence John Vitéz |
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Cardinal Archbishop of Esztergom Primate of Hungary |
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Archdiocese | Esztergom |
Installed | 15 May 1465 |
Term ended | 8 August 1472 |
Predecessor | Dénes Szécsi |
Successor | Johann Beckenschlager |
Orders | |
Created Cardinal | 1471 |
Rank | Archbishop of Esztergom |
Personal details | |
Born | c. 1408 Zredna, Kingdom of Hungary |
Died | 8 August 1472 Esztergom, Kingdom of Hungary |
Nationality | Hungarian, Croatian |
Denomination | Catholic |
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John Vitéz de Zredna (Hungarian: zrednai Vitéz János; Croatian: Ivan Vitez od Sredne; c. 1408 – 8 August 1472) was a Hungarian humanist, diplomat, Latinist, mathematician, astrologist and astronomer. He served as Archbishop of Esztergom from 1465 until his death.
Vitéz was born in Sredna near Križevci in a Croat-Hungarian family which was already influential at the Hungarian court. Vitéz's mother was originated from the Garázda genus (originally from Bosnia, genus is named after Goražde). On his father's side he derived from Pilis county (his father's surname was originally Csévi). His father was the secretary of the regent John Hunyadi, from 1446 to 1452. Vitéz became a prothonotary in his government.
Vitéz studied in Vienna, where he graduated in law and became knowledgeable in physics, astronomy and alchemy due to frequent contacts with other humanists. In the chancery of King Sigismund, he probably met the excellent Italian humanist Pier Paolo Vergerio. For a while (around 1437) he was the canon in Zagreb. In that period, he helped strengthen the relations between the Croatian capital and the thriving Italian cultural and scientific centers. Then he left for Hungary, where he was to play a major role in the development of cultural and scientific institutions.