History of Venice, Volume 1: Books I-IV

by Pietro Bembo

Overview

Pietro Bembo (1470–1547), a Venetian nobleman, later a cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church, was the most celebrated Latin stylist of his day and was widely admired for his writings in Italian as well. His early dialogue on the subject of love greatly influenced the development of the literary vernacular, as did his Prose della volgar lingua (1525). From 1513 to 1521 he served Pope Leo X as Latin secretary and became known as the leading advocate of Ciceronian Latin in Europe and of the Tuscan dialect within Italy. He was named official historian of Venice in 1529 and began to compose in Latin his continuation of the city's history in twelve books, covering the years from 1487 to 1513. Although the work chronicles internal politics and events, much of it is devoted to the external affairs of Venice, principally conflicts with other European states (France, Spain, the Holy Roman Empire, Milan, and the papacy) and with the Turks in the East. The History of Venice was published after Bembo's death, in Latin and in his own Italian version. This edition, in a projected three volumes, makes it available for the first time in English translation.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780674022836
Publisher:	Harvard University Press
Publication date:	11/30/2007
Series:	The I Tatti Renaissance Library , #28
Pages:	384
Product dimensions:	5.25(w) x 8.00(h) x 0.80(d)
Language:	Latin

About the Author

Robert W. Ulery, Jr., is Professor of Classical Languages, Wake Forest University.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Map

Book I (1487–1493)

• Preface
• War in the Tyrol: cause and onset
• The attack on Rovereto
• Single combat between Georg Sonnemberg and Antonio Maria da Sanseverino
• The Germans leave Rovereto
• Luca Pisano and Girolamo Marcello debate the siege of Trento
• The death of Roberto da Sanseverino; Venetian defeat at the fortress of Petra
• The end of the war and the terms of peace
• Sumptuary and other laws passed; the arrivals at Venice of Giovanni Bentivoglio and of the Queen of Denmark
• Girolamo Riario and Galeotto Manfredi assassinated
• Francesco Priuli sent to counter the Turks
• Caterina Cornaro is convinced by her brother Giorgio to turn Cyprus over to Venice
• Laws passed and Senate decrees
• Truce negotiated by the Senate between the Emperor Frederick and King Matthias of Hungary; the emperor visits Italy
• Various legislation and deliberations
• Description of the gun, and the Senate’s introduction of its use
• Ermolao Barbaro is made Patriarch of Aquileia; subsequent events, and his death
• Girolamo Marcello is expelled from Constantinople
• Addition of a third Criminal Court of the Forty; the system for casting votes
• The corruption of certain citizens is repressed
• Deaths of Lorenzo de’ Medici and Pope Innocent VIII, and the election of Alessandro Borgia; alliance of the pope, the duke of Milan, and Venice
• Arrival at Venice of Eleanora, wife of Ercole d’Este, and her children

Book II (1493–95)

• Onset and causes of the war of Naples waged by Charles VIII of France
• Great Xoods in Lombardy; certain trials held in Venice
• Charles decides to invade; death of Ferrante, king of Naples
• Embassy of Charles to the Venetians
• Naxos taken under the protection of the Venetian Republic
• Colloquy and treaty between King Alfonso II of Naples and Pope Alexander VI; preparation of a Xeet against the Turkish sultan
• Embassy of Florence to the Senate to seek advice
• Scardona and Clissa voluntarily subject themselves to Venice
• Arrival of King Charles in Italy; death of Giangaleazzo, duke of Milan
• Piero de’ Medici is ousted from Florence
• Achievements of King Charles in Italy
• Bayazid’s ambassador violated by the prince of Senigallia
• Charles enters Rome; Venetian galleys sent to Flanders are sunk at sea
• Departure of King Alfonso from Naples and his death; his son Ferrandino succeeds to the kingship 23 Death of Sultan Djem
• Flight of King Ferrandino of Naples, and entry of Charles
• Fear of the Turks due to victory of the French king
• Embassy of the Spanish sovereigns to Venice and the Xeet sent to Sicily
• Death of emperor Frederick; embassy of King Maximilian to the Senate
• Treaty entered into between Venice, the pope, the sovereigns of Spain, Ludovico Sforza, and Maximilian, against King Charles
• Departure of King Charles from Naples
• Novara is taken by Louis, Duke of Orleans
• Preparations of Venice and her allies against Charles
• The battle at the Taro river
• Actions with the French in Liguria
• The Senate takes account of those who had fought bravely
• Venetians, Milanese, and Ligurians become exiles from the domain of Charles
• Siege of Novara by the allies 61 Peace made between Ludovico Sforza and King Charles, and its terms
• Contarini’s plot to assassinate Ludovico Sforza
• Charles’ return to France

Book III (1495–1497)

• Arrival of King Ferrandino in Calabria and adverse battle with the French
• Causes of the Neapolitans’ hatred for the French
• Return of the same Ferrandino to Naples
• Actions of the Venetians in the Kingdom of Naples on Ferrandino’s behalf; Venice sends a Xeet to Naples
• Grain storerooms built at Venice near St. Mark’s Square 10 Pisa surrenders to Venice but is rejected by the Senate
• Embassy and gifts to the Senate from the Turkish sultan
• Faenza and her prince taken under the protection of the Senate; Clock tower built at Venice in the Piazza
• Treaty of Venice with Ferrandino
• Varying fortunes of the French and Ferrandino in the Kingdom of Naples
• Pisa taken under the protection of Venice, the pope and Ludovico Sforza, and the beginning and progress of the war for Pisa
• Board of Three for maritime aVairs instituted; law passed concerning possessors of property
• Ludovico Sforza named duke by Maximilian; Battle of the cavalry of Nauplia with the Turks
• Achievements of Bernardo Contarini in the kingdom of Naples, and his death
• Death of Ferrandino, King of Naples, and succession of Federigo to the kingship; Prince of Bisignano wounded by a servant
• Departure of the French from Gaeta, and their shipwreck
• Varied counsels of the Tarantines concerning surrender, and of the Venetian Senate concerning accepting them or not
• Origin of syphilis
• The Emperor Maximilian, summoned by Ludovico Sforza, Venice, and the other allies, comes into Italy against the French
• The emperor’s actions in Tuscany, and his return to Germany
• The Ten look out for those who suVered Wre or shipwreck
• Attempts of the French upon Piedmont
• Naval battle between Florence and Venice
• An opportunity to assassinate King Charles is rejected by the Senate

Book IV (1497–1499)

• A truce is established between Charles and the Spanish sovereigns; ambassadors are sent by the Senate to procure peace between the kings of Spain and France
• The Spanish sovereigns send to the Senate the king of one of the Canary Islands
• The captain-general Francesco is accused before the Senate
• Progress of the war for Pisa
• Battle of a galley of the Republic with the Turkish fleet
• Naval battle of Bernardo Cicogna with the pirate Peruca
• The Xeet of Pedro Navarro is burned by Andrea Loredan
• Citizenship and noble status is given to Joannes Corvinus
• Armenians are granted a home in Venice
• Ludovico Sforza’s treachery toward Lucca
• Death of King Charles of France
• Defeat of the Florentines near a Tuscan fortress
• Plans and stratagems of Ludovico Sforza
• Arrogance of some in magistracies is punished
• Defeat of the Venetians at Luna and Cascina
• Attempts of the Venetians in the Casentino
• Pisa is attacked by Paolo Vitelli
• Preparations and plans of the Turkish sultan against the Venetians, and the causes of this
• Louis hailed as king of France, and the Venetians’ embassy and gifts to him 54 Treaty between the Venetians and King Louis
• Settlement between the Venetians and the Florentines in Pisan aVairs
• The French invasion of Piedmont
• Milan is taken by the French, and Cremona by the Venetians; Ludovico Sforza leaves Piedmont; arrival of the king of France in Milan
• Louis of Luxembourg and many others are granted citizenship and noble status
• The French king returns to France

• Note on the Text and Translation
• Notes to the Text
• Notes to the Translation
• Bibliography
• Index