Villani, Giovanni

Villani, Giovanni

▪ Italian historian
born c. 1275, , Florence
died 1348, Florence

      Italian chronicler whose European attitude to history foreshadowed Humanism.

      In 1300 Villani became a partner in the banking firm of Peruzzi, for which he travelled to Rome (1300–01), where he negotiated with the pope, and (1302–07) to France, Switzerland, and Flanders. In 1308, back in Italy, he left the Peruzzi company. He took an active part in Florentine life and three times (1316, 1317, and 1321) was appointed head of a guild. He was prosecuted for embezzlement but was found innocent. In 1345 he was involved in the bankruptcy of the Bardi and other companies and was imprisoned, but released on bail. He died during the plague of 1348.

      His Cronica, or Storia fiorentina, is a vast and ambitious universal history in 12 books. It was planned as a history of events from the fall of the Tower of Babel to Villani's own time, seen from and focussed on Florence. Villani began the work in about 1308. The most interesting part covers the period 1266–1346.

      On Florentine history Villani achieved considerable impartiality; although a supporter of the Guelfs, he was not partisan in his views and reflected the outlook of the wealthy borghesi (“bourgeoisie”) of the time. His work is of particular value for its inclusion of detailed statistical information on the administration and finance of the Florence of his own time; it is the first introduction of statistics as a positive element in history. For the purity of its Florentine vocabulary, the Cronica is considered a classic of the Italian language.

      After Giovanni's death, his brother Matteo added 10 books to the Cronica, covering the years 1348–63. Matteo's son, Filippo, added another book for the year 1364.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Villani, Giovanni — • Florentine historian, b. about 1276; d. of the plague in 1348 Catholic Encyclopedia. Kevin Knight. 2006 …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • Villani, Giovanni, Matteo, and Filippo —    Florentine mercantile family, known principally for their description of Florence on the eve of the period when it became a major center of Renaissance humanism. Giovanni (ca. 1275 1348) travelled to Rome for the pa pal jubilee in 1300 and… …   Historical Dictionary of Renaissance

  • Giovanni Villani —     Giovanni Villani     † Catholic Encyclopedia ► Giovanni Villani     Florentine historian, b. about 1276; d. of the plague in 1348. Descended from a wealthy family of merchants, he devoted the whole of his life to commerce, being a member of… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • VILLANI (G.) — VILLANI GIOVANNI (1280 1348) Chroniqueur florentin, Giovanni Villani fit une carrière très classique de négociant, voyageant beaucoup durant une période initiale de formation (entre 1302 et 1308), puis occupant d’importantes fonctions politiques… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Villāni — Villāni, Giovanni, ital. Geschichtschreiber, geb. in Florenz, gest. daselbst 1348, seinem Stande nach Kaufmann und mehrfach mit hohen Ämtern in seiner Vaterstadt betraut, schrieb eine Chronik von Florenz, in die er zugleich die Geschichte von… …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Villani — Villāni, Giovanni, ital. Geschichtschreiber aus Florenz, gest. das. 1348; schrieb eine Chronik seiner Vaterstadt, die sein Bruder Matteo V. bis zu seinem Tode (1864) fortsetzte. Des letztern Sohn Filippo V., gest. 1404, Rechtsgelehrter,… …   Kleines Konversations-Lexikon

  • Villani — Villani, Giovanni, Florentiner, gest. 1348, schrieb eine Geschichte von Florenz, die sein Bruder Matteo fortsetzte, welche den Uebergang von den Chroniken zu der eigentlich en Geschichtschreibung bildet (zuletzt herausgegeb. von Moutier, 14 Bde …   Herders Conversations-Lexikon

  • Giovanni Villani — Infobox Person name = Giovanni Villani image size = 220px caption = Statue of Giovanni Villani in the Loggia del Mercato Nuovo. birth date = c. 1276 or 1280 birth place = Florence death date = 1348 death place = Florence occupation = Banker,… …   Wikipedia

  • Giovanni Villani — Statue des Giovanni Villani in Florenz Giovanni Villani (* vor 1276 in Florenz; † 1348 ebenda an der Pest) war ein italienischer Geschichtsschreiber. Das genaue Geburtsjahr des Chronisten ist unbekannt, da er jedoch spätestens ab 1300 als… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Giovanni IV Crispo — Giovanni IV Crispo, né en 1499 et décédé en 1564, fut le dernier véritable duc de Naxos. Son règne, de 1510 à 1564, fut le plus long de l histoire du duché. Giovanni IV Crispo succéda à son père Francesco en 1510. Comme il était encore mineur, la …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”