Francesco Barbaro
Encyclopedia
Francesco Barbaro was an Italian politician, diplomat, and humanist from Venice
, a member of the patrician Barbaro family. He is interred in the Church of the Frari, Venice.
, grandfather of the younger Ermolao Barbaro
, and great—great grandfather of Marcantonio Barbaro
and Daniele Barbaro
. Francesco’s father died in 1391 and Francesco was raised by his older brother Zaccaria. In 1419, Franceso married Maria Loredan, daughter of Procurator
Pietro Loredan
. Francesco and Maria had five daughters and one son, Zaccaria, who was born in 1422.
and studied under John of Ravenna, Gasparino Barzizza, Vittorino da Feltre
, Guarino Veronese, and Giovanni Conversini.
in 1421, though he declined the post. Later that year he accepted the governorship of Trivigi
. He served as governor of Vicenza
in 1423, of Bergamo
in 1430, and of Verona
in 1434.
In 1426 Barbaro was sent as a special envoy to the Papal Court, to try to persuade Pope Martin V to ally with Venice against Milan
. In 1428, the Pope assembled a congress at Ferrara, which ended the war, with Francesco Barbaro being one of Venice’s representatives there. That year Barbaro also served as ambassador in Ferrara
and Florence
. In 1433, Barbaro represented Venice at the court Emperor Sigismund in Bohemia, where he and the other envoys were knighted by the Emperor. At Emperor Sigismund’s request, Francesco Barbaro attempted to sooth relations between the Emperor and the Hussites. Eugenius IV also employed Barbaro in his negotiations with the Emperor.
Barbaro served as Venetian ambassador to Mantua
in 1443, Ferrara
in 1444, and Milan
in 1446.
As governor of Brescia
, from 1437 to 1440, Francesco Barbaro was able to reconcile the two rival factions of Avogadri and Martinenghi and he attained great reputation in his defense of the city against the forces of the Duke of Milan, led by Niccolò Piccinino
. Barbaro's success was commemorated by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
in his painting "The Glorification of the Barbaro Family"
Barbaro was governor of Verona again in 1441, and later was appointed governor of Padua
and Governor General of Friuli
in 1445. In 1444 he arbitrated a border dispute between the cities of Verona
and Vicenza
. He finally returned to Venice as a state councilor and was elected procurator of San Marco
in 1452.
Francesco Barbaro also served as Luogotenente
of Friuli
from 1448 to 1449.
and Flavio Biondo
.
Early in his career, he translated two of Plutarch’s Lives, those of Aristides
and Cato
from Greek texts into Latin and dedicated them to his older brother Zaccaria.
He wrote a treatise on marriage, De re uxoria, inspired by ancient Latin and Greek sources, which he wrote in only 25 days. In 1513, the treatise was published in Paris by Badius Ascensius. A French translation was made, by Martin du Pin in 1537. The work was translated into Italian By Alberto Lollio in 1548. The Latin version was reprinted in Paris in 1560 and again in Amsterdam in 1639. In 1667, another French translation was made by Claude Joly under the title L'Etat du Marriage'. Another Italian translation was made in 1785 as A Scelta Della Moglie.
Some of his letters and speeches were published for the first time in Brescia
in 1728 under the title of Evangelistae Manelmi Vicentini Commentariorum de Obsidione Brixiae ann. 1438. Among the people he corresponded with were Alberto da Sarteano
, Guarino Guarini, and Ludovico Trevisan Many of his letters were published by Bernard Pez in Brescia in 1753. He may have been the author of a history of the Siege of Brescia.
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, a member of the patrician Barbaro family. He is interred in the Church of the Frari, Venice.
Family
Francesco Barbaro was the son of Candiano Barbaro, uncle of Ermolao BarbaroErmolao Barbaro (bishop)
Ermolao Barbaro was an Italian prelate. He is sometimes referred to as "the elder" to distinguish him from his relative Ermolao Barbaro.- History :...
, grandfather of the younger Ermolao Barbaro
Ermolao Barbaro
Ermolao or Hermolao Barbaro, also Hermolaus Barbarus , was an Italian Renaissance scholar.-Education:Ermolao Barbaro was born in Venice, the son of Zaccaria Barbaro, and the grandson of Francesco Barbaro...
, and great—great grandfather of Marcantonio Barbaro
Marcantonio Barbaro
Marcantonio Barbaro was an Italian diplomat of the Republic of Venice.-Family:He was born in Venice into the aristocratic Barbaro family...
and Daniele Barbaro
Daniele Barbaro
Daniele Matteo Alvise Barbaro was an Italian translator of, and commentator on, Vitruvius. He also had a significant ecclesiastical career, reaching the rank of Cardinal....
