#1500s — Public Fediverse posts

Remembering the plague

The Redentore Feast, which is held this weekend, commemorates the end of the plague epidemic, which savaged Venice in 1575–77.

In those two disastrous years, between fifty and sixty thousand persons died, in a city with a population of just three times that.

One Venetian in three died of the plague.

It is difficult to fathom a disaster of such dimensions. It is even harder to understand what it did to the people who lived through it.

#1500s #Plague #RepublicOfVenice #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/remembering-the-plague/

Remembering the plague

The Redentore Feast, which is held this weekend, commemorates the end of the plague epidemic, which savaged Venice in 1575–77.

In those two disastrous years, between fifty and sixty thousand persons died, in a city with a population of just three times that.

One Venetian in three died of the plague.

It is difficult to fathom a disaster of such dimensions. It is even harder to understand what it did to the people who lived through it.

#1500s #Plague #RepublicOfVenice #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/remembering-the-plague/

Ah, the riveting tale of math's linguistic struggle from Latin to English—because apparently, people in the #1500s had nothing better to do. 🤓📚 Let's celebrate the groundbreaking revelation that math books eventually switched languages...in only 48 years! 🎉📖 Who knew math was such a drama queen? 🤔💁‍♂️
https://tyndale.org/journals/reformj01/bmarsden.html #mathhistory #languagechange #linguisticdrama #education #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, the riveting tale of math's linguistic struggle from Latin to English—because apparently, people in the #1500s had nothing better to do. 🤓📚 Let's celebrate the groundbreaking revelation that math books eventually switched languages...in only 48 years! 🎉📖 Who knew math was such a drama queen? 🤔💁‍♂️
https://tyndale.org/journals/reformj01/bmarsden.html #mathhistory #languagechange #linguisticdrama #education #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, the riveting tale of math's linguistic struggle from Latin to English—because apparently, people in the #1500s had nothing better to do. 🤓📚 Let's celebrate the groundbreaking revelation that math books eventually switched languages...in only 48 years! 🎉📖 Who knew math was such a drama queen? 🤔💁‍♂️
https://tyndale.org/journals/reformj01/bmarsden.html #mathhistory #languagechange #linguisticdrama #education #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, the riveting tale of math's linguistic struggle from Latin to English—because apparently, people in the #1500s had nothing better to do. 🤓📚 Let's celebrate the groundbreaking revelation that math books eventually switched languages...in only 48 years! 🎉📖 Who knew math was such a drama queen? 🤔💁‍♂️
https://tyndale.org/journals/reformj01/bmarsden.html #mathhistory #languagechange #linguisticdrama #education #HackerNews #ngated

Ah, the riveting tale of math's linguistic struggle from Latin to English—because apparently, people in the #1500s had nothing better to do. 🤓📚 Let's celebrate the groundbreaking revelation that math books eventually switched languages...in only 48 years! 🎉📖 Who knew math was such a drama queen? 🤔💁‍♂️
https://tyndale.org/journals/reformj01/bmarsden.html #mathhistory #languagechange #linguisticdrama #education #HackerNews #ngated

The Blood of Christ

Easter is the most important event in the Christian calendar, and that was no different in the times of the Republic of Venice.

It should therefore be no surprise that several events took place during the week of Easter, and that all classes participated.

A couple of these events included a rather special relic, which is still in the treasury of the Basilica di San Marco.

It is a sample of the blood of Jesus.

Just to muddle the waters, there's a similar relic in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.

Both of them originate in Constantinople.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Easter #histodons #Schools #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-blood-of-christ/

The Blood of Christ

Easter is the most important event in the Christian calendar, and that was no different in the times of the Republic of Venice.

It should therefore be no surprise that several events took place during the week of Easter, and that all classes participated.

A couple of these events included a rather special relic, which is still in the treasury of the Basilica di San Marco.

It is a sample of the blood of Jesus.

