Guicciardini was not only one of the greatest writers of contemporary history of all time, he was also a typical Renaissance "man of action." Diplomat, political thinker, and shrewd man of affairs, he typified the Renaissance ideal of the uomo universale--the "universal man" with broad education, experience, and interests.
Guicciardini (1483-1540) lived in an age of continual political intrigue and military crisis. Many of the bloody deeds and court machinations in his writings are related from first-hand observations or even personal involvement. His histories bring the reader close to the rich fabric of Renaissance life, and their polished style and superb documentation, much of which came directly from Guicciardini's own diplomatic files and private correspondence, have put them near the top of the worlds' great works of historical literature.
This translation of the History of Italy is the first new one in over 200 years. The History of Florence is translated into English for the first time.
Translated by Cecil Grayson
Edited and Abridged with an Introduction by John R. Hale
About the Author
Francesco Guicciardini (1483 – 1540) was an Italian historian and statesman. A friend and critic of Niccolò Machiavelli, he is considered one of the major political writers of the Italian Renaissance. In his masterpiece, The History of Italy, Guicciardini paved the way for a new style in historiography with his use of government sources to support arguments and the realistic analysis of the people and events of his time.
