Pier Paolo Vergerio the Elder
Encyclopedia
Pier Paolo Vergerio (b. at Capodistria, Republic of Venice
, 23 July 1370; d. at Budapest
, Kingdom of Hungary
, 8 July 1444 or 1445) was an Italian humanist, statesman, and canon lawyer.
, canon law at Florence
(1387–89) and at Bologna
(1389–90). He is noted for writing the earliest known comedy of the Italian Renaissance, Paulus (c.1390), which was based upon the style of Roman dramatist Terence. He taught logic at Padua and Florence, and was tutor of the princes of Carrara
at their court at Padua. In 1405 Padua was taken over by Venice
. After 1406 we find him at Rome as secretary to Pope Innocent VII
and Pope Gregory XII
. Hans Baron
writes that The catastrophe of 1405 ruined Vergerio's career as a humanist.
Later he became canon of Ravenna and took part in the Council of Constance
in 1414. The next year he was one of the fifteen delegates who accompanied the Emperor Sigismund to Perpignan
, where an endeavour was made to induce Pope Benedict XIII
to renounce his claims. From 1417 to his death he was secretary to the Emperor Sigismund.
In July 1420, he was the chief orator of the Catholic party at the Hussite
disputation at Prague. Though never married and probably in minor orders
, he was not a priest.
Pier Paolo Vergerio was the first to published Petrarch
's Africa
for the public in 1396-1397.
His letters, 146 in number, were edited by Luciani (Venice, 1887). There are still in manuscript: a Latin version of Arrian
's "Gesta Alexandri Magni"; a Life of Seneca; a panegyric
on St. Jerome; a few comedies, satires, and other poems.
His On Good Manners (1402) is characterised by Quentin Skinner
as the first treatise about the proper education of princes.
Republic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
, 23 July 1370; d. at Budapest
Budapest
Budapest is the capital of Hungary. As the largest city of Hungary, it is the country's principal political, cultural, commercial, industrial, and transportation centre. In 2011, Budapest had 1,733,685 inhabitants, down from its 1989 peak of 2,113,645 due to suburbanization. The Budapest Commuter...
, Kingdom of Hungary
Kingdom of Hungary
The Kingdom of Hungary comprised present-day Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia , Transylvania , Carpatho Ruthenia , Vojvodina , Burgenland , and other smaller territories surrounding present-day Hungary's borders...
, 8 July 1444 or 1445) was an Italian humanist, statesman, and canon lawyer.
Life
He studied rhetoric at PaduaPadua
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...
, canon law at 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....
(1387–89) and at Bologna
Bologna
Bologna is the capital city of Emilia-Romagna, in the Po Valley of Northern Italy. The city lies between the Po River and the Apennine Mountains, more specifically, between the Reno River and the Savena River. Bologna is a lively and cosmopolitan Italian college city, with spectacular history,...
(1389–90). He is noted for writing the earliest known comedy of the Italian Renaissance, Paulus (c.1390), which was based upon the style of Roman dramatist Terence. He taught logic at Padua and Florence, and was tutor of the princes of Carrara
Carrara
Carrara is a city and comune in the province of Massa-Carrara , notable for the white or blue-grey marble quarried there. It is on the Carrione River, some west-northwest of Florence....
at their court at Padua. In 1405 Padua was taken over by Venice
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...
. After 1406 we find him at Rome as secretary to Pope Innocent VII
Pope Innocent VII
Pope Innocent VII , born Cosimo de' Migliorati, was briefly Pope at Rome, from 1404 to his death, during the Western Schism while there was a rival Pope, antipope Benedict XIII , at Avignon.Migliorati was born to a simple family of Sulmona in the Abruzzi...
and Pope Gregory XII
Pope Gregory XII
Pope Gregory XII , born Angelo Correr or Corraro, Pope from 1406 to 1415, succeeded Pope Innocent VII on 30 November 1406....
