John Covel (2 April 1638 – 19 December 1722) was a clergyman and scientist who became Master of Christ's College, Cambridge and vice-chancellor of the University.
Diplomacy
Born at Horningsheath, Suffolk, the son of William Covel, John Covel was educated at Bury St Edmunds school and Christ's College, Cambridge, where he was made a fellow in 1659. In 1670 he went to Constantinople as Chaplain to the Levant Company. For two years he was in sole charge of the English Embassy there after the previous ambassador died.
Travel and Scholarship
Covel travelled widely in Asia Minor and described the buildings and plants which he saw. He purchased many Greek manuscripts (including codices 65, 110, 321, 322, and ℓ 150).
After his return, Covel spent the winter of 1680/1681 in Suffolk suffering with fever, before becoming Chaplain to the Princess of Orange in The Hague (1681–1685). He was then elected the 15th Master of Christ's in 1688, a position he held until 1723.
In his later years, Covel helped to develop the study of fossils.
References
- Elisabeth Leedham-Green, 'Covel , John (1638–1722)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004, accessed 23 December 2007.
- "Covel or Covill, John (CVL654J)". A Cambridge Alumni Database. University of Cambridge.
- "Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel". www.e-enlightenment.com. Retrieved 31 December 2020. Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel.
- "Electronic Enlightenment: John Covel to John Locke". www.e-enlightenment.com. 2019. doi:10.13051/ee:doc/lockjoou0020350b1c. Retrieved 31 December 2020.
- "Christ's College website – list of previous masters". Archived from the original on 11 February 2012. Retrieved 25 June 2008.
- Christ's College Magazine, No 154, Easter term 1942.
Further reading
- Jean-Pierre Grélois, ed., Dr John Covel, Voyages en Turquie 1675–1677. Texte établi, annoté et traduit par Jean-Piere Grélois, avec une préface de Cyril Mango (Réalités Byzantines 6). Paris, 1998. ISBN 978-2-283-60456-4
- Covel, John (1893). "Extracts from the diaries of John Covel (1870-1879)". In Bent, J. Theodore (ed.). Early voyages and travels in the Levant. London: Hakluyt Society. pp. 99–287.
- "John Covel". Electronic Enlightenment Biographical Dictionary. 2019. doi:10.13051/ee:bio/coveljohn0004729.
| Academic offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byRalph Cudworth | Master of Christ's College, Cambridge 1688–1722 |
Succeeded byWilliam Towers |
This article about a Church of England cleric is a stub. You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it. |
- 1638 births
- 1722 deaths
- Masters of Christ's College, Cambridge
- Alumni of Christ's College, Cambridge
- Levant Company
- People from Horringer
- 17th-century English Anglican priests
- 18th-century English Anglican priests
- Vice-chancellors of the University of Cambridge
- English scientists
- Explorers of West Asia
- Church of England clergy stubs