Region Lanškrounsko

Jan Marek Marci was born on 13th June 1595 in the house that stood near today’s high school building. In 1601, his family moved to Litomyšl where his father became castle burgrave of Pernštejn family. After seven years, they moved to Jindřichův Hradec where Jan started to study at Jesuitical college. Poor health (problems with lungs and eyes) caused that he was not took on Jesus Journeymen and he left to Olomouc to study philosophy and theology. In 1615, he graduated in philosophy. At this opportunity, he demonstrated his solidarity with Bohemians when he added appellation “Boemus” to his name “Ioanus Marcus Lanczkrounský”.

Since 1618, he has studied medicine in Prague, in 1626 he was graduated in medicine and became professor of University in Prague. During the dispute over independence of secular college he was in opposition to his former teachers – Jesuits, and consistently defended rights of ancient teaching of Karel (Charles). Shortly he became involved in fights during 30-years war, he took part in defense of Prague against Königsmark’s troops. In October 1654, he get title of palsgrave and he was honored with noble status and he became member of Czech lower nobility and get title “z Kronlandu”. In 1654-1664 (eight times) he was dean of medical school, in 1662, he was voted the rector of University of Prague. In addition to his professorial work, he carried on own private practice so successfully that he was appointed personal physician of Emperor. From the middle 1650’s, he was a close friend of patriotic Jesuit Bohuslav Balbín; this friendship give evidence of wide range of his interests and activities of respected physician and scientist. His knowledge in medicine and physics brought him fame, he was very good at languages as well: besides his maternal language he spoke German, Latin and Greek, he also learn Hebrew, Arabic, Italian and Spanish, he was also interested in Syrian and Chaldean.

In declining years, he was gradually losing his eyesight and went blind. On 16th April 1667, then the oldest professor of University of Prague died. His disciple and follower Jan Václav Dobřanský z Černého Mostu wrote about him: “We mourn over death of man who – although reached great age –was soon tore away. I have not in my mind to decrease merits of other excellent people, but I say that Bohemia lost man who was born, raised and taught here and who was known all over the world.”