Bembo, Pietro (1470-1547) [et alii]:
[Historia Veneta] Petri Bembi Historiae Venetae libri XII. - Venetiis: Apud Aldi Filios, 1551. - [4], 203, [1] lvs. ; 4o. - Errors of foliation: 113, 109 [i.e. 114], 115; 124, 124 [i.e. 125], 126; 168, 149 [i.e. 169], 170; 179, 179 [i.e. 180], 181. - Type area 21,2 x 12,4 cm - Call number: Sch 046/381
Note: The new Latin-English edition published in the 'I Tatti Renaissance Library' (History of Venice / Pietro Bembo. Ed. and translated by Robert W. Ulery, Jr. - Cambridge, Mass. : Harvard Univ. Press. Vol. 1: Books 1-4. 2007. - Vol. 2: Books 5-8. 2008. - Vol. 3: Books 9-12. Forthcoming) contains an English table of contents. As we did not find a Latin index of the 'Historia Veneta', we here reproduce the table of contents of volumes 1 and 2 of the 'I Tatti Renaissance Library' edition.
The origin and character of Bembo's 'Historia Veneta' are described in Carol Kidwell's book "Pietro Bembo: Lover, Linguist, Cardinal" (McGill-Queen's Press, 2004), p. 359-367 (part of this is presented in 'Google Book Search'). We extract the following paragraph:
"In 1530, at the age of 60, Pietro Bembo, famous for his vernacular dialogue 'Gli Asolani' and the 'Prose della volgar lingua', in which he attempted to set a standard for the literary use of the vernacular, was called away from those concerns to the writing of Latin, by his selection as official historian of the Republic of Venice; the history was to begin where his predecessor Sabellico had left off, the end of the war with Ferrara in 1487. He had written letters and speeches in Latin prose, in particular as Latin secretary to Pope Leo X from 1513 to 1521, but this would be his first venture into writing history in Latin; his belief in a Ciceronian standard for Neo-Latin was published in his 'De imitatione' of 1513. By 1544 he had brought the history to the year 1513, and by 1547 he had added an Italian translation (apparently assisted by his colleague Carlo Gualteruzzi). The two versions were separately published after his death, in 1551 and 1552, after examination by the censors by order of the Council of Ten in Venice. The Council ordered some deletions, some additions, and some softening of wording in both versions, the precise extent of which was unknown for a long time."Summary Table of Contents
(Title) fol. 001a - (Privilege) fol. 001b - (Printer's dedication to the Doge of Venice) fol. 002a - Liber I. fol. 001a - Liber II. fol. 016a - Liber III. fol. 033a - Liber IV. fol. 050a - Liber V. fol. 065a - Liber VI. fol. 082a - Liber VII. fol. 099b - Liber VIII. fol. 123a - Liber IX. fol. 138a - Liber X. fol. 153a - Liber XI. fol. 169a - Liber XII. fol. 185b - Registrum fol. 203b - Errata fol. 204a - Printer's Device fol. 204bDetailed Table of Contents (Books 1 - 8 only; numbers refer to paragraphs of the 'I Tatti Renaissance Library' edition):
Book I (1487-1493):
Preface 1 - War in the Tyrol: cause and onset 3 - The attack on Rovereto 5 - Single combat between Georg Sonnemberg and Antonio Maria da Sanseverino 12 - The Germans leave Rovereto 14 - Luca Pisano and Girolamo Marcello debate the siege of Trento 16 - The death of Roberto da Sanseverino; Venetian defeat at the fortress of Petra 22 - The end of the war and the terms of peace 29 - Sumptuary and other laws passed; the arrivals at Venice of Giovanni Bentivoglio and of the Queen of Denmark 31 - Girolamo Riario and Galeotto Manfredi assassinated 33 - Francesco Priuli sent to counter the Turks 34 - Caterina Cornaro is convinced by her brother Giorgio to turn Cyprus over to Venice 35 - Laws passed and Senate decrees 42 - Truce negotiated by the Senate between the Emperor Frederick and King Matthias of Hungary; the emperor visits Italy 44 - Various legislation and deliberations 46 - Description of the gun, and the Senate's introduction of its use 48 - Ermolao Barbaro is made Patriarch of Aquileia; subsequent events, and his death 51 - Girolamo Marcello is expelled from Constantinople 54 - Addition of a third Criminal Court of the Forty; the system for casting votes 57 - The corruption of certain citizens is repressed 61 - Deaths of Lorenzo de' Medici and Pope Innocent VIII, and the election of Alessandro Borgia; alliance of the pope, the duke of Milan, and Venice 63 - Arrival at Venice of Eleanora, wife of Ercole d'Este, and her children 64
