The Biography of Hermann the Dalmatian: Separating Conjectures from Verifiable Claims

Based mainly on the results of the research of Croatian scholars, the paper discusses the role of Herman Dalmatin in the great medieval process of transmission of knowledge from Islamic civilization to Europe. Herman Dalmatin (c. 1105/10 - after 1154), also known as Herman of Carinthia, or Sclavus (The Slav), was born in the region of Istria in today’s Croatia. After finishing his studies in Paris and Chartres he embarked on the perilous journey to Damascus and Baghdad together with the Englishman Robert of Ketton. There they studied the Arabic language and gained insight into the works of Islamic scholars. The route then led them to the West, first to Spain and afterward to southern France, where they participated in the process of translating works from Arabic to Latin, including works of Greek authors which had been preserved only in Arabic translations. Herman’s translations include Euclid’s Elements, Ptolemy’s Planisphaerium, and Introduction to Astronomy by Abu Ma’shar, the famous astronomer and astrologer of the 9th century. Herman’s translation of the Quran, made in collaboration with Robert of Ketton, is the first known translation of the Quran in Europe.