AVENTINUS , whose real name was Johann Turmair, author of the Annales Boiorum in seven books, was born at Abensberg (Aventinum) July 4, and died at Regens burg Jan. 9, 1534. He studied at Ingolstadt, Vienna, Cracow and Paris, and from 1509-17 was tutor to two of the Bavarian princes. William IV., duke of Bavaria, encouraged him to write the Annales (first ed. ; more complete ed. Basle, 158o), which give the history of Bavaria in conjunction with general history from the earliest times down to 146o. The book was written in 1517-21 and translated by its author into German. Aventinus was by no means a mere annalist ; indeed in some respects he anticipated modern historical methods. In 1528 he was for a short time im prisoned because of his leaning to the Reformers, and his book shows a strong sympathy with the empire in its struggle with the papacy. Aventinus, who has been called the "Bavarian Herod otus," wrote other books of minor importance and a complete edition of his works was published at Munich (1881-86).
See T. Wiedemann, Johann Turmair gen. Aventinus (1858) ; W. Dittmar, Aventin (1862) ; J. von Dellinger, Aventin and seine Zeit (1877) ; S. Riezler, Zum Schutze der neuesten Edition von Aventins Annalen (i 886) ; F. X. von Wegele, Aventin (189o) .