Notker Physicus

Notker Physicus (c. 900 – 12 November 975) was a Benedictine monk at the Abbey of Saint Gall, active as a physician, painter, composer and poet. He is best known for his medical prowess, and may have been physician to the Holy Roman Emperors Otto I and Otto II. His paintings, now lost, were well regarded in his time, and two of his compositions survive, an office and hymn. Aside from physicus (), or the equivalent medicus, he was also nicknamed piperis granum () on account of his monastic dedication. He is sometimes called Notker II, living after St. Gall’s Notker the Stammerer and before Notker Labeo. Life and career Notker’s birth year is unknown; the philologist estimated it around 900, which is also given by the Great Norwegian Encyclopedia. His life was spent at the Abbey of Saint Gall, although only two specific dates can be connected with Notker, aside from his death. By 956 or 957, he had obtained the cellarius () position as an administrator, and by 965 the hospitarius () position as a physician. Notker is probably identifiable with a Notker notarius, indicating that he was a notary. His medical expertise probably led him to be physician of the Holy Roman Emperors Otto I a