The Eleventh and Twelfth Books of Giovanni Villani's "New Chronicle"

Giovanni Villani's New Chronicle traces the history of Europe, Italy, and Florence over a vast sweep of time - from the Tower of Babel to the great earthquake of 1348. In the eleventh and twelfth books, Villani depicts a particularly eventful period in the history of Florence, whose grandeur is illustrated in several famous chapters describing the city's income, expenses, and magnificence. The dramatic account follows Florence's internal affairs as well as its conflicts with powerful lords like Castruccio Castracani and Mastino della Scala. The chronicler's perspective, however, ranges beyond his city, as he documents such events as the imperial coronation of Louis of Bavaria, the penitential pilgrimage of Venturino da Bergamo, and the first campaigns of the Hundred Year's War.

Autorentext

Rala I. Diakité, Fitchburg State University, Massachusetts, USA; Matthew T. Sneider, University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth, USA.

Klappentext

Giovanni Villani's New Chronicle traces the history of Europe, Italy, and Florence over a vast sweep of time - from the Tower of Babel to the great earthquake of 1348. In the eleventh and twelfth books, Villani depicts a particularly eventful period in the history of Florence, whose grandeur is illustrated in several famous chapters describing the city's income, expenses, and magnificence. The dramatic account follows Florence's internal affairs as well as its conflicts with powerful lords like Castruccio Castracani and Mastino della Scala. The chronicler's perspective, however, ranges beyond his city, as he documents such events as the imperial coronation of Louis of Bavaria, the penitential pilgrimage of Venturino da Bergamo, and the first campaigns of the Hundred Year's War.

Zusammenfassung

"This translation is a welcome addition to the scholarship, and it will open new sections of Villani's fascinating and important chronicle for new audiences."

"As they did for book 13, Diakité and Sneider have created an elegant and accessible translation of Villani's text of books 11 and 12. Readers of the earlier publication of book 13 will find the same lively prose and learned notes."

(both excerpts from Brian Maxson's review in Speculum 99.3, July 2024, 889f.)