Just to muddle the waters, there's a similar relic in the Basilica di Santa Maria Gloriosa dei Frari.

Both of them originate in Constantinople.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Easter #histodons #Schools #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-blood-of-christ/

Episode 25 — The Venetian Carnival

The Venetian carnival was famous, and was so already in the Middle Ages. Kings travelled across Europe to see the Venetian carnival. It was one of the must-see things for travellers to Venice.

The carnival was not, however, like the modern cheap replica.

The ancient Venetian carnival sported such noble activities as pig-chasing in the alleyways, a flying Turk delivering flowers, and the public execution of a bull by sword.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Carnival

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/podcast/episode-25-the-venetian-carnival/

Episode 25 — The Venetian Carnival

The Venetian carnival was famous, and was so already in the Middle Ages. Kings travelled across Europe to see the Venetian carnival. It was one of the must-see things for travellers to Venice. The carnival was not, however, like the modern cheap replica. The ancient Venetian carnival sported such noble activities as pig-chasing in the alleyways, a flying Turk delivering flowers, and the public execution of a bull by sword.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Carnival

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/podcast/episode-25-the-venetian-carnival/

Beheading bulls

Lent, leading up to Easter, is a period of abstinence and repentance.

Forty days, where the basic rule is that if it's fun, it's probably not allowed.

Carnival originated, at least in part, as a reaction to the meagre forty days, when meat, wine, cakes, and rich foods in general were off the menu.

Hence, we have the fat week leading up to Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent.

Shrove Tuesday is the last day of the carnival — Mardi Gras for the French inclined, martedi grasso in Italy, both meaning Fat Tuesday — but the preceding Thursday was also an important feast.

In Venice, this was the Feast of Giovedì Grasso, which was celebrated in grand style in the Piazzetta, the smaller part of Piazza San Marco near the two columns.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/beheading-bulls/

Beheading bulls

Lent, leading up to Easter, is a period of abstinence and repentance.

Forty days, where the basic rule is that if it's fun, it's probably not allowed.

Carnival originated, at least in part, as a reaction to the meagre forty days, when meat, wine, cakes, and rich foods in general were off the menu.

Hence, we have the fat week leading up to Ash Wednesday, which is the first day of Lent.

Shrove Tuesday is the last day of the carnival — Mardi Gras for the French inclined, martedi grasso in Italy, both meaning Fat Tuesday — but the preceding Thursday was also an important feast.

In Venice, this was the Feast of Giovedì Grasso, which was celebrated in grand style in the Piazzetta, the smaller part of Piazza San Marco near the two columns.

#1500s #1600s #1700s #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/beheading-bulls/

Thomas Philologus Ravennas

There's a statue of a bearded man on the façade of the church of San Zulian, above the entrance.

Yet another saint, one presumes, before walking on towards the main sights at St Mark's.

Well, no!

That's Tommaso Ravenna, astrologer, physician, patron of the arts and sciences, knighted in several countries, who in the 1500s got rich and famous selling remedies to the rich for syphilis.

#1500s #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/thomas-philologus-ravennas/

Thomas Philologus Ravennas

There's a statue of a bearded man on the façade of the church of San Zulian, above the entrance.

Yet another saint, one presumes, before walking on towards the main sights at St Mark's.

Well, no!

That's Tommaso Ravenna, astrologer, physician, patron of the arts and sciences, knighted in several countries, who in the 1500s got rich and famous selling remedies to the rich for syphilis.

#1500s #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/thomas-philologus-ravennas/

"Studio di due figure maschili in lotta" by Luca Cambasio, 1545. Italy.

#illustration #art #painting #cambasio #LucaCambasio #1500s #PublicDomain

"Studio di due figure maschili in lotta" by Luca Cambasio, 1545. Italy.

#illustration #art #painting #cambasio #LucaCambasio #1500s #PublicDomain

St. Anne

According to Christian tradition, St. Anne was the mom of the Virgin Mary, wife of St. Joachim, & was Jesus’ maternal grandma.

