Etienne Vitelli, Commentaire sur la Guerre Civile de France
Luc Racaut
The Commentarii of Stephanus Vitellius is an original manuscript previously unpublished that was kept in the Abbey St Denis until it rediscovered and translated by editors. This a rare document accompanied no less remarkable map portraying battle took place on 10 November 1567 plain stretched between Paris. dressed royal cartographer André Thévet printed purchased Étienne Vitelli to illustrate his own commentary reproduced here at end this edition. cleric who taught one colleges south bank confessional allegiance clear: he catholic sympathetic Guise their agenda maintaining catholicity French crown all cost. Battle Saint-Denis important episode wars religion followed change heart Catherine de’ Medici away from conciliation following Surprise Meaux (Robert J. Knecht, Medici, Longman, 1998). At Meaux, family had narrowly escaped capture hands Protestant forces, described detail with precision only contemporary lived Paris time could provide. Moreover, would seem direct eye-witness just outside city walls capital, so speak doorstep. death veteran Italian wars, founding member triumvirate, connétable Anne de Montmorency particularly shocking contemporaries owed him be represented miniature Thévet’s incredibly detailed appended text. Lombard-Jourdan Smith have established impeccable edition text very good translation face Latin complete scholarly apparatus école des Chartes series accustomed to. account peppered classical references comparisons Italy, attempt enlighten impress dedicatee work, author’s parent, cardinal Vitellozzo Vitelli, bishop Carcassonne, most probably, like himself, Italian. A reminder France were first foremost compared episodes Roman history framed within mindset Renaissance.
French History