The intellectuals of Early modern period: Siegmund von Herberstein and Franz Pelzhoffer
Early modern period saw many revolutionary changes. In this raw there was also the intellectual revolution that changed first of all the religious knowledge in Inner Austria, and in about one hundred years spread to other academic domains. The article defines the concept of an “intellectual” and his role in the cultural, spiritual and social history of Early modern period. Two interesting examples are studied: the life of the well-known diplomat Siegmund von Herberstein in the 16th century, and the life of the jurist and philosopher Franz Pelzhoffer in the 17th century. They are two eloquent examples of thinkers (and not “mere scientists”) that significantly influenced the shaping of the modern world, each in his own way.