Table Of ContentKUNTZ/BOOK 7/1/02 9:57 PM Page i
the anointment of dionisio
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≥ ≥
t h e
A n o i n t m e n t
o f D i o n i s i o
Prophecy and Politics
in Renaissance Italy
≥
Marion Leathers Kuntz
the pennsylvania state university press
university park, pennsylvania
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kuntz, Marion Leathers.
The anointment of Dionisio: prophecy and politics in
Renaissance Italy / Marion Leathers Kuntz.
. .
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn ---
. Gallo, Dionisio,th cent. . Reformation—Italy—
Venice—Biography. . Humanists—Italy—Venice—
Biography. I. Title.
.
.—
[B]
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Contents
Preface
Introduction
Gallus Cantans: The Singing Gaul
Religio and Politia: Emanuele Filiberto of Savoy,
Pope Pius V, and Dionisio Gallo
Religio and Politia: Cosimo I, Alfonso II, and Dionisio Gallo
Venice, Prophetic Reform, and Dionisio Gallo
Among Friends and Foes in Venice:
The Trial and Imprisonment of Dionisio Gallo
Conversations and Letters from the Prisons of
the Palazzo Ducale
The Horseman of the Apocalypse and
the Course of the Church Militant
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
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For
Maria Francesca Tiepolo
&
In memory of
Paul Oskar Kristeller
Paul Grimley Kuntz
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Preface
this book has been long in coming to fruition. Originally conceived as a
study of Venetian chronicles that would develop the theme of Venice as a
prophetic city, its course changed when I discovered the documents per-
taining to the proceedings against Dionisio Gallo before the Venetian
Inquisition and his numerous writings, which the Inquisition had preserved
along with the records of his trial. Happily for me, the years of reading
chronicles provided a good background for studying the fascinating, if com-
plicated, documents that concerned the man known as Dionisio Gallo, who
had captured my interest from the beginning.
In the long pursuit of Dionisio, many people have provided indispensa-
ble help. My many conversations with Professor John Martin over the years
enabled me to focus upon significant questions about the trial and Dionisio’s
writings. In this regard I must also mention Professors Edward Muir, Guido
Ruggiero, and Jonathan Glixon. Anne Jacobson Schutte read a preliminary
sketch of three chapters about Dionisio and made interesting suggestions.
Each has provided valuable insights as well as factual information. The late
Professor Paul Oskar Kristeller read early versions of the manuscript, made
precious suggestions, and gave constant encouragement, as did my late hus-
band, Professor Paul Grimley Kuntz.
From almost the moment in which I found the records of Dionisio, Dr.
Maria Francesca Tiepolo, former director of the Archivio di Stato, encour-
aged me to pursue this difficult study and provided invaluable help with
interpretation and textual problems. She always listened patiently to my
questions, especially about Dionisio and Postel, and provided brilliant
insights on this vexing problem.
The Archivio di Stato in Venice became my second home, as it were, and
the archivists and personnel have been exceptionally helpful. I am indebted
to the former director, Dr. Maria Francesca Tiepolo, and to the present
director, Dr. Paolo Selmi, for the use of rare materials, for the interest they
have demonstrated in my research, and for countless courtesies through the
years. The archivists have aided me in numerous ways: by helping me to
understand the organization of the archivio, by assisting me in reading dif-
ficult words and thereby avoiding pitfalls, by showing interest in my work.
For these and for many other things, I am deeply indebted to Drs. Michela
Dal Borgo, Edoardo Giuffrida, Elisabetta Barile, Maria Pia Pedani, Alexandra
Sambo, Pietro Scarpa, and Alessandra Schiavon. Dr. Viola Visentini,
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ricercatrice at the Archivio di Stato, provided information from testaments
that were not available for my consultation, and I am deeply grateful for
her assistance. Dr. Elisabetta Barile also provided me with precious infor-
mation about the University of Padua that was essential for my argument.
The personale professionale graciously accepted my constant requests for buste,
and I am very grateful for this and the numerous kindnesses they have
extended to me.
Dr. Marino Zorzi, director of the Biblioteca nazionale di San Marco, made
available to me all the magnificent materials necessary for my research and
extended me every courtesy, for which I am deeply grateful. I am also deeply
indebted to Dr. Daniela Ambrosini for invaluable suggestions about repre-
sentations from art, to Giancarlo Verdica for his extraordinary kindness to
me in providing photographs for illustrations, to Drs. Margherita Carbone
and Anna Maria Zanotto for their excellent bibliographical advice, to Dr.
Suzy Marcon for her extraordinary knowledge of watermarks and paper
and for her advice in regard to these and other problems. I am also very
grateful to all the personnel of the Biblioteca nazionale di San Marco, who
have extended to me every kindness and made me feel very much at home.
I am indebted to Dom Bruno Bertoli, director of the Archivio Patriarcale
for the use of valuable materials and for his help with various problems. In
addition, the directors of the Biblioteca del Museo Correr and of the
Biblioteca Querini Stampalla have allowed me the use of rare sources, and
to them I am very grateful. I am also grateful for the courtesies of the per-
sonnel of the biblioteca of the Istituto Veneto.
For many years I have been privileged to use the collections of the
Biblioteca Apostolica del Vaticano and the Archivio Segreto, and to the late
Monsignor José Ruysschaert I am deeply indebted for his unusual kindness
to me and for his vast knowledge of the Vatican collection. I am also very
grateful to Herr Doktor Paul Rabbe, former director of the Herzog August
Bibliothek, Wolfenbüttel, and to Herr Doktor Milde, director of research,
for the use of rare materials.
The librarians in the reference section of Georgia State University have
been very helpful, especially Dr. Stanley Voorhaven; Mrs. Marjorie Patterson
of Interlibrary Loan has assisted me in every way, and I am very grateful to
her. Dr. William Sessions, my colleague for many years, has encouraged me
in my work and has engaged me in conversations that clarify my under-
standing. The editors ofThe Pennsylvania State University Press have been
very helpful, especially Peter Potter and Keith Monley.
I am indebted to the Fuller E. Callaway Foundation and to Georgia State
University, especially to Dr. Carl Patton, president, and to Dr. Ahmed
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Abdelal, dean of the College of Arts and Sciences, for support of my
research. To all who for many years have shown interest in my work, I am
deeply appreciative, especially to my late husband, Professor Paul Grimley
Kuntz, to the late Professor Paul Oskar Kristeller, and to Dr. Maria Francesca
Tiepolo.
My practice in transcribing manuscripts is to follow the orthography of
the documents. Therefore, I have not regularized uand v, iand j,or any vari-
ant spellings of names.
Description:In 1566 a flamboyant Frenchman who called himself Dionisio Gallo mesmerized crowds of onlookers as he preached in the courtyard of the ducal palace in Venice. Believing he had been anointed by the Virgin, he delivered a message of reform of church and society. Soon he was arrested, tried before the