Book II (1493-95):
Onset and causes of the war of Naples waged by Charles VIII of France 1 - Great floods in Lombardy; certain trials held in Venice 5 - Charles decides to invade; death of Ferrante, king of Naples 8 - Embassy of Charles to the Venetians 10 - Naxos taken under the protection of the Venetian Republic 11 - Colloquy and treaty between King Alfonso II of Naples and Pope Alexander VI; preparation of a fleet against the Turkish sultan 12 - Embassy of Florence to the Senate to seek advice 13 - Scardona and Clissa voluntarily subject themselves to Venice 14 - Arrival of King Charles in Italy; death of Giangaleazzo, duke of Milan 16 - Piero de' Medici is ousted from Florence 18 - Achievements of King Charles in Italy 19 - Bayazid's ambassador violated by the prince of Senigallia 20 - Charles enters Rome; Venetian galleys sent to Flanders are sunk at sea 21 - Departure of King Alfonso from Naples and his death; his son Ferrandino succeeds to the kingship 23 - Death of Sultan Djem 25 - Flight of King Ferrandino of Naples, and entry of Charles 26 - Fear of the Turks due to victory of the French king 27 - Embassy of the Spanish sovereigns to Venice and the fleet sent to Sicily 28 - Death of emperor Frederick; embassy of King Maximilian to the Senate 30 - Treaty entered into between Venice, the pope, the sovereigns of Spain, Ludovico Sforza, and Maximilian, against King Charles 31 - Departure of King Charles from Naples 36 - Novara is taken by Louis, Duke of Orleans 38 - Preparations of Venice and her allies against Charles 39 - The battle at the Taro river 41 - Actions with the French in Liguria 56 - The Senate takes account of those who had fought bravely 58 - Venetians, Milanese, and Ligurians become exiles from the domain of Charles 60 - Siege of Novara by the allies 61 - Peace made between Ludovico Sforza and King Charles, and its terms 63 - Contarini's plot to assassinate Ludovico Sforza 65 - Charles' return to France 66
Book III (1495-1497):
Arrival of King Ferrandino in Calabria and adverse battle with the French 1 - Causes of the Neapolitans' hatred for the French 2 - Return of the same Ferrandino to Naples 3 - Actions of the Venetians in the Kingdom of Naples on Ferrandino's behalf; Venice sends a fleet to Naples 6 - Grain storerooms built at Venice near St. Mark's Square 10 - Pisa surrenders to Venice but is rejected by the Senate 11 - Embassy and gifts to the Senate from the Turkish sultan 17 - Faenza and her prince taken under the protection of the Senate; Clock tower built at Venice in the Piazza 19 - Treaty of Venice with Ferrandino 20 - Varying fortunes of the French and Ferrandino in the Kingdom of Naples 21 - Pisa taken under the protection of Venice, the pope and Ludovico Sforza, and the beginning and progress of the war for Pisa 23 - Board of Three for maritime affairs instituted; law passed concerning possessors of property 26 - Ludovico Sforza named duke by Maximilian; Battle of the cavalry of Nauplia with the Turks 27 - Achievements of Bernardo Contarini in the kingdom of Naples, and his death 28 - Death of Ferrandino, King of Naples, and succession of Federigo to the kingship; Prince of Bisignano wounded by a servant 38 - Departure of the French from Gaeta, and their shipwreck 39 - Varied counsels of the Tarantines concerning surrender, and of the Venetian Senate concerning accepting them or not 40 - Origin of syphilis 43 - The Emperor Maximilian, summoned by Ludovico Sforza, Venice, and the other allies, comes into Italy against the French 52 - The emperor's actions in Tuscany, and his return to Germany 55 - The Ten look out for those who suffered fire or shipwreck 59 - Attempts of the French upon Piedmont 62 - Naval battle between Florence and Venice 65 - An opportunity to assassinate King Charles is rejected by the Senate 70
Book IV (1497-1499):
