Christian Mentzel (1622-1701) from Fürstenwalde/Spree was one of the most famous representatives of German science in the world in the 17th century, until he fell into oblivion.
| 1622 | Birth Mentzel was born on June 15, 1622 in Fürstenwalde as the son of the mayor. |
| 1630 | Gymnasium Mentzel attended the Electoral Gymnasium in Joachimsthal from 1630 to 1636, then the Cölnische Gymnasium until 1637. Due to plague, he did not complete this until between 1639 and 1643. |
| 1639 | Death of the father Christian Mentzel’s father dies of the plague. |
| 1644 | Studies Mentzel studied medicine and natural sciences at the universities of Frankfurt/Oder (2 years) and Königsberg in 1646 (winter semester only). |
| 1648 | Teaching Mentzel was brought to the Gdansk Academic Gymnasium as a teacher by Johann Raue in 1648. |
| 1649 | Work Centuria plantarum circa nobile Gedanum ad elenchum plantarum gedanensis dom “One hundred plants growing freely around the noble Gdansk”. |
| 1654 | Doctorate Mentzel received his doctorate in philosophy and medicine in Padua. |
| 1654 | General practitioner After his return he practiced as a physician in Fürstenwalde and Berlin. |
| 1658 | Marriage Mentzel marries Ana Eva Falckenhagen, daughter of the bursar of the revenues of the city of Berlin. They have a total of five children, two of whom die of the “black death”. Son Johann Christian (1661-1718) later becomes advisor and personal physician and finally treasurer of the King of Prussia |
| 1658 | Appointment as court physician Elector Friedrich Wilhelm appoints Mentzel as court physician/field physician. |
| 1658 | Holstein campaign Mentzel took part in the Holstein campaign and was on the road with Frederick William in Cleves and Königsberg. |
| 1660 | Appointment as personal physician Mentzel is appointed personal physician and electoral councilor. |
| 1660 | Work Theatrum rerum naturalium Brasiliae This four-volume work was published between 1660 and 1664 after the Dutch-Brazilian exploration with Johann Moritz of Nassau and his entourage. |
| 1661 | Efforts to reorganize the medical system Since 1661, Christian Mentzel and the Brandenburg personal and court physicians had been trying to reorganize the medical system. |
| 1665 | Care of the son of Elector Friedrich Mentzel is in Cleves with Friedrich Wilhelm. He takes over the care of the teenage son of Elector Friedrich and his spas in Maastricht and Aachen. |
| 1667 | Order to care for Princess Luise Princess Luise suffers from consumption in The Hague. Mentzel is commissioned to bring her to Berlin by sedan chair on a long day’s journey. She dies on June 8, 1667. |
| 1672 | French campaign Mentzel was on French campaign with the Electors from 1672 to 1674. He made trips to Frankfurt/M. and Kolmar/Alsace. |
| 1674 | Care of the Elector Karl Emil of Brandenburg Mentzel receives the order to take care of the Elector Karl Emil of Brandenburg in Strasbourg. He dies of a fever. |
| 1674 | Accompaniment of the Elector Friedrich Wilhelm Between 1674 and 1675 the Swedes invade the Mark Brandenburg. Elector Friedrich Wilhelm stays at the gates of Rathenow and is accompanied by Christian Mentzel. Then go to Pomerania for two campaigns. |
| 1675 | Member of the Leopoldina Mentzel becomes a member of the Leopoldina with the epithet Apollo. |
| 1675 | Work Lapis Bononiensis In obscuro lucens |
| 1677 | Trip to Kleve Christian Mentzel travels with the Elector to Cleves. |
| 1682 | Work [Pinax Botanōnymos Polyglōttos Katholikos] Index Nominum Plantarum Universalis |
| 1683 | Work Flora Japanica The work is edited by Andreas Cleyer and Christian Mentzel and consists of three volumes. |
| 1685 | Work Sylloge Minutiarum Lexici Latino-Sinico-Cha-racteristici |
| 1685 | Entry into force of the Prussian Medical Edict The Prussian Medical Edict comes into force and with it the medical order for which the Brandenburg personal and court physicians fought for 24 years. |
| 1686 | Paralysis Christian Mentzel suffers until the end of his life from a chronic and long-lasting paralysis with a constant trembling of all limbs, especially of the hands and feet. |
| 1688 | Work Copy from the Chinese ‘Four Books’: of Ta-hsüeh The work was written twice after different editions of the first part of the Lun-yii. |
| 1688 | Work Confuciis primus tetrabiblii liber Ta Hio inter-pretatus This is a copy of the Ta-hsüeh with transcription and the translation edited by P. Couplet. The work was a gift to Emperor Leopold I from 30. 10. 1688. |
| 1688 | Death of Elector Friedrich Wilhelm |
| 1696 | Work C.M.D. Ad Indicem Universalem Nominum Plantarum It forms the 2nd appendix to the “Index Nominum Plantarum Universalis”, which appeared in 1682. |
| 1696 | Work Kurtze Chinesische Chronologia oder Zeit-Register aller chinesischen Kaiser |
| 1698 | Work Clavis sinica : ad Chinesium scripturam et pro-nunciationem mandarinicam, centum & viginti quatuor Tabulis accuratè Scriptis praesentata |
| 1698 | Work Chinensium Lexici characteristici inscripti 字彙 Cú-guéi The work consists of nine volumes in total, but the manuscript remains unfinished. |
| 1701 | Death Christian Mentzel dies on January 27, 1701. |