Chicago, Newberry VAULT Case MS folio F 3593 .31
Florentine Chronicle
Italy, between 1500 and 1599
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Chronicles were one of the main genres of historical writing in the Middle Ages. Typically, the purpose of a chronicle was to record as in a time line the main historically important events that occurred both on a local and global level. History-writing was regarded as an important form of expression throughout the medieval period, capable of accounting for the development of societies, customs, politics, modes of expression, and social identity. The relevance and success of this genre allowed for an uninterrupted period of this literary tradition well into the early modern times.
The _Florentine chronicle, _allegedly dated to the sixteenth century, is an example of an early modern chronicle that records the history of the city of Florence from its origins to the early part of the fourteenth century. The chronicle’s opening pages list the names of major Italian cities of the time (Rome, Pisa, Fiesole, Lucca, etc.), along with information about when they were founded and by whom. On a local level, the names of important Florentine families are recorded alongside indications of the urban district where they lived and of the alliances they forged with other families through marriage or patronage. However, the addition of information regarding the various emperors who came to power (names, dates, etc.), including those who visited the Tuscan city and the allegiances some Florentine families pledged to them, places Florence into a broader political discourse that highlights the international prominence of the city, while contributing to the way in which its history was being “imagined” and perceived.
Corsiva usuale dal tracciato leggermente chiaroscurato e allineamneto discendente.
Da notare: la a con ultimo tratto che ritorna in alto verso sinistra (r. 4: edificata); la h priva del tratto basso dell’asta (r. 14: hebbe); il legamento ol (r. 4: Fiesole).
