GUICCIARDINI, FRANCESCO, an Italian statesman and historian, was b. of noble parentage at Florence, in 1482. The combined studies of law and literature engrossed his earliest attention, and were cultivated with such signal success, that before he reached the age of 23, he was elected professor of law by the signoria of Florence, and acquired, at the same time, a reputation of great skill as a legal practitioner. His knowledge of international law, and tact in the conduct of public affairs, caused him to be selected in 1512, by the signoria, as ambassador to the court of Ferdinand, of Aragon. During a period of two years he discharged his diplomatic duties with con summate ability. On his return to Florence he was received with every mark of public approval, and in 1525 was despatched by the republic to receive at Cortona, pope Leo X. This sharp-sighted pontiff at once secured Guicciardini's services, and com mitted to him the government of Modena and Reggio, and finally of Parma. Clement VII. continued to shower dignities on Guicciardini, and appointed hint, with uulimited powers, governor of the Romagna, and finally of Bologna. On the accession of Paul III. Guicciardini resigned all his dignities, and after 18 years of papal service, returned to Florence, where Alexander de' Medici had just been thrust on the citizens as their sovereign by Charles V. On the assassination of Alexander, Guicciardini pro
moted materially the elevation of Como de' Medici; but meeting with no special favor from that prince, he withdrew from Florence to his villa at Arcetii, where he com menced his famous work, La Storia d'Italia. He died in 1540 before its completion. In 1561, 21 years after his death, the first sixteen books of his history were published, and three years later, four additional books appeared. The work is considered a stand ard of classical historical writing, independent of its value as a minute and faithful record of the period it embraces, from 1490 to 1534. A magnificent Italian edition was published at Freyburg, 1775-1776, four vols. 4to, strictly in accordance with the manuscripts deposited in the Magliabecchi library at Florence, and another at Pisa, 1819, 10 volumes 8vo, edited by Rosiui. In 1857-58, there appeared at Florence indite di Francesco Gaicciardini. comprising a series of aphorisms and discourses on the Florentine institutions, in the form of dialogue, recovered from the MSS. in the family archives.