International Workshop
May 7 th -8 th,
2026
Urbino, Via S. Girolamo, 61029 Urbino PU
***
Paul of Middelburg (1446?–1534) is notably cited by Copernicus – both as bishop of Fossombrone and as an a stronomer – when dedicating De revolutionibus orbium coelestium to Pope Paul III. This workshop offers the first systematic exploration of Pa ul’s scientific profile: his mathematical and astronomical work, his activi ty as astrologer and physician at the court of Federico da Montefeltro in U rbino, and his role in late-fifteenth and early-sixteenth-century debates w here astronomy and astrology were closely intertwined. Paul vigorously advo cated a calendar reform, promoted the study of algebra and mechanics, and p roduced a substantial corpus of prognostications. By tracing how he connect ed calculation, observation, and predictive practices, the workshop reconst ructs a coherent “science of time” and situates it within the scholarly net works that linked the Duchy of Urbino with the Low Countries, bridging nort hern and southern Renaissance Europe and placing scientific expertise at th e heart of contemporary political life.
May 7th, 2026
Sala della Tartaruga, Palazzo Passione
i, via Valerio 9
9.00-9.15 | Cha
ir Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino)
Giorgio Calcagnini, Magnific
Rector, University of Urbino
Giovanni Piersanti, Vice Rector for Rese
arch, University of Urbino
Andrea Vicerè, Head of Department of Pure a
nd Applied Sciences, University of Urbino
Laerte Sorini, Director of I
nternational Center Urbino e la Prospettiva
Session
. Stars, Calendars, Prognostications.
9.15-10.00
Philipp No
thaft (University of Oxford), Paul of Middelburg, Chronologer.
10.00-1
0.45
Stephan Heilen (University of Osnabrück), A Prognosticum by Paul
of Middelburg.
10.45-11.00 | Discussion
11.00-11.30 | Coffee brea
k
Session. Paul, a man of many faces
Chair Veroni ca Gavagna (University of Florence)
11.30-12.15
< p>Elio Nenci (University of Milan), The Life of Paul of Middelburg, wri tten by Bernardino Baldi.12.15-12.30
Ann eke Pohle (University of Osnabrück, M.D.), Paul of Middelburg’s De numero atomorum totius universi.
12.30-12.45
Giovanni Gaia (University of Urbino, Ph.D.), Paul of Middelburg in Gui dobaldo del Monte.
12.45 | Lunch
Session: Mathematics, Astronomy, Scientific Instruments.< /p>
Chair Gian Italo Bischi (University of Urbino).
15.00-1 5.45
Vico Montebelli (University of Urbino), Paul of Mid delburg, an algebraist at the court of Federico da Montefeltro.
15.45-16.15
Veronica Gavagna (University of Florence ), Algebra in Paul of Middelburg and his context.
16 .15-16.45
Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino), After the Paulina: Paul of Middelburg’s Proposals for Calendar Reform an d his Views on Astronomy.
16.45-17.15
Gia ncarlo Truffa (SISFA), Paul of Middelburg and the instruments of an ast rologer.
Public event: Opening Cerimony
< strong>h. 18.00-19.30, Chiesa di San Girolamo at the San Girolamo Library
Tempo misurato e pr
evisioni celest.
Scienza, calendari e strumenti al tempo di Paolo di
Middelburg.
Saluti introduttivi.
Giorgio Cal cagnini, Rettore Magnifico Università di Urbino.
Vieri Fusi, Proretto re per la Valorizzazione e Sviluppo del Patrimonio.
Fabio Musso, Pror ettore per la Terza Missione e Public Engagement.
Anna Santucci, Dele gata Rettorale alla Valorizzazione del Patrimonio Museale di Ateneo.
Interventi di: Marcella Peruzzi (Un. Urbino) e Flavia Marcacci (Un. Urbino) .
20.00 | Social dinner.
Sala della Tartaruga, P alazzo Passionei, via Valerio 9
< p>Welcome and Twinning session
Chair Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino)
9.15-9. 30 | Greetings and Opening remarks.
Francesco Amadori (Head of the Culture and Tourism Office, Municipality of Fossombrone).
9.30-10.00
Henk de Kunder (Heritage Policy Officer, Municipality of Middelburg), Paul of Middelbu rg: connection between the Gregorian calendar and the Low Countries.
Session: Paul of Middelburg and the Court of Urbino.< /strong>
Chair Elio Nenci (University of Milan)
10.00-1 0.30
Oscar Mei (University of Urbino), Paul of Middelbur g and his Collection of Antiquities.
10.30-11.00
Davide Pietrini (University of Urbino), Mechanics at the court of the Montefeltro: three questions by Paul of Middelburg.
11.30-12.00
Sara Taglialagamba (COST Program, University of Urbino), Paul of Middel burg, Marsilio Ficino, Leonardo da Vinci.
Conclusive rem arks
Chair Stephan Heilen, Flavia Marcacci
12. 00-12.30 | Discussion.
12.30 | Far ewell address.
12.30 | Lunch.
15.00 | Visit to Dukal Palace and Raphael’s House.
