Matteo Florimi, Venedig., second half of the 16. Century.
This timeline lists a selection of printed works from the sixteenth to the eighteenth centuries describing the Republic of Venice. The chronology is based on the date of the voyage or the first publication of the account.
1537-1540
Francesco Guicciardini (1483-1540)
Francesco Guicciardini: L’historia d’Italia di M. Francesco Gvicciardini gentil’hvomo fiorentino. Florence: Lorenzo Torrentino 1561.
Available online: Volume 1; Volume 2.
English translation (1599):
Francesco Guicciardini: The historie of Guicciardin containing the vvarres of Italie and other partes. Continued for manie yeares vnder sundrie kings and princes, together with the variations and accidents of the same: and also the arguments, with a table at large expressing the principall matters through the whole historie. Reduced into English by Geffray Fenton. London: Richard Field 1599.
Available online: here.
1540
Donato Giannotti (1492-1573)
Donato Giannotti: Libro de la rebublica de vinitiani composto per Donato Giannotti. Rome: Antonio Baldo 1540.
Available online: here.
German translation (1557):
Donato Giannotti: Respublica Venetum. Der grossen Commun, der Statt Venedig, ursprung, erbawung und aufnemung. Aus Ital. Sprach verteutscht. Neuburg an der Donau: Hans Kilian 1557.
Available onlin: here.
1544
Gasparo Contarini (1483-1542)
Gasparo Contarini: De Magistratibus et Republica Venetorum. Basel: Froben 1544.
Available online: here.
circa 1547
Jean Chesneau (1520-)
Jean Chesneau: Le voyage de Monsieur d’Aramon, ambassadeur pour le Roy en Levant. Escript par noble homme Jean Chesneau, l’un des secretaires dudict ambassadeur. Publié et annoté par M. Ch. Schefer. Paris 1887.
Available online: here.
1599
Heinrich Schickhardt
Heinrich Schickhardt: Beschreibung Einer Raiß. Welche der Durchleuchtig Hochgeborne Fürst und Herr/ Herr Friderich Hertzog zu Württemberg unnd Teckh … Im Jahr/ 1599. selbs Neundt/ auß dem Landt zu Württemberg in Italiam gethan : Darinnen vermeldet/ wie Ihre F. Gn. jeden Tag geraißt … / Auß Hochgedachter/ Ihrer Fürstl. Gn. gnädigem Bevelch/ mit sonderm fleiß/ jedeßmals verzeichnet/ unnd … an tag gegeben: Durch Heinrich Schickhart von Herrenberg … Bawmeister. Tübingen: Cellius 1603.
Available: online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 9r-12r
– Venice: p. 78l-88r
– Genoa: p. 18l-22l
1608
Thomas de Fougasses
Thomas de Fougasses: Histoire Generale de Venise. Depuis la Fondation de la Ville, iusques à présent. Extraicte de plusieurs Memoires & divers Autheurs, tant Latins que François, & Italiens. Avec les Sommaires des matieres principales, contenues en chasque livre. Paris: Abel l’Angelier 1608.
Available online: here:
1611
Thomas Coryate (1577-1617)
Thomas Coryate: Coryats Crudities. Reprinted from the Edition of 1611 with his Letters from India. London: William Stansby 1776.
Available online: Volume 1; Volume 2; Volume 3.
