Think your life is strange? No, if we compare it with Tycho Brahe's everyday life, then almost every one of us will feel like a simple philistine. And it’s not about an adventurer, but a scientist with unusual tastes.
- Say goodbye to the nose
We described the history of the nose in the article “Lived without a nose, but became a famous astronomer”, so we advise you to read it first. In short, one of the scientific disputes led to a duel that ended with Tycho Brahe in 20 years lost part of the nose and nose bridge. The young man corrected the situation by ordering an artificial one! It was fastened with the help of a special substance, and the alloy of gold, silver and copper approximately resembled human skin.
- They got rid of him as a child
Quiet Brahe was born in a family with ten children, but his uncle had no one. When the boy was 2 years old, Yergen Brahe (the father’s brother) simply kidnapped the child to his castle. It seems strange to the modern reader, but the parents were quietly taking it easy and perhaps even delighted (try, feed 10 mouths!). Uncle was rich, so Tycho will inherit his whole fortune from now on.
- Friend and Prophet
In the courtyard of Tycho Brahe there was an unusual servant - the dwarf Jeppe. At first, he was just a court jester, who often laughed at the guests who arrived and pestered the local population with jokes. But Quiet and Jeppe quickly became friends. Perhaps this was facilitated by the fact that the dwarf demonstrated the ability to predict the future. True, the status of “best friends” had no effect on the fact that Jeppe literally lived under Brahe’s dinner table.
- Drunk Elk
Do you have a pet? Quiet Brahe did not trade small things, so he got himself a 800-pound elk! Usually the animal obediently walked alongside the owner and participated in all the parties. Once he was treated with alcohol, and the moose began to get drunk at every party, entertaining guests. Unfortunately, an alcoholic moose ended up accidentally falling off a ladder and breaking a neck.
- Alchemist and Physician
Tycho Brahe was a scientist and an astronomer, but he could not resist the attractiveness of alchemy. Of course, he wanted to learn how to turn any material into gold. But the second goal is to invent a cure for all diseases. Unfortunately, he was not able to achieve success in this field.
Postscript
In addition, Brahe was shocked by his family that he married a commoner. Of course, his behavior may surprise, but he was not insane. This is a respected and influential astronomer in Denmark. It was his astronomical observations that became the basis for the laws of motion of the planets of Johann Kepler.
