Michael ab Isselt


Michael ab Isselt, sometimes cited in the German form von Isselt, was a Dutch Catholic exile in Cologne and a chronicler of the late 16th century. He is best known as the compiler of the first Mercurius Gallobelgicus, a semi-annual overview of important current events.

Life

Isselt was born between 1530 and 1540 in Amersfoort in the Lordship of Utrecht. He studied at the University of Leuven and became a priest. During the Dutch Revolt he went into exile in Cologne, where he became an active writer, recording contemporary events from a Catholic perspective. He died in Hamburg on 17 October 1597. He also edited the works of Louis of Granada for publication in Cologne, translating some from Spanish or Italian into Latin.

Works