Furhter content information:
– Switzerland: Vol. 2: p. 181-293 (Graubünden: 162-181)
– Venice: Vol. 1: p. 196-304, vol. 2: p. 7-76
– Netherlands: Vol. 3: p. 1-91
1617
Fynes Moryson (1566-1630)
Fynes Moryson: An Itinerary written by Fynes Moryson Gent. First in the Latine Tongue, and then translated by him into English. Containing his ten yeeres Travell through the twelve domjnions of Germany, Bohmerland, Sweitzerland, Netherland, Denmarke, Poland, Italy, Turky, France, England, Scotland, and Ireland. Divided into III Parts. London: Johan Beale 1617.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 25-62, 373-423
– Venice: p. 158-223, 424-468
– Genoa: p. 314-373
– Netherlands: p. 89-111, 424-468
– Poland: p. 112-157
1621
Nicolas Bérnard
Nicolas Bénard: Le voyage de Hierusalem et autres lieux de la Terre ste, faict par le Sr Bénard,… ; ensemble son Retour par l’Italie, Suisse, Allemagne, Holande et Flandre, en la tres fleurissante et peuplée ville de Paris. Paris: Moreau 1621.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 601-612
– Venice: p. 561-570
– Netherlands: p. 617-660
– general discours on Italy: p. 589-595
– « Recapitulation generalle de ce que l’Autheur a veu depuis son entree au pays des Suisses » : p. 682-685
1627
Joseph Furttenbach (1591-1667)
Joseph Furttenbach: Newes Itinerarium Italiae. Ulm: Jonam Saurn 1627.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Venice: p. 248-255
– Genoa: p. 179-230
1663
Nicolas Payen (1638-1718)
Nicolas Payen: Les voyages de Monsieur Payen. Où sont contenues les descriptions d’Angleterre, de Flandre, de Brabant, d’Holande, de Dennemarc, de Suède, de Pologne, d’Allemagne et d’Italie; où l’on voit les mœurs des nations, leurs maximes & leur politique, la monnoye, la religion, le gouvernement, &les interests de chaque païs. Paris: Estienne Loyson 1663.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Venice: p. 130-152
– Netherlands: p. 19-73
– Poland: p. 111-129
1669
Sigmund von Birken (1626-1681)
Sigmund von Birken: Hochfürstlicher Brandenburgischer Ulysses. Oder Verlauf der Länder Reise, welche der Durchleuchtigste Fürst und Herr Herr Christian Ernst, Marggraf zu Brandenburg, … Durch Teutschland, Frankreich, Italien und die Niderlande … hochlöblichst verrichtet ; Aus denen mit Fleiß gehaltenen Reis-Diariis zusammengetragen und beschrieben durch Sigmund von Birken. Bayreuth: Johann Gebhard 1669.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 40-45, 47-48
– Venice: p. 165-172
– Genoa: p. 105-106
– Netherlands: p. 185-201
1670
Richard Lassels (~1603-1668)
Richard Lassels: The Voyage of Italy, or A Compleat Journey through Italy. In Two Parts. With Intructions concerning Travel. Never Before Extant. Paris, London: John Starkey 1670.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: Part 1: p. 50-59
– Venice: Part 2: p. 363-426
– Genoa: Part 1: p. 82-102
– Netherlands: Part 1: (p. b2-b4)
1676
Abraham-Nicolas Amelot de la Houssaye
(1634-1706)
Abraham-Nicolas Amelot de la Houssaye: Histoire du gouvernement de Venise. Paris: Frederic Leonard 1676.
Available online: here.
1681
Paolo Sarpi (1552-1623)
Paolo Sarpi: The Maxims of the Government of Venice. In an Advice to the Republick; How it ought to govern it self both inwardly and outwardly, in order to perpetuate its Dominion. London: J. Morphew 1707.
Available online: here.
Original in italien:
Paolo Sarpi, Opinione del padre Paolo Servita, consvltor di stato : come debba governarsi internamente & esternamente la Republica Venetiana per havere il perpetuo dominio; con la quale si ponderano anco gli interessi di tutti i Principi da lui descritt. Venice: Roberto Meietti, 1681.
Available online: here. From 314 page to 426 page.
Note: Recent historiography attributes the writing to the Venetian patriciate itself.
1685-1686
Gilbert Burnet (1643-1715)
Gilbert Burnet: Burnet’s Travels: Or, a Collection of Letters to the Hon. Robert Boyle … Containing, an Account of what Seem’d Most Remarkable in Travelling Through Switzerland, Italy, Some Parts of Germany, &c. in the Years 1685, and 1686. To which is Added, an Appendix, Containing Some Remarks on Switzerland and Italy. Communicated to the Author by a Person of Quality. London: Ward and Chandler 1738.
Available online: here.
Letters written in Switzerland (Zurich): p. 1-51
(But there are also some letters from Italy that deal with Switzerland; The scan can be searched with the Google Books search function. There are many results for Venice and some for Genoa, Netherlands and Holland).
1693
Claude Jordan (1659-1737)
Claude Jordan: Voyages historiques de l’Europe. Tome III qui comprend tout ce qu’il y a de plus curieux en Italie. 8 vols. Paris: chez Nicolas le Gras 1693, vol 3.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Venice: p. 116-154
– Genoa: p. 53-102
1700
Johann Keilhacker (1667-1708)
Johann Keilhacker: Des Curieusen Hoffmeisters Geographisch-Historisch-und Politischer Wissenschafften. Anderer Theil Worinnen die in dem Ersten manquierende herrschende Staaten und Republiquen als Pohlen/Moscau, Türcken/Schweitz/Italien, Asia, Africa und America […] nach voriger Methode vorgestellet werden. Vol. 2, Leipzig: bey Martin Theodor Heybeyen 1700.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: p. 743-819
– Venice: p. 572-579?/586?
– Genoa: p. 589-595
– Poland: p. 1-180
– Italy: 546-742
1714-1715
Anne Claude Philippe de Caylus (1692-1765)
Anne Claude Philippe de Caylus; Pons, Amilda-A. (Ed.): Voyage d′Italie 1714–1715. Paris 1914.
Available online: here.
Further content information:
– Venice: p. 73-134.
1722/1723
J. de Blainville (–1743)
J. de Blainville: Reisebeschreibung durch Holland, Oberdeutschland und die Schweiz besonders aber durch Italien: enthaltend eine Beschreibung von Venedig, dem Wege nach Rom und von Rom selbst mit der umliegenden Gegend. Aus des Verfassers eigener Handschrift in englischer Sprache herausgegeben von Georg Turnbull der Rechte Doktor und Wilhelm Guthrie Ritter, nunmehr in das Deutsche übersetzet und hin und wieder mit Anmerkungen versehen von Johann Tobias Köhler, Professor zu Göttingen und Mitglied der Maynzischen Academie der nützlichen Wissenschaften. Lemgo: Meyer 1764-1766.
Available online:
List of different scans; Volume 1, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo, 1764); Volume 2, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo, 1765); Volume 3, part 1 and 2 (Lemgo 1766).
Further content information:
– Switzerland: Vol. 1.2, p. 351-417
Schaffhausen: 351-355; Zürich: 355-366; Baden: 366-368; Mellingen: 368-369; Aarau: 370; Bern: 371-376; Murten: 378-383; Einsiedeln: 385-387; Fribourg: 387-388; Lausanne: 390-392; Genfersee: 392-394; Solothurn: 397-399; Basel: 399-417
– Venice: Vol. 1.2, p. 519-590; Vol. 2.1, p. 1-150
– Netherlands: Vol. 1.1, p.4-61
1726
John Duran Breval (~1680 – 1738)
John Durant Breval: Remarks on Several Parts of Europe. Relating Chiefly to the History, Antiquities and Geography of Those Countries Through which the Author Has Travel’d; as France, the Low Countries, Lorrain, Alsatia, Germany, Savoy, Tyrol, Switzerland, Italy and Spain. Vol. 1 and 2, London: Bernard Lintot 1726.
Available online: Volume 1; Volume 2.
Further content information:
– Switzerland: vol. 2, p. 9-88 (Geneva, Nion, Lausanne, etc.: 9-38; Avanches, Morat, Berne, etc.: 39-88)
– Venice: p. 100-105
– Netherlands: vol. 1, p. 1-121
– Poland: p. 58-62
1769
Johann Friedrich LeBret (1732-1807)
Johann Friedrich LeBret: Staatsgeschichte der Republik Venedig. Von ihrem Ursprunge bis auf unsere Zeiten […]. Leipzig/Riga: Hartknoch 1769.
Available online: here.