. Francesco’s father died in 1391 and Francesco was raised by his older brother Zaccaria. In 1419, Franceso married Maria Loredan, daughter of Procurator
Procurator
Procurator may refer to:*Procurator , the title of various officials of the Roman Empire...
Pietro Loredan
Pietro Loredan
Pietro Loredan was a Venetian nobleman and admiral.Loredan was responsible for making Venice a dominant power in northeastern Italy in the 15th century. His first great victory was over the Ottoman Turks near Gallipoli in June 1416. He later triumphed over rival Genoa near Rapallo in 1431...
. Francesco and Maria had five daughters and one son, Zaccaria, who was born in 1422.
Education
Francesco Barbaro was a student at the University of PaduaUniversity of Padua
The University of Padua is a premier Italian university located in the city of Padua, Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 as a school of law and was one of the most prominent universities in early modern Europe. It is among the earliest universities of the world and the second...
and studied under John of Ravenna, Gasparino Barzizza, Vittorino da Feltre
Vittorino da Feltre
Vittorino da Feltre was an Italian humanist and teacher. He was born in Feltre, Belluno, Republic of Venice and died in Mantua. His real name was Vittorino Ramboldini....
, Guarino Veronese, and Giovanni Conversini.
Career
In 1419, Barbaro was appointed senator of the Republic of Venice. He was elected governor of ComoComo
Como is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy.It is the administrative capital of the Province of Como....
in 1421, though he declined the post. Later that year he accepted the governorship of Trivigi
Treviso
Treviso is a city and comune in Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Treviso and the municipality has 82,854 inhabitants : some 3,000 live within the Venetian walls or in the historical and monumental center, some 80,000 live in the urban center proper, while the city...
. He served as governor of Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
in 1423, of Bergamo
Bergamo
Bergamo is a town and comune in Lombardy, Italy, about 40 km northeast of Milan. The comune is home to over 120,000 inhabitants. It is served by the Orio al Serio Airport, which also serves the Province of Bergamo, and to a lesser extent the metropolitan area of Milan...
in 1430, and of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
in 1434.
In 1426 Barbaro was sent as a special envoy to the Papal Court, to try to persuade Pope Martin V to ally with Venice against Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
. In 1428, the Pope assembled a congress at Ferrara, which ended the war, with Francesco Barbaro being one of Venice’s representatives there. That year Barbaro also served as ambassador in Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
and Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
. In 1433, Barbaro represented Venice at the court Emperor Sigismund in Bohemia, where he and the other envoys were knighted by the Emperor. At Emperor Sigismund’s request, Francesco Barbaro attempted to sooth relations between the Emperor and the Hussites. Eugenius IV also employed Barbaro in his negotiations with the Emperor.
Barbaro served as Venetian ambassador to Mantua
Mantua
Mantua is a city and comune in Lombardy, Italy and capital of the province of the same name. Mantua's historic power and influence under the Gonzaga family, made it one of the main artistic, cultural and notably musical hubs of Northern Italy and the country as a whole...
in 1443, Ferrara
Ferrara
Ferrara is a city and comune in Emilia-Romagna, northern Italy, capital city of the Province of Ferrara. It is situated 50 km north-northeast of Bologna, on the Po di Volano, a branch channel of the main stream of the Po River, located 5 km north...
in 1444, and Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
in 1446.
As governor of Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
, from 1437 to 1440, Francesco Barbaro was able to reconcile the two rival factions of Avogadri and Martinenghi and he attained great reputation in his defense of the city against the forces of the Duke of Milan, led by Niccolò Piccinino
Niccolò Piccinino
Niccolò Piccinino was an Italian condottiero.-Biography:He was born at Perugia, was the son of a butcher.He began his military career in the service of Braccio da Montone, who at that time was waging war against Perugia on his own account, and at the death of his chief, shortly followed by that of...
. Barbaro's success was commemorated by Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo
Giovanni Battista Tiepolo , also known as Gianbattista or Giambattista Tiepolo, was an Italian painter and printmaker from the Republic of Venice...
in his painting "The Glorification of the Barbaro Family"
Barbaro was governor of Verona again in 1441, and later was appointed governor of Padua
Padua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
and Governor General of Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
in 1445. In 1444 he arbitrated a border dispute between the cities of Verona
Verona
Verona ; German Bern, Dietrichsbern or Welschbern) is a city in the Veneto, northern Italy, with approx. 265,000 inhabitants and one of the seven chef-lieus of the region. It is the second largest city municipality in the region and the third of North-Eastern Italy. The metropolitan area of Verona...
and Vicenza
Vicenza
Vicenza , a city in north-eastern Italy, is the capital of the eponymous province in the Veneto region, at the northern base of the Monte Berico, straddling the Bacchiglione...
