Synopses & Reviews
Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444), the leading civic humanist of the Italian Renaissance, served as apostolic secretary to four popes (1405-1414) and chancellor of Florence (1427-1444). He was famous in his day as a translator, orator, and historian, and was the best-selling author of the fifteenth century. Bruni's History of the Florentine People in twelve books is generally considered the first modern work of history, and was widely imitated by humanist historians for two centuries after its official publication by the Florentine Signoria in 1442. This edition makes it available for the first time in English translation.
Review
The text of Bruni's History that Hankins has given us is an excellent text that marks a notable advance on its predecessors and will allow the modern reader to draw the greatest profit from reading this work. Mark Jurdjevic - Sixteenth Century Journal
Review
Bruni, in trying to demonstrate that Florence could trace its legitimate republican tradition back to deep antiquity, wrote a history of his city on the model of the ancient history of Rome by Livy. As he did so, he read Livy's eloquent, stagy book in a very imaginative, critical way. From the ancient historian's idealized account of virtuous Romans, Bruni reconstructed the virtuous and powerful world of their enemies, the Etruscans--from whom, he claimed, the modern Tuscans were descended. In Bruni's historical imagination, Livy's stories of Horatius, heroically defending the bridge across the Tiber, and Mucius Scaevola, thrusting his hand into the fire to show his contempt for death, metamorphosed into instances of Roman weakness, superstition and dishonesty. Lettere Italiane
Review
An aristocratic devotion to our culture continues to manifest itself even today in the most prestigious centers of study and thought. One has merely to look at the very recent (begun in 2001), rigorous and elegant humanistic series of Harvard University, with the original Latin text, English translation, introduction and notes. Vittore Branca
Review
The Loeb Classical Library...has been of incalculable benefit to generations of scholars...It seems certain that the I Tatti Renaissance Library will serve a similar purpose for Renaissance Latin texts, and that, in addition to its obvious academic value, it will facilitate a broadening base of participation in Renaissance Studies...These books are to be lauded not only for their principles of inclusivity and accessibility, and for their rigorous scholarship, but also for their look and feel. Everything about them is attractive: the blue of their dust jackets and cloth covers, the restrained and elegant design, the clarity of the typesetting, the quality of the paper, and not least the sensible price. This is a new set of texts well worth collecting. Il Sole
Review
[Thanks to Hankins' text and translation] it is now possible, in a real sense for the first time, for a wide academic audience, ranging from Renaissance specialists to undergraduates, to confront the historian Leonardo Bruni, a fundamental figure in the birth of modern historiography. This volume, and the entire series of which it forms only a part, is a crucial contribution to the prosperity of Renaissance studies today. While Bruni's history is an important source for understanding Bruni's humanism, as well as Florentine humanism more generally in the fifteenth century, its complete translation should expand our understanding of Bruni's importance in European intellectual history beyond the confines of the Baron thesis and the nature of Florentine civic humanism. He should play an equally important role in the history of modern historical writing, on a par with Machiavelli, Bodin and Gibbon. Elegantly translated and modestly priced, Hankins' volume should go a long way to restoring Bruni to the historiographical prominence that he rightly enjoyed in his own time. Kate Lowe - Times Literary Supplement
Synopsis
Leonardo Bruni (1370-1444), the leading civic humanist of the Italian Renaissance, served as apostolic secretary to four popes (1405-1414) and chancellor of Florence (1427-1444). He was famous in his day as atranslator, orator, and historian, and was the best-selling author of the fifteenth century. Bruni's History of the Florentine Peoplein twelve books is generally considered the first modern work ofhistory, and was widely imitated by humanist historians for two centuries after its official publication by the Florentine Signoria in 1442. This edition makes it available for the first time in English translation.
