   The father died in 1483, and the children’s maternal uncle, Lucas Watzenrode (1447–1512), took them under his protection. Watzenrode was a very successful cleric – he was to become bishop of Warmia (Ermland in German) in 1489 – and he both facilitated his nephew’s advancement in the church and directed his education. In 1491 Copernicus enrolled in the University of Cracow. There is no record of his having obtained a degree, which was not unusual at the time as he did not need a bachelor’s degree for his ecclesiastical career or even to study for a higher degree. But the University of Cracow offered courses in mathematics, astronomy, and astrology (see Goddu 25–33 on all the university offerings), and Copernicus’s interest was sparked, which is attested to by his acquisition of books in these subjects while at Cracow.[1]