A truce is established between Charles and the Spanish sovereigns; ambassadors are sent by the Senate to procure peace between the kings of Spain and France 1 - The Spanish sovereigns send to the Senate the king of one of the Canary Islands 3 - The captain-general Francesco is accused before the Senate 4 - Progress of the war for Pisa 5 - Battle of a galley of the Republic with the Turkish fleet 6 - Naval battle of Bernardo Cicogna with the pirate Peruca 8 - The fleet of Pedro Navarro is burned by Andrea Loredan 9 - Citizenship and noble status is given to Joannes Corvinus 11 - Armenians are granted a home in Venice 12 - Ludovico Sforza's treachery toward Lucca 13 - Death of King Charles of France 15 - Defeat of the Florentines near a Tuscan fortress 17 - Plans and stratagems of Ludovico Sforza 19 - Arrogance of some in magistracies is punished 23 - Defeat of the Venetians at Luna and Cascina 24 - Attempts of the Venetians in the Casentino 40 - Pisa is attacked by Paolo Vitelli 43 - Preparations and plans of the Turkish sultan against the Venetians, and the causes of this 50 - Louis hailed as king of France, and the Venetians' embassy and gifts to him 54 - Treaty between the Venetians and King Louis 55 - Settlement between the Venetians and the Florentines in Pisan affairs 59 - The French invasion of Piedmont 63 - Milan is taken by the French, and Cremona by the Venetians; Ludovico Sforza leaves Piedmont; arrival of the king of France in Milan 66 - Louis of Luxembourg and many others are granted citizenship and noble status 68 - The French king returns to France 69
Book V (1499-1501):
Preparations of the Turks and the Venetians for war 1 - Battle of the Venetian fleet with the Turkish 8 - Lepanto is taken by the Turks 12 - Antonio Grimani's command of the fleet is abrogated 13 - Wars of Cesare Borgia in Romagna 19 - Return of Ludovico Sforza to Milan 21 - Ludovico and Ascanio are captured 23 - Progress of the war with the Turks 24 - Second battle of the Venetian and Turkish fleets 30 - Methoni is conquered by the Turks; Navarino is taken by the Turks 34 - Coron and Aegina are taken by the Turks 35 - Turks retire to Constantinople 37 - Aegina is recovered by the Venetians; success of the Venetian fleet against the Turks; Samothrace is taken by the Venetians; execution of Carlo Contarini 38 - Spanish sovereigns send fleet in aid of Venetians 39 - Navarino retaken by the Venetians 43 - Cephalonia attacked and taken 44 - Gonzalo de Cordoba granted Venetian citizenship and noble status 46 - Rewards to relatives of those who met death for the Republic 49 - Abduction of a girl by Cesare Borgia 50 - Treaty of the Venetians with King Ladislas of Hungary 52 - Failed attack on Turkish ships at mouth of the Bojana river 53 - Alessio surrenders to the Venetians 55 - Reinforcements granted by Pope Alexander VI to the Venetians against the Turks, and summary of sale of indulgences in the Veneto 56 - Cesare Borgia takes Faenza; death of Cardinal Battista Zen 58 - Navarino again captured by the Turkish Sultan 59 - Megara is destroyed by the Venetians 60 - Durazzo captured by the Turks; death of Doge Agostino Barbarigo 61
Book VI (1501-1504):
Narrative of new lands and peoples 1 - Peace agreement of King Louis of France with Emperor Maximilian I; Leonardo Loredan is declared doge 15 - French and Portuguese fleets sent in aid of the Venetians retreat without success; King Federico of Naples is ousted by the kings of France and Spain, who divide the kingdom among themselves 16 - Progress of the war of the Venetians against the Turks; war of the king of Hungary against the Turk 17 - Mytilene is attacked by the Venetian and French fleet 18 - The pirate Eric is captured and burned 20 - Opposing declamations of Antonio Minio and Doge Loredan concerning the acceptance of half-pay of magistracies 21 - Galley-captains denounced who bad behaved as cowards 33 - Lucrezia Borgia marries Alfonso d'Este; successes of the king of Hungary against the Turks; Venetian citizens at Constantinople restored to freedom 34 - Towns of the Duke of Urbino are seized in ambush by Cesare Borgia 35 - Anne de Candale marries the king of Hungary and comes to Venice; King Louis again comes to Italy, and the war of the same with the sovereigns of Spain on account of the borders of his dominion in the Kingdom of Naples 36 - Lefkada is taken by the Venetians 38 - Guidobaldo, finding no protection with King