Pietro D’Abano was a renowned philosopher, astrologer, physician, and was rumored to be a famous wizard in medieval Italy.
The truth about D’Abano has been shrouded in many mysterious details for centuries, known for his extravagant wealth that surpassed even that of kings. According to legend, D’Abano practiced black magic using demonic forms to cause illnesses and heal them. It is said that he possessed the Philosopher’s Stone, the ultimate goal of alchemists, believed to be able to transform base metals into gold and bestow immortality, which explains his immense fortune.
Pietro D ‘Abano.
To this day, the stories and legends associated with the name Pietro D ‘Abano continue to intrigue many historians and scientists.
What is historically known for certain is that D’Abano was born in 1257 in a small town in Italy called Abano Terme. In 1270, D’Abano moved to Constantinople, which was then the capital of the Christian Byzantine Empire and one of the largest centers of culture and education in Europe. Here, he honed his Greek language skills to access ancient Byzantine libraries for research in astrology, philosophy, and medicine.
Around the year 1300, at the age of 43, D’Abano moved to Paris to pursue further studies and quickly became one of the most renowned Doctors of Philosophy and Medicine. Like many scholars of his time, D’Abano practiced astrology and had a keen interest in alchemy and other methods of divination. His reputation allowed him to connect with several leading intellectuals, including the Pope and other powerful religious leaders.
Due to his talent and diligent research, Pietro D’Abano became a famous physician, healing numerous patients suffering from diseases considered fatal at the time.
He was revered by patients and widely known as the “Great Lombard” throughout Italy and in France. D’Abano was also famous for his skilled and effective medical practices, and despite his exorbitant treatment fees, patients flocked to him. This could very well explain his immense financial resources. However, in the medieval era, scientific methods were not yet fully developed, and the boundaries between science and magic were not clearly defined.
Due to his overwhelming reputation in healing and his near-miraculous cures for diseases deemed incurable, Pietro D’Abano was accused of witchcraft and heresy. The Saint-Jacques Monastery in Paris charged him with heresy for allegedly using magic to heal, leading to his transfer to Padua. He was prosecuted twice by the ecclesiastical court, although the charges were vague and inconsistent.
D’Abano practiced astrology and was very interested in alchemy. (Illustrative image).
Initially, he was acquitted, but he was later prosecuted again with charges primarily accusing him of witchcraft and using demonic influence to cast spells that caused illness (which he then cured for a fee), as well as being charged with using astrological magic to affect nature.
Pietro D’Abano died in 1316 while in custody, at the age of 59. When friends sought his body at the Church of St. Augustine, they found his remains almost completely burned and showing signs of a brutal execution.
Before his death, D’Abano left behind many valuable scientific works for future generations. He translated the works of Rabbi Abraham Aben Ezra (1089-1167), decoding biblical philosophies and early inquiries into mathematics and astronomy. D’Abano also authored two other significant works: “Conciliator differentiarum quae inter philosophos et medicos versantur” (published in Mantua, 1472, Venice, 1476) and “De venenis eorumque remediis” (1472), with the French translation published in Lyon in 1593. These books provide valuable insights into ancient knowledge of Arabic medicine and Greek natural philosophy.
