Friedrich Rudolph Ludwig von Canitz
Friedrich Rudolph Ludwig von Canitz was a notable German poet and diplomat born in the mid-seventeenth century. He was raised by his aristocratic grandmother after his mother, a widower, sent him away. Canitz received a comprehensive education, studying at universities in Leiden and Leipzig, where he formed influential friendships that shaped his poetic style. His grand tour of Europe, intended as a rite of passage, was interrupted by illness and personal scandal, leading him back to Germany, where he embarked on a successful diplomatic career under the Great Elector of Brandenburg and his successor.
Canitz experienced personal loss with the death of his first wife, Dorothea von Arnimb, with whom he had seven children, and later remarried. Despite his literary talent, he published none of his poetry during his lifetime, and his works initially appeared anonymously posthumously. Notably, one of his collections, "Neben-Stunden unterschiedener Gedichte," was published shortly after his death in 1700. Over time, Canitz's contributions to poetry gained recognition, with some of his religious verses later adapted into church hymns, reflecting his lasting impact on German literature.
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Subject Terms
Friedrich Rudolph Ludwig von Canitz
Poet
- Born: November 27, 1654
- Birthplace: Berlin, Brandenburg (now in Germany)
- Died: August 11, 1699
- Place of death: Berlin, Brandenburg (now in Germany)
Biography
The son of an ambitious judicial officer, Friedrich Rudolph Ludwig von Canitz was born in Germany in the mid-seventeenth century. His young widowed mother sent him to live with his aristocratic maternal grandmother, Margaretha Catharina von Burgsdorff. Educated by tutors during his childhood, Canitz attended university in Leiden and later at the University of Leipzig. While at the University of Leipzig, Canitz made several influential friends who influenced his poetry.
In 1675, Canitz left for a grand tour of Europe, a rite of passage for those in high society at the time. His journey lasted two years, and during this time Canitz made many important and valuable contacts which would later assist his diplomatic career. Canitz’s tour of Europe was cut short by illness and a scandal caused by his mother, and he was forced to return to Germany. Upon his return, Canitz began his diplomatic service for the Great Elector of Brandenburg, Friedrich Wilhelm, and his successor, Friedrich III. He was subsequently appointed to a diplomatic position within the court and continued to garner praise and advancement for his political prowess.
Canitz’s first marriage was to Dorothea von Arnimb, with whom he had seven children. One child, a son, survived to adulthood. In 1695, Canitz’s wife died. The next year he followed his late wife’s wishes and married Dorothea Maria von Schwerin.
Canitz wrote both satirical and religious verse during his lifetime, but he published none of his own poetry and his posthumous work was initially anonymous. The first anonymous work,Neben-Stunden unterschiedener Gedichte, was published in 1700, a year after his death. By 1719, his name was properly accredited to his work, and numerous editions of his popular poetry were published. A number of his religious poems were later set to music as church hymns.