The Iberian biographies in Vespasiano da Bisticci’s Lives

In this paper, I undertake an examination of the inclusion of Spaniard figures in Vespasiano da Bisticci’s renowned Lives. Amidst the varied origins of the biographees cataloged by Vespasiano, which span English, German, Greek, or Hungarian characters, the Peninsular ones emerge prominently. The study encompasses sixteen biographies, presenting a diverse array of figures, including king Alfonso V of Aragon, five cardinals, four bishops and prelates, four statesmen and jurists, and two men of letter, originating from the Crown of Aragon, Castile, and Portugal. Additionally, I aim to explore the motivations that impelled the Florentine «cartolaio» to incorporate these individuals into his collection of biographies, as well as to illuminate the lives of some lesser-known humanistic figures

Art · Geography · Archaeological and Historical Studies · Classical Antiquity Studies · Classical Studies and Legal History · History