Conrad of Lichtenau

Conrad Of Lichtenau (or Urspergensis), known as the Priest of Urspery, a German chronicler, was at first canon at Constance, then took vows at the monastery of Ursperg, of the order of Premonstrants, where he became priest in 1216, and died in 1240 or 1241. He composed a work called, Life of the Saints, in twelve books, of which no trace remains. He also wrote, Chronicon Universale, commencing with Belus, king of Assyria, and continuing down to 1229. This work was published first by Conrad Pentinger, at Augsburg, in 1515. A second edition, dedicated to the duke of Bavaria, entitled Prolegonmena, extending down to the time of Charles V, was prepared by Melanchthon, at Strasburg, in 1537; a third edition, by Paul Pierna, published in 1569, bore the name of the author, which the previous editions omitted; and a fourth edition was published, at Strasburg, by Lazarus Zeltner, in 1609. The chronicle of Conrad of Ursperg contains valuable natter upon the history of Germany, and especially as to the contest which was carried on between the emperors and popes in the time in which the author lived. See Hoefer, Nouv. Biog. Generale, s.v.; Jicher, Allgemeines Gelehrten-Lexikon, s.v. Biog. Universelle, s.v.