ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the history of Bibliotheca Palatine, which is inextricably intertwined with the growth of Heidelberg University and fortunes of the Palatine electors. Beginning with Ludwig V, the Kurfurstenalso demonstrated an increased interest in all facets of healing arts, which accounts for the significant number of hippo-pathological, pharmacological, and alchemical manuscripts acquired for the Bibliotheca Palatine during the sixteenth century and first quarter of the seventeenth century. Although the Bibliotheca Palatine acquired primarily theological works from Borsch, the scriptoria of religious communities served as an important source of medical manuscripts. In 1623, early in the Thirty Years' War, the Austrian commander Tally conquered Heidelberg and holdings of the Bibliotheca Palatine were carried off to Rome. In the Middle Ages was generally accepted that the planets influenced the four humors, all of which were contained in blood; this gave rise to the preparation of calendars that listed the verworfene Tag, on which one was to avoid bloodletting.
