Circa 1200 - 1280
Natural Philosopher

The Great Doctor. The patron saint of natural scientists and known in his lifetime as "The Great Doctor," Albertus Magnus (Albert the Great) was one of the most important scientific polymaths of the Middle Ages. In the natural sciences he is known for his clear, accurate observations and his dispelling of erroneous beliefs through careful investigation.

Education and Career. The son of a German knight, Albertus was born near Lauingen in Bavaria and educated at the University of Padua, where he decided in 1223 to join the Dominican order. He undertook further study at the University of Paris in the early 1240s, and after graduating master in theology in 1245 he taught there for several years. He established a school at Cologne in 1248 and served as an administrator in the German Dominican order during the 1250s and as bishop of Regensberg in 1259-1261.

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