L’oblio dei ‘potenti’. Vite parallele di alcuni personaggi in genere poco ricordati dalla storiografia
Oblivion of ‘Powerful’. Parallel Lives of Some Characters Generally Little Remembered by Historiography

Summary/Abstract: Some personages, wrongly defined as ‘minors’, have been neglected or even forgotten by historiography. The Authors therefore considered it appropriate to ‘rehabilitate’ some of them