Her name isn’t in the Bible’s canonical Gospels. In writing, Anne’s name, & Joachim’s come from New Testament apocrypha. The Gospel of Thomas (written circa 150 AD) seems to be the earliest that mentions them. She’s mentioned in the Quran, but not by name.

The Immaculate Conception was eventually made dogma by the Catholic Church following an increased devotion to Anne in the 12th century. In Eastern Christianity dedications start as early as 6th century.

In the Eastern Orthodox tradition, Anne & Joachim are attributed to the title Ancestor of God. Both the Nativity of Mary & the Presentation of Mary are celebrated as 2 of the 12 Great Feasts of the Orthodox Church.

The Dormition of Anne is also a minor feast in Eastern Christianity. In Lutheranism, it’s believed that Martin Luther chose to enter religious life as an Augustinian friar after invoking St. Anne was jeopardized by lightning.

In the 4th century, & in the 15th century, a belief arose that Mary was conceived of Anne without original sin. The Immaculate Conception is often confused with the Annunciation of the Incarnation (Mary’s virgin birth of Jesus). The 13th century Speculum Maius includes information regarding the life of St. Anne.

In the Eastern church, the veneration of Anne herself may go back as far as circa 550, when Justinian built a church in Constantinople in her honor. The earliest pictorial sign of her veneration in the West in an 8th century fresco in the church of Santa Maria Antique, Rome.

The Feast of the Conception of the Virgin Mary had reached southern Italy by the 9th century. In the Latin Church, St. Anne wasn’t venerated. Except, perhaps, in the south of France, before the 13th century. A shrine at Douai (in northern France) was 1 of the early centers of devotion to St. Anne in the West.

The Anna Selbdritt was a type of iconography showing 3 generations of the “Holy Family,” St. Anne, the Virgin Mary, & Jesus (grandma, mom, son). This style of iconography emphasized the humanity of Jesus. It drew on the earlier conventions of the Seat of Wisdom. (The Seat of Wisdom is/are icons/sculptures that shows the Virgin Mary is seated on a throne with Jesus, as a kid, on her lap.) This was popular in northern Germany in the 1500s.

Two well-known shrines to St. Anne is that of Ste-Anne-d’Auray in Brittany (France) & that of Ste.-Anne-de-Beaupre near the city of Quebec. The number of pilgrims to the Basilica of Ste.-Anne-de-Beaupre is the greatest of St. Anne’s Feast Day (July 26), & the Sunday before the Nativity of the Virgin Mary (September 8). In 1892, Pope Leo XIII sent a relic of St. Anne to the church.

By the middle of the 7th century, a distinct feast day, the Conception of St. Anne (Maternity of Holy Anne) celebrating Mary by St. Anne, was observed at the Monastery of St. Sabas.

It’s now known in the Greek Orthodox Church as the feast of “The Conception by St. Anne of the Most Holy Theotokos.” It’s celebrated on December 9th. In the Catholic Church, the Feast of Saints Anne & Joachim is celebrated on July 26. The alleged relics of St. Anne was brought from the Holy Land to Constantinople in 710 & was kept there in the church of St. Sophia as late as 1333.

During the 12th & 13th centuries, returning crusaders & pilgrims from the East brought St. Anne’s relics to some churches, including most famously those at Apt, in Provence, Ghent, & Chartres. St. Anne’s relics have been preserved & venerated in the many cathedrals & monasteries dedicated to her name.

For example, in Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, & Greece in the semi-autonomous Mount Athos, & the city of Katerini. Duren has been the main place of pilgrimage for Anne since 1506, when Pope Julius II decreed that her relics should be kept there, after they were stolen from the church of St. Stephen in Mainz.

The Church of St. Anne in Beit Guvrin National Park was built by the Byzantines & the crusaders in the 12th century. This is known in Arabic as Khirbet Sandahanna, the mound of Maresha being called Tell Sandahanna.

St. Anne is the patroness of unmarried women, housewives, women in labor or who want to be pregnant, grandmothers, moms, & educators. She’s also a patroness of horseback riders, cabinet-makers, & miners.

As the mom of Mary, this devotion to St. Anne as the patron of miners arises from the medieval comparison between Mary & Jesus & the precious metals: gold & silver. Anne’s womb was considered the source from which these precious metals were mined.

St. Anne is the patron saint of Brittany (France); Cuenca (Ecuador); Chinandega (Nicaragua); the Mi’kmaq people of Canada; Castelbuono (Sicily); Quebec (Canada); Santa Ana (California); Norwich (Connecticut); Detroit (Michigan); Adjunta (Puerto Rico); Santa Ana & Jucuaran (El Salvador); Berlin (New Hampshire); Santa Ana Pueblo, Seama, & Taos (New Mexico); Chiclana de la Frontera, Marsaskala, Tuadela, Atarfe & Fasnia (Spain); Town of Sta Ana Province of Pampanga, Molo, Iloilo City, Balasan; Iloilo, Hagnoy, Santa Ana, Taguig City, St. Anne Shrine, Malicboy, Pagbilao, Quezon, & Malinao, Albay (Philippines); Santana (Brazil); St. Anne (Illinois); Sainte Anne Island; Baie Sainte Anne & Praslin Island (Seychelles); Bukit Mertajam & Port Klang (Malaysia); Kl’ucove (Slovakia) & South Vietnam.

The parish church of Vatican City is Sant’ Anna dei Palafrenieri. There’s a shrine dedicated to St. Anne in the Woods in Bristol, United Kingdom.

Anne is also revered in Islam, recognized as a highly spiritual woman & as the mom of Mary. She’s not named in the Quran. She’s called “the wife of Imran.” The Quran describes her remaining childless until old age. One day, Anne saw a bird feeding its young while sitting in the shade of a tree, which awakened her desire to have kids of her own.

She prayed for a kid & eventually conceived. Imran, her husband, died before the kid was born. Anne expected the unborn kid to be a boy, so she vowed to dedicate “him” to isolation & service in the Second Temple.

Anne had a daughter (Mary) instead. Anne named her: Mary. Anne’s words upon delivering Mary reflect as a great mystic, realizing that while she’d had wanted a son, this daughter was God’s gift to her.

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Episode 21 — The Plague Doctor

The plague doctor, long black cloak, pointy fingers, beaked mask with empty eyes. A giant black raven, the harbinger of a terrible death.

We all know that image. It is part of our culture and mythology. That was how medieval plague doctors looked, right?

Well, guess who didn't know about the beaked plague doctor? The plague doctors of the 1500s and 1600s didn't know about the beaked plague doctor.

Yet, they were him. Or were they?

#1500s #1600s #Plague #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/podcast/episode-21-the-plague-doctor/

The Battle of Lepanto

Yesterday, October 7th, was the anniversary of the Battle of Lepanto, fought in 1571 between the Ottoman Empire and the Holy League, which included all the states of the Italian peninsula, including the Spanish Empire.

A combined Christian navy of over 200 galleys with 40,000 sailors and soldiers, clashed with over 300 Ottoman ships, with almost 50,000 men. The Holy League, however, had far more guns than the Turkish side.

War galleys were rowed ships, descendants of ancient Roman triremes. Besides the sailors and soldiers, each side had around 40,000 rowers. They were usually chained to the benches. Some were prisoners of war from earlier conflicts, some caught in slave raids on the Mediterranean coasts, and others sentenced to forced labour for some offence.

The navy of the Holy League was therefore partially rowed by Muslim prisoners, and the Ottoman navy by Christian captives.

The battle ended with the Holy League victorious.

#1500s #histodons #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-battle-of-lepanto/

Playing at ball

The ancient Venetians enjoyed their well-known sports such as human towers, bull fights and fights on bridges using fists or sticks, not to speak of chickens on a pole, squashing cats bareheaded, and tearing the heads off geese while jumping in a canal.

These were, however, mostly entertainments and games for the lower classes.

Decent people, and nobles, engaged in more exotic activities, such as tennis, football and other ball games.

One such ball game, usually just called giuocar al pallone — playing at ball. It is a game, which probably originates in the Middle Ages.

#1500s #1700s #BallGames #Sports #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/playing-at-ball/

The story of Bianca Cappello tells us something about the institutions of the Republic of Venice, the agility of its government, and of early modern diplomacy.

The story of Bianca Cappello tells us something about the institutions of the Republic of Venice, the agility of its government, and of early modern diplomacy.

The story of Bianca Cappello tells us something about the institutions of the Republic of Venice, the agility of its government, and of early modern diplomacy.

The story of Bianca Cappello tells us something about the institutions of the Republic of Venice, the agility of its government, and of early modern diplomacy.

Daughter of the Republic

Bianca Cappello was created “daughter of the Republic” because Venice didn’t have princesses.

https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/daughter-of-the-republic/
#1500s #BiancaCappello #DaughterOfTheRepublic #RepublicOfVenice #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Bianca Cappello had eloped to Florence with her lover, whom she soon after married. She then became the mistress of the prince regent of the Duchy of Florence. Her husband took a mistress of his own, but her family murdered him on Blanca’s doorstep. Does all that sound bad? Well, it’s getting worse.

In 1563, a young Venetian noblewoman eloped with her lover, never to come back to Venice again. She went on to have an eventful, and highly unusual life, in Florence.

🪐 A Royal Brass Astrolabe Made by Al-Ahmar Al-Nujumi for the Ottoman Sultan Bayezid II, 1505 #Astrolabe #Astrology #1500s

The 1400s and 1500s were centuries of enormous change for Venice, and for the rest of the world. The changing geography moved Venice from a central position in European trade to the margins.

The book caught flack, sure - from the credulous, those swept up in the panic, and those - even Parliamentarians - who saw it as a chance to raise their profile and be seen as combatting the imaginary evil.

But - again, because the book was so brilliant & true in its piss-takes of their belief - they looked absurd. Its critics had lost public support.

Words make things happen. They have power. But they can save things from happening too.

#literature #witchcraft #witchtrials #books #1500s

The book caught flack, sure - from the credulous, those swept up in the panic, and those - even Parliamentarians - who saw it as a chance to raise their profile and be seen as combatting the imaginary evil.

But - again, because the book was so brilliant & true in its piss-takes of their belief - they looked absurd. Its critics had lost public support.

Words make things happen. They have power. But they can save things from happening too.

#literature #witchcraft #witchtrials #books #1500s

One of my favourite moments in history.

In 1584, as witch panic gripped Europe & threatened to sweep Britain, a member of Parliament called Reginald Scott wrote a book, 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft', absolutely dismantling the belief in witches in ways funny, elegant, irrefutable & memorable.

‘The Discoverie of Witches’ became a sensation.

As a result, the British witch craze was muted. 1000s of lives were saved.

#books #witchcraft #witch #WitchTrials #craze #moralpanic #1500s #literature

One of my favourite moments in history.

In 1584, as witch panic gripped Europe & threatened to sweep Britain, a member of Parliament called Reginald Scott wrote a book, 'The Discoverie of Witchcraft', absolutely dismantling the belief in witches in ways funny, elegant, irrefutable & memorable.

‘The Discoverie of Witches’ became a sensation.

As a result, the British witch craze was muted. 1000s of lives were saved.

#books #witchcraft #witch #WitchTrials #craze #moralpanic #1500s #literature

They had e-mail in the 16th century?!? 🤪
(The @ sign is shorthand for 'Anno')

#paleography #genealogy #1500s

The Venetian constitution

Several recent Venetian Stories and many other posts on the History Walks Venice website have touched on legal issues: laws around prostitution and fun-loving nuns, but also issues like legal protections for inventors and just keeping order in general.

One particularity shared by these stories is that the people and institutions making the laws were the same as those who enforced the laws and who judged transgressions of the same laws.

#1200s #1300s #1400s #1500s #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-venetian-constitution/

The Venetian constitution

Several recent Venetian Stories and many other posts on the History Walks Venice website have touched on legal issues: laws around prostitution and fun-loving nuns, but also issues like legal protections for inventors and just keeping order in general.

One particularity shared by these stories is that the people and institutions making the laws were the same as those who enforced the laws and who judged transgressions of the same laws.

#1200s #1300s #1400s #1500s #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-venetian-constitution/

The Venetian constitution

Several recent Venetian Stories and many other posts on the History Walks Venice website have touched on legal issues: laws around prostitution and fun-loving nuns, but also issues like legal protections for inventors and just keeping order in general.

One particularity shared by these stories is that the people and institutions making the laws were the same as those who enforced the laws and who judged transgressions of the same laws.

#1200s #1300s #1400s #1500s #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-venetian-constitution/

The Venetian constitution

Several recent Venetian Stories and many other posts on the History Walks Venice website have touched on legal issues: laws around prostitution and fun-loving nuns, but also issues like legal protections for inventors and just keeping order in general.

One particularity shared by these stories is that the people and institutions making the laws were the same as those who enforced the laws and who judged transgressions of the same laws.

#1200s #1300s #1400s #1500s #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/the-venetian-constitution/

Fornicators of Nuns

"Fornicators of Nuns" is probably not the first term you'll be looking for when you settle into an armchair with an old dictionary, just to browse it a bit out of general curiosity. It is one of those signs that the past is like another country. They did things differently, and sometimes very differently.

#1500s #1600s #LawAndOrder #Slavery #VenetianState #Venezia #Venice

Read more here: https://venetianstories.com/venetian-story/fornicators-of-nuns/

Neptune, from the Story of Ulysses (1549-51) by Pellegrino Tibaldi (1527-1596). Fresco. Something a bit William Blake-like about this.

Roman god of freshwater and the sea in Roman religion + the counterpart of the Greek god, Poseidon.

#1500s #Neptune #Ulysses #PellegrinoTibaldi #Fresco #Romangod #Poseidon #Myth #Mythology

#northamerica #nativeamerican #1500s

#northamerica #nativeamerican #1500s

St. Michael Vanquishing Satan (1518) is a painting by the Italian High #Renaissance artist Raphael. This painting has symbolic meaning within the #Christian religion as it symbolizes God triumphing over evil. Raphael had a gift for creating images that evoked divinity in a subtle way and was known being skillful at creating space within his compositions as well as movement captured at a stand still.

https://stellar-art.pixels.com/featured/1-saint-michael-vanquishing-satan-1518-raphael.html

#art #arthistory #angels #demons #Raphael #1500s

St. Michael Vanquishing Satan (1518) is a painting by the Italian High #Renaissance artist Raphael. This painting has symbolic meaning within the #Christian religion as it symbolizes God triumphing over evil. Raphael had a gift for creating images that evoked divinity in a subtle way and was known being skillful at creating space within his compositions as well as movement captured at a stand still.

https://stellar-art.pixels.com/featured/1-saint-michael-vanquishing-satan-1518-raphael.html

#art #arthistory #angels #demons #Raphael #1500s

April 21 - the birthday of Ludovico Carracci (1555 - 1619) - an Italian early-Baroque painter, etcher, and printmaker from Bologna. His works are characterized by an intense mood invoked by broad gestures and flickering light that create spiritual emotion.

https://stellar-art.pixels.com/featured/annunciation-1604-ludovico-carracci.html

#art #arthistory #ArtistBirthday #MastoArt #1500s