Random Facts About Tycho Brahe, Bizarre 16th Century Astronomer Who Owned A Psychic Dwarf Slave (15 items)

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  (#1) He Lost His Nose In A Duel Over Math

  In 1566, Brahe got into a heated math-related debate with a colleague. The two agreed that the only way to settle their disagreement was with a duel - which Brahe lost when his opponent took off a chunk of his nose. The astronomer wore a metal covering over it for the rest of his life.
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  (#2) He Partied With His Prized Pet Moose

  Brahe's choice of pet can charitably be called eccentric: a moose. Brahe adored his moose; it slept in his house like a dog, and reportedly trotted alongside his carriage. Unfortunately, the unusual creature became a fixture at local parties, where it developed a taste for beer. One day, it had a bit too much and fell down the stairs drunk, eventually dying of its injuries.
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  (#3) He Had A Psychic Jester

  Brahe's frequent companion, Jepp, was a dwarf jester. The astronomer had Jepp perform all manner of jokes and tricks for him, and made him sit under the table during meals for reasons that are probably best left unknown. Brahe was convinced that Jepp had psychic and precognitive abilities.
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  (#4) He Wore Copper, Gold, And Silver Noses

  After losing a portion of his nose in a duel, the wealthy Brahe commissioned a number of ornate fake noses, including some for special occasions. He wore a copper nose most of the time, but reportedly swapped in gold and silver coverings whenever the situation called for them.
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  (#5) He Was Stolen By His Uncle

  Many historical figures had a troubled childhood. But most of them weren't abducted by an uncle - and had parents who were totally cool with that fact. Such was the bizarre origin story of Tycho Brahe. His rich uncle, Jørgen Brahe, was childless and decided to take his sibling’s boy for himself in 1548. After the initial shock wore off, Brahe’s birth parents decided that Jørgen would probably provide a better life for their son, and left their child with him. The wealthy Jørgen did pay for all of his nephew’s schooling.
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  (#6) He Inherited 1% Of Denmark's Wealth

  After the death of his uncle-father Jørgen, Brahe had inherited both Jørgen’s considerable wealth and that of his biological father. Those fortunes added up: researchers estimate that Brahe’s inheritances added up to approximately 1% of Denmark’s entire wealth.
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  (#7) He Was Rumored To Have Been Murdered By The King

  Brahe was a popular man with the Danish royal family. While his astronomical fame brought him plenty of notoriety, he also gained favor when his adopted father saved the Danish King from drowning. This brought Brahe into the royals’ inner circle, where he befriended the King and became close with his family. Too close, if rumors are to be believed - some historians suggest that Brahe began an affair with the Queen, metal nose and all. If that’s true, then perhaps the Queen’s son had Brahe poisoned when he took the throne.
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  (#8) He Possibly Inspired Hamlet

  Tycho Brahe’s amazing life may have inspired William Shakespeare. The Bard seemed to be aware of the tale of Brahe, as he referenced the Danish astonomer’s work in his plays. Some even believe that the intrigue and mystery surrounding Brahe's death may have sparked Shakespeare to write Hamlet.

  Brahe became close with the Danish royal family, and some historians believe he may have had an affair with the Queen. They theorize that her son, enraged by the scandal, poisoned Brahe in revenge - a similar story to the plot of Shakespeare's tragedy.
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  (#9) He May Have Been Poisoned By Johannes Kepler

  Some historians theorize that Brahe was murdered in the name of science. One of Brahe’s contemporaries was Johannes Kepler, another incredibly influential astronomer. Brahe’s habit of hoarding his research and data was frustrating to Kepler, and some believe it may have led him to murder his mentor.

  There's no evidence to support this theory, although Kepler did admit to skirting ethics by taking Brahe's research upon his death.
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  (#10) His Adopted Father Died Saving The King From Drowning

  Even the people around Brahe ended up in crazy situations. His adopted father Jørgen was an extremely wealthy man and close to the King of Denmark, Frederick II. He was so close, in fact, that he was on hand when the King nearly drowned one day. Jørgen bravely attempted to rescue his monarch, and he succeeded - but he caught pneumonia, and died. Brahe lost his father figure, but gained even more national notoriety in Denmark, as he found himself ingratiated with the royal family.
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  (#11) He Died From A Burst Bladder

  Brahe's death is as outrageous as the rest of his life. He likely died from a burst bladder. As the story goes, he was attending a royal banquet in 1601. Politeness kept Brahe from leaving the room to use the facilities, and his bladder ruptured, ultimately killing him. However, rumors swirled for years that the celebrated astronomer was actually murdered, either by a jealous colleague or the royal family itself. A study of Brahe's exhumed remains ultimately laid these conspiracies to rest.
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  (#12) His Astronomy Career Kicked Off With A Solar Eclipse

  Brahe wasn’t even supposed to be an astronomer; his adopted father wanted him to study law. However, when a total eclipse of the sun happened in 1560, the young Brahe was inspired to dedicate his life to the study of the stars.
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  (#13) He Built An Astronomy Castle Called 'Uraniborg'

  Named after Urania, the Muse of Astronomy, Brahe's private observatory was built between 1576 and 1580; construction was bankrolled by King Frederick II of Denmark, who was eager to keep the talented scientist from resettling in another country. It included numerous sophisticated apparatus to assist with Brahe's astronomical observations - but not a telescope, as those hadn't been invented at the time. Despite this handicap, Brahe (aided by up to 30 assistants) was able to observe the stars and planets with unprecedented precision, building the first truly reliable body of astronomical data. Unfortunately, Frederick's successor Christian IV was not a fan of Brahe and withdrew his support for the astronomer's activities. Brahe left the site in 1597, and Uraniborg was demolished soon afterward.
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  (#14) He Hoarded His Research

  Brahe came to be applauded for his scientific research, but the depth of his understanding wasn’t always appreciated by others during his time. But it was his fault, as he notoriously hoarded his findings to avoid sharing any recognition with his fellow astronomers.
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  (#15) He Furthered Science By Dying

  In the end, Brahe was likely more important in death than he was in life. Other astronomers, including Johannes Kepler, gained access to Brahe’s data after he passed away, which enabled them to make several revolutionary discoveries about the cosmos. Kepler in particular is credited with bringing astronomy fully into the realm of science, and he couldn’t have done so without Brahe’s foundational work.

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