author
1675–1738
A Jesuit teacher and historian in the Habsburg world, he wrote learned works on emperors, geography, and Latin usage. His books suggest a writer interested in making history and language useful to students as well as scholars.
Born in 1675 in Wangen im Allgäu, Franz Wagner joined the Jesuit order while still young and went on to teach in several schools. Biographical records describe him as a capable educator and later place him in Vienna, where he died on February 8, 1738.
He is best remembered for substantial historical works on the emperors Leopold I and Joseph I, which helped earn him notice as an imperial historiographer. He also wrote on geography and chronology, showing the broad range expected of many learned Jesuit scholars of his time.
Wagner's name also remains connected with Latin scholarship through the Lexicon Latinum, a reference work associated with his efforts to organize phrases and usage for students. Even from a distance of centuries, his career reflects the Jesuit blend of teaching, scholarship, and practical learning.