Dossier talk:Questions

Did Cornelis Drebbel visit Heidelberg on his return trip from Prague to London? Did he then meet and / or collaborate with the De Caus brothers?

There is no clear evidence to suggest that Cornelis Drebbel visited Heidelberg on his return trip from Prague to London, nor is there definitive proof that he met or collaborated with the De Caus brothers during his travels.

Cornelis Drebbel was a Dutch scientist and inventor who lived during the late 16th and early 17th centuries. He is known for his work in various fields, including optics, alchemy, and mechanics, and is often credited with inventing the first submarine.

Drebbel did travel extensively during his lifetime, and it is known that he spent time in Prague in the early 17th century, where he served as an advisor to Emperor Rudolf II. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that he visited Heidelberg on his return trip from Prague to London.

Similarly, while Drebbel is known to have collaborated with various other scientists and inventors during his lifetime, including his friend and colleague Johannes Kepler, there is no definitive proof that he met or collaborated with the De Caus brothers during his travels. Salomon de Caus and his brother Isaac were also inventors and engineers who worked in various fields, including hydraulics and automata, and they lived during the same time period as Drebbel. However, there is no clear evidence to suggest that they had any direct interaction with each other.

Overall, while Drebbel's travels and collaborations with other inventors and scientists during his lifetime are well documented, there is no clear evidence to suggest that he visited Heidelberg on his return trip from Prague to London, or that he met or collaborated with the De Caus brothers during his travels.

I suppose Drebbel and the de Caus brothers must have known about each other. They used their knowledge of physics and hydraulics to equip the gardens of sovereigns with fontains, automata and other marvels.

It is certainly possible that Cornelis Drebbel and the de Caus brothers were aware of each other's work, particularly since they were both working in the same general field of mechanical engineering and hydraulics. As you mentioned, both Drebbel and the de Caus brothers were involved in creating fountains, automata, and other marvels for the gardens of sovereigns, which suggests that they may have been familiar with each other's work.

However, it is important to keep in mind that during the time period in which they lived, communication and travel were much slower and more limited than they are today. While it is certainly possible that Drebbel and the de Caus brothers knew of each other, it is also possible that they did not have direct contact or collaboration, particularly if they were not in the same geographic region at the same time.

Overall, while it is plausible that Cornelis Drebbel and the de Caus brothers were aware of each other's work and innovations in mechanical engineering and hydraulics, the extent and nature of their relationship is not entirely clear, and would require further research and investigation to determine.