. He finally returned to Venice as a state councilor and was elected procurator of San Marco
Procurator of San Marco
The office of Procurator of San Marco was the second most prestigious life appointment in the Republic of Venice .-History:...
in 1452.
Francesco Barbaro also served as Luogotenente
Luogotenente
The Italian word luogotenente , plural luogotenenti, is an etymological parallel to lieutenant, deriving from the Latin locum tenens "holding a place", i.e...
of Friuli
Friuli
Friuli is an area of northeastern Italy with its own particular cultural and historical identity. It comprises the major part of the autonomous region Friuli-Venezia Giulia, i.e. the province of Udine, Pordenone, Gorizia, excluding Trieste...
from 1448 to 1449.
Writings
Barbaro engaged in research, collection and translation of ancient manuscripts and served as a patron to George of TrebizondGeorge of Trebizond
George of Trebizond was a Greek philosopher and scholar, one of the pioneers of the Renaissance.-Life:He was born on the island of Crete, and derived his surname Trapezuntius from the fact that his ancestors were from Trebizond.At what period he came to Italy is not certain; according to some...
and Flavio Biondo
Flavio Biondo
Flavio Biondo was an Italian Renaissance humanist historian. He was one of the first historians to used a three-period division of history and is known as one of the first archaeologists.Born in the capital city of Forlì, in the Romagna region, Flavio was well schooled from an early age,...
.
Early in his career, he translated two of Plutarch’s Lives, those of Aristides
Aristides
Aristides , 530 BC – 468 BC was an Athenian statesman, nicknamed "the Just".- Biography :Aristides was the son of Lysimachus, and a member of a family of moderate fortune. Of his early life, it is only told that he became a follower of the statesman Cleisthenes and sided with the aristocratic party...
and Cato
Cato
-Literature:*Distichs of Cato, or simply Cato, a Latin collection of proverbial wisdom and morality from the 3rd or 4th century AD author Dionysius Cato...
from Greek texts into Latin and dedicated them to his older brother Zaccaria.
He wrote a treatise on marriage, De re uxoria, inspired by ancient Latin and Greek sources, which he wrote in only 25 days. In 1513, the treatise was published in Paris by Badius Ascensius. A French translation was made, by Martin du Pin in 1537. The work was translated into Italian By Alberto Lollio in 1548. The Latin version was reprinted in Paris in 1560 and again in Amsterdam in 1639. In 1667, another French translation was made by Claude Joly under the title L'Etat du Marriage'. Another Italian translation was made in 1785 as A Scelta Della Moglie.
Some of his letters and speeches were published for the first time in Brescia
Brescia
Brescia is a city and comune in the region of Lombardy in northern Italy. It is situated at the foot of the Alps, between the Mella and the Naviglio, with a population of around 197,000. It is the second largest city in Lombardy, after the capital, Milan...
in 1728 under the title of Evangelistae Manelmi Vicentini Commentariorum de Obsidione Brixiae ann. 1438. Among the people he corresponded with were Alberto da Sarteano
Alberto da Sarteano
Alberto Berdini da Sarteano was a 15th century Franciscan friar, and an apostolic delegate for Ethiopia, India, Egypt and Jerusalem. In 1439 he was sent by Pope Eugenius IV to deliver a letter to the Christians Copts so that they could participate to the Council of Florence and thus take part to...
, Guarino Guarini, and Ludovico Trevisan Many of his letters were published by Bernard Pez in Brescia in 1753. He may have been the author of a history of the Siege of Brescia.
Sources
- Giuseppe Ignazio Montanari, Biography of Venetian Francesco Barbaro, 1840
- Giovanni Battista Gerini, Italian Writers of the Fifteenth Century, Paravia, 1896
- Attilio Hortis, Miscellaneous Studies of Attilio Hortis, Caprino, 1910
- Tibor Klaniczay, Reports Veneto-Hungarians at the Time of the Renaissance: Acts, Venice, Akadémiai Kiadó, 1975
- Giovanni Ponte, The Fifteenth century, Zanichelli, 1996