Louis, goes to Venice; then with the aid of the Orsini he returns to his duchy; many peoples wishing to surrender to the Republic are rejected 41 - Embassy of the Spanish sovereigns to the Senate 42 - Guidobaldo is again ousted by Cesare, and many princes are killed by the same 44 - A law is passed against those who purchase benefices 45 - Death of Cardinal Giovanni Michiel 46 - Peace agreement of Bayazid with Venice and the king of Hungary 47 - King Louis of France seeks a new treaty with Venice 48 - Death of Pope Alexander VI and misfortunes of Cesare Borgia; death of Benedetto Pesaro 49 - Guidobaldo again returns into his duchy 50 - pope Pius III is elected and dies; Julius II succeeds him 52 - Many towns in Romagna surrender to the Republic 55 - Machinations of Florence against Venice 56 - Pandolfo Malatesta bands Rimini over to Venice 58 - Faenza is taken by the Venetians 59 - Pope Julius' designs against the Venetians 60 - Niccolò Orsini's command is extended 66
Book VII (1504-1509):
Francesco Maria della Rovere is adopted by Guidobaldo 2 - Treaty between Louis and Maximilian 3 - Tron is hanged in Venice for treason; Giovanni Sforza, lord of Pesaro, is married in Venice; death of Queen Isabella of Spain; death of Ercole d'Este 4 - Fondaco de' Tedeschi at Venice burned, rebuilt more lavishly by the Senate 5 - Disputes settled between Senate and Pope Julius, and eight ambassadors sent to him 6 - Alfonso d'Este arrives in Venice; treaty of Louis with Ferdinand of Aragon 8 - War with pirates; embassy of the sultan of Tunis to the Senate, and his gifts; Nuremberg asks for a sample of Venetian laws 9 - Senate bands Alessio over to the Turkish sultan; death of Sabellico; ambassador of the sultan of Egypt comes to Venice to settle disputes 10 - Letter of Pope Julius is rejected by the Senate 11 - Departure of Philip of Austria for Spain, and his death; King Ferdinand arrives in Naples 12 - Giovanni Bentivoglio is driven from Bologna by Pope Julius 13 - Senate decree passed against those who use the influence of princes or ambassadors 14 - Death of Pietro Barozzi; citizenship and security granted to Genoese at their request 15 - Louis arrives in Italy; conquest of Genoa; conversation of the same with King Ferdinand, and his return to Italy 16 - Soldiers from countryside levied by Venetians 17 - Maximilian's request for permission to cross with his army denied; the Republic's preparation for war 18 - The Germans invade Tyrol and Friuli 23 - Losses of the same at Pieve di Cadore 28 - Trieste is conquered by the Venetians, with many other towns 37 - Truce between Venetians and Maximilian 41 - Massive earthquake on Crete; Contarini Camali dies in shipwreck 44 - Law passed against those who seek magistracies by bribes 45 - Maximilian's plea for peace is denied 46 - Strange people are captured in the British ocean 50 - The League of Cambrai 51 - Preparations of Venice for war 59 - Gunpowder in the Arsenale struck by fire 62 - Deceptions of the king of Spain 63 - Beginning of war against Venice 64 - Venetians strike a treaty with four Swiss cantons 67 - The king of France declares war on Venice 69 - Venice excommunicated by the pope 78 - The king of France arrives in Milan, and his troops 82 - Battle of the Venetians and French at the Adda 83
Book VIII (1509):
Strategy and success of the Venetians after the defeat 1 - Venice offers towns of Apulia to King Ferdinand 12 - Brescia surrenders to King Louis 14 - Monks of San Giorgio go from Venice to Ferrara 16 - Towns of Romagna also handed over to Pope Julius, and to Maximilian those which belong to the Holy Roman Empire; treachery of Pope Julius and Alfonso d'Este 17 - Many states surrender to the French 19 - Venetians turn their strategy toward the defense of the city 20 - Treviso returns under Venetian dominion 29 - Wrongs of Alfonso d'Este toward Venice 30 - Exchange of Venetian and French prisoners 31 - Antonio Grimani is recalled from exile 34 - The fortress of Cremona is seized by the French 38 - Pope Julius offers to negotiate with Venice 39 - Maximilian invades Venetian territory 40 - How the Venetian ambassadors are received by Julius 43 - After a debate, Padua is retaken by Venice 46