. Hans Baron
Hans Baron
Hans Baron was a German American historian of political thought and literature in the Italian Renaissance. His main contribution to the historiography of the period was to introduce in 1928 the term civic humanism .- Life and career :Born in Berlin of a Jewish family, Baron...
writes that The catastrophe of 1405 ruined Vergerio's career as a humanist.
Later he became canon of Ravenna and took part in the Council of Constance
Council of Constance
The Council of Constance is the 15th ecumenical council recognized by the Roman Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418. The council ended the Three-Popes Controversy, by deposing or accepting the resignation of the remaining Papal claimants and electing Pope Martin V.The Council also condemned and...
in 1414. The next year he was one of the fifteen delegates who accompanied the Emperor Sigismund to Perpignan
Perpignan
-Sport:Perpignan is a rugby stronghold: their rugby union side, USA Perpignan, is a regular competitor in the Heineken Cup and seven times champion of the Top 14 , while their rugby league side plays in the engage Super League under the name Catalans Dragons.-Culture:Since 2004, every year in the...
, where an endeavour was made to induce Pope Benedict XIII
Pope Benedict XIII
-Footnotes:...
to renounce his claims. From 1417 to his death he was secretary to the Emperor Sigismund.
In July 1420, he was the chief orator of the Catholic party at the Hussite
Hussite
The Hussites were a Christian movement following the teachings of Czech reformer Jan Hus , who became one of the forerunners of the Protestant Reformation...
disputation at Prague. Though never married and probably in minor orders
Minor orders
The minor orders are the lowest ranks in the Christian clergy. The most recognized minor orders are porter, lector, exorcist, and acolyte. In the Latin rite Catholic Church, the minor orders were in most cases replaced by "instituted" ministries of lector and acolyte, though communities that use...
, he was not a priest.
Pier Paolo Vergerio was the first to published Petrarch
Petrarch
Francesco Petrarca , known in English as Petrarch, was an Italian scholar, poet and one of the earliest humanists. Petrarch is often called the "Father of Humanism"...
's Africa
Africa (Petrarch)
Africa is an epic poem in Latin hexameters by the 14th century Italian poet Petrarch . It tells the story of the Second Punic War, in which the Carthaginian general Hannibal invaded Italy, but Roman forces were eventually victorious after an invasion of north Africa led by Publius Cornelius Scipio...
for the public in 1396-1397.
Works
The following of his works have been printed:- "Pro redintegranda uniendaque Ecclesia", edited with introduction and notes by Combi in "Archivio storico per Trieste, l'Istria ed il Trentino" (Rome, 1882), 351-74
- "Historia principum Carrariensium ad annum circiter MXXXLV", edited by Muratori, "Rerum ital. Script.", XVI, 113-184
- "Vita Petrarcae", edited by Tommassini in "Petrarca redivivus", (Padua, 1701)
- "De ingenuis moribus ac liberalibus studiis" (Venice, 1472).
His letters, 146 in number, were edited by Luciani (Venice, 1887). There are still in manuscript: a Latin version of Arrian
Arrian
Lucius Flavius Arrianus 'Xenophon , known in English as Arrian , and Arrian of Nicomedia, was a Roman historian, public servant, a military commander and a philosopher of the 2nd-century Roman period...
's "Gesta Alexandri Magni"; a Life of Seneca; a panegyric
Panegyric
A panegyric is a formal public speech, or written verse, delivered in high praise of a person or thing, a generally highly studied and discriminating eulogy, not expected to be critical. It is derived from the Greek πανηγυρικός meaning "a speech fit for a general assembly"...
on St. Jerome; a few comedies, satires, and other poems.
His On Good Manners (1402) is characterised by Quentin Skinner
Quentin Skinner
Quentin Robert Duthie Skinner is the Barber Beaumont Professor of the Humanities at Queen Mary, University of London.-Biography:...
as the first treatise about the proper education of princes.