In
fo:
Link Zoom: https://uniurb-it.zoom.us/j/83257119
425?pwd=BZ7aQbOeJ0sbfQRZ4QhVO347UMhliP.1
Scientific and Organizing
Commettee: Gian Italo Bischi, Vincenzo Fano, Giovanni Gaia,
Veronica G
avagna, Pierluigi Graziani, Stephan Heilen, Giovanni Macchia, Flavia Marcac
ci, Vico
Montebelli, Elio Nenci, Davide Pietrini, Sara Taglialagamba.<
/p>
X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:
International Workshop
May 7 th -8 th,
2026
Urbino, Via S. Girolamo, 61029 Urbino PU
***
Paul of Middelburg (1446?–1534) is notably cited by Copernicus – both as bishop of Fossombrone and as an a stronomer – when dedicating De revolutionibus orbium coelestium to Pope Paul III. This workshop offers the first systematic exploration of Pa ul’s scientific profile: his mathematical and astronomical work, his activi ty as astrologer and physician at the court of Federico da Montefeltro in U rbino, and his role in late-fifteenth and early-sixteenth-century debates w here astronomy and astrology were closely intertwined. Paul vigorously advo cated a calendar reform, promoted the study of algebra and mechanics, and p roduced a substantial corpus of prognostications. By tracing how he connect ed calculation, observation, and predictive practices, the workshop reconst ructs a coherent “science of time” and situates it within the scholarly net works that linked the Duchy of Urbino with the Low Countries, bridging nort hern and southern Renaissance Europe and placing scientific expertise at th e heart of contemporary political life.
May 7th, 2026
Sala della Tartaruga, Palazzo Passione
i, via Valerio 9
9.00-9.15 | Cha
ir Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino)
Giorgio Calcagnini, Magnific
Rector, University of Urbino
Giovanni Piersanti, Vice Rector for Rese
arch, University of Urbino
Andrea Vicerè, Head of Department of Pure a
nd Applied Sciences, University of Urbino
Laerte Sorini, Director of I
nternational Center Urbino e la Prospettiva
Session
. Stars, Calendars, Prognostications.
9.15-10.00
Philipp No
thaft (University of Oxford), Paul of Middelburg, Chronologer.
10.00-1
0.45
Stephan Heilen (University of Osnabrück), A Prognosticum by Paul
of Middelburg.
10.45-11.00 | Discussion
11.00-11.30 | Coffee brea
k
Session. Paul, a man of many faces
Chair Veroni ca Gavagna (University of Florence)
11.30-12.15
< p>Elio Nenci (University of Milan), The Life of Paul of Middelburg, wri tten by Bernardino Baldi.12.15-12.30
Ann eke Pohle (University of Osnabrück, M.D.), Paul of Middelburg’s De numero atomorum totius universi.
12.30-12.45
Giovanni Gaia (University of Urbino, Ph.D.), Paul of Middelburg in Gui dobaldo del Monte.
12.45 | Lunch
Session: Mathematics, Astronomy, Scientific Instruments.< /p>
Chair Gian Italo Bischi (University of Urbino).
15.00-1 5.45
Vico Montebelli (University of Urbino), Paul of Mid delburg, an algebraist at the court of Federico da Montefeltro.
15.45-16.15
Veronica Gavagna (University of Florence ), Algebra in Paul of Middelburg and his context.
16 .15-16.45
Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino), After the Paulina: Paul of Middelburg’s Proposals for Calendar Reform an d his Views on Astronomy.
16.45-17.15
Gia ncarlo Truffa (SISFA), Paul of Middelburg and the instruments of an ast rologer.
Public event: Opening Cerimony
< strong>h. 18.00-19.30, Chiesa di San Girolamo at the San Girolamo Library
Tempo misurato e pr
evisioni celest.
Scienza, calendari e strumenti al tempo di Paolo di
Middelburg.
Saluti introduttivi.
Giorgio Cal cagnini, Rettore Magnifico Università di Urbino.
Vieri Fusi, Proretto re per la Valorizzazione e Sviluppo del Patrimonio.
Fabio Musso, Pror ettore per la Terza Missione e Public Engagement.
Anna Santucci, Dele gata Rettorale alla Valorizzazione del Patrimonio Museale di Ateneo.
Interventi di: Marcella Peruzzi (Un. Urbino) e Flavia Marcacci (Un. Urbino) .
20.00 | Social dinner.
Sala della Tartaruga, P alazzo Passionei, via Valerio 9
< p>Welcome and Twinning session
Chair Flavia Marcacci (University of Urbino)
9.15-9. 30 | Greetings and Opening remarks.
Francesco Amadori (Head of the Culture and Tourism Office, Municipality of Fossombrone).
9.30-10.00
Henk de Kunder (Heritage Policy Officer, Municipality of Middelburg), Paul of Middelbu rg: connection between the Gregorian calendar and the Low Countries.
Session: Paul of Middelburg and the Court of Urbino.< /strong>
Chair Elio Nenci (University of Milan)
10.00-1 0.30
Oscar Mei (University of Urbino), Paul of Middelbur g and his Collection of Antiquities.
10.30-11.00
Davide Pietrini (University of Urbino), Mechanics at the court of the Montefeltro: three questions by Paul of Middelburg.
11.30-12.00
Sara Taglialagamba (COST Program, University of Urbino), Paul of Middel burg, Marsilio Ficino, Leonardo da Vinci.
Conclusive rem arks
Chair Stephan Heilen, Flavia Marcacci
12. 00-12.30 | Discussion.
12.30 | Far ewell address.
12.30 | Lunch.
15.00 | Visit to Dukal Palace and Raphael’s House.
In
fo:
Link Zoom: https://uniurb-it.zoom.us/j/83257119
425?pwd=BZ7aQbOeJ0sbfQRZ4QhVO347UMhliP.1
Scientific and Organizing
Commettee: Gian Italo Bischi, Vincenzo Fano, Giovanni Gaia,
Veronica G
avagna, Pierluigi Graziani, Stephan Heilen, Giovanni Macchia, Flavia Marcac
ci, Vico
Montebelli, Elio Nenci, Davide Pietrini, Sara Taglialagamba.<
/p>
DTSTAMP:20260517T234152 DTSTART;TZID=Europe/Rome;VALUE=DATE:20260507 DTEND;TZID=Europe/Rome;VALUE=DATE:20260509 SEQUENCE:0 TRANSP:OPAQUE END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR