Father Andreas Koffler

One of the central tasks of the Jesuit order was the mission, the conversion of pagans to Christianity. For this reason, Jesuit fathers travelled all around the world, also to China. There, their knowledge of sciences, especially astronomy and astrology, was highly appreciated, and so the fathers were accepted by the local high society.

Father Andreas Koffler, born in Krems, lived in China since the year 1640 and worked even at the  imperial court. He christened the next of kin of the then emperor, like his son and heir to the throne.

At that time, the Manchu people posed a constant threat to peace. When they conquered the city of Beijing, the emperor, last of the Ming dinasty, committed suicide. In the following years, Father Andreas Koffler could organize military aid from Portugal thanks to his excellent network. Nevertheless, the court had to flee from the Manchu again and again. On one such flight in 1651, the Father from Krems was killed by a Manchurian patrol.