Conrad Tockler

The Red College or New College at Leipzig University was established in the 16th century. Conrad Tockler (1470–1530) is best known for being a writer, physician, and professor.

Introduction Conrad Tockler was born in Nuremberg, Germany, to a wealthy family.

Academia During those years his lectures were on the quadrivium which included the four disciplines: geometry, music, astronomy, and arithmetic. Tockler's books gave advice for every day. He wrote an almanac for Leipzig in 1507 that began by explaining how to read an almanac. Every day of the year had a corresponding symbol in this almanac. There was also a symbol for each phase of the moon, and for recommended bloodletting on each day, which might be none or a moderate amount. Tockler's almanacs were written in Latin but translated into other languages, such as German and Czech, for the benefit of numerous immigrants to Germany who spoke Czech.

Both their publication in two different places and their translation into several languages testify to Tockler's contemporary recognition. Based on the success of his publications, his status in Leipzig seems to have been highest between 1503 and 1514. His works showed that he was highly competent in mathematics and astronomy, although he also focused on medicine and astrology in many of his works. Combining these interests, his almanacs show that his favorite field was astrological medicine.

Tockler made a commentary on Perspectiva communis. This book, written by John Peckham, was about optics. Tockler's commentary included colored diagrams and used Iamblichus Platonicus's studies on optics to guide his commentary. Sometime later, Tockler published two textbooks on arithmetic, which had changed a lot in the late Middle Ages, and Tockler's textbooks helped introduce what is today called number theory.