About the Author
James Hankinsis Professor of History, <>Harvard University. He is the General Editor of the I Tatti Renaissance Library.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Maps
History of the Florentine People
Preface
Book I
Foundation of Florentia by Sulla's veterans * The Catilinarian conspiracy * How Rome overshadowed Florentia * Historyof the Etruscans * Rome's debt to Etruscan culture * Etruria's rivalry with, and eventual defeat by, Rome * Decline of the Roman Empire and its causes * Barbarian invasions * The Goths * Attila and the Huns * The Vandals * Odoacer andTheodosius, king of the Goths * The Lombard Kingdom * Charlemagne and the revival of the Western Empire * Revival of city life * Florentia destroyed by Totila the Goth, not Attila the Hun * The struggle between the popes and theemperors and its effects in Tuscany * Emperor Frederick II and the exacerbation of partisanship
Book II
The death ofFrederick II and the emergence of the Florentine People as a political force * Struggle against Ghibellines in Pistoia, Pisa and Figline * Defeat of Pistoia * Defeat of Volterra * Building of the Palace of the Podestandagrave; *The rise of Manfred * The insurrection of the Uberti and their expulsion from Florence * Alliance of the exiles with the Sienese * The speech of Farinata before Manfred * Manfred aids the Florentine exiles and the Sienese * Their defeatat the hands of the Florentines * Manfred sends reinforcements * The Florentine exiles and the Sienese lay a trap * Speech of Tegghiaio Adimari before the Anziani * His advice is rejected, and Florence prepares to fight Siena * Speechof Manfred's commander to the men of Siena * The battle of Montaperti * Reaction in Florence to the defeat of the allied forces * The Guelfs go into exile; the end of the Primo Popolo * Florence under Ghibelline rule * The debate atEmpoli over the destruction of Florence * The speech of Farinata * Expulsion of Guelf forces from Tuscany * Emigration of Florentine Guelfs to Emilia-Romagna and their military successes there * The pope makes Charles of Anjou King ofSicily; Tuscan Guelfism revives * The Florentine Guelfs join Charles of Anjou * Speech of the the Florentine commander to Charles * The Battle of Benevento * Ghibelline power in Florence weakens * The Ghibelline nobles attempt acounter-coup, but Guido Novello is expelled from Florence * The restoration of popular power * The return of the Guelf exiles * The origins of the Guelf and Ghibelline factions * A new threat from the young Emperor Conradin * The popeappoints Charles governor of Tuscany * The Parte Guelfa is established * The Florentines and Charles attack and capture the Ghibelline base at Poggibonsi
BookIII
Charles of Anjou faced with twin threats * Revolts against the Angevins in Rome and in the Kingdom of Sicily * Conradin descends upon Italy * Charles' knights ambushed nearArezzo * The Battle of Tagliacozzo * Conradin's flight, capture and execution * The Florentine Guelfs renew the struggle against Ghibellines in Tuscany * Charles makes peace between Florence and Pisa * Gregory X attempts to pacifyFlorence * His speech to the Florentines, urging them to receive back the Ghibelline exiles * An angry reply from the Florentine leadership * Uprisings in Pisa * Further dealings of Gregory X with Florence under interdict * TheFlorentines and the Lucchesi renew the war against Pisa * The mission of Cardinal Latino to Florence * The Priorate is established * The Sicilian Vespers * Charles moves to quell the uprising, supported by the Florentines * His defeatby Peter of Aragon * Alliance of Florence, Genoa and Lucca against Pisa * A new circuit of walls is laid out in Florence * Death of Charles of Anjou * The beginnings of the war with Arezzo * Oration of the Aretine Guelfs before theFlorentine Priors * Defeat of the Sienese at the hands of the Aretines * Further threats from Arezzo and Pisa
Book IV
TheAretine war continues * The Battle of Campaldino * Miraculous arrival in Florence of the news of victory * The office of the Standard-Bearer of Justice is created * Renewal of war against Arezzo and Pisa * The struggle between thenobility and the People * Speech of Giano della Bella recommending the Ordinances of Justice * Peace negotiations with Pisa * Renewed domestic strife, and the expulsion of Giano della Bella from Florence * The building of the PalazzoVecchio * Beginnings of the struggle between the Blacks and the Whites * The poet Dante attempts to make peace during his priorate * Charles of Valois comes to Italy, heralded by a comet * He is received as a peacemaker in Florence, butbehaves like a tyrant * The exiled Corso Donati returns to Florence * Dante is exiled * Renewed strife between the Cerchi and the Donati * Cardinal Niccolandograve; da Prato attempts to make peace * He promotes a plan to establishtwenty companies of civic militia, each with its own standard-bearer * The heart of the city is burned in a great fire during factional troubles * The exiles attack Florence at the behest of Niccolandograve; of Prato * Robert ofAnjou is made commander-in-chief of the Florentine league in Tuscany * The siege of Pistoia * A new magistracy, the Executor of Justice, is created * The mission of Cardinal Napoleone degli Orsini is resisted by the Florentines * Theexpulsion and death of Corso Donati * Pistoia defends itself against Lucca, with Florentine encouragement * Robert of Anjou becomes King * Henry VII of Luxembourg becomes Emperor and sends a legation to Florence demanding obediance *The Florentines debate whether they should send ambassadors to Henry * Henry crosses the Alps; the Florentines prepare to defend themselves against him * The malicious amnesty of the jurist Baldo D'Aguglione
Note on the Text and Translation
Notes to the Text
Notes to the Translation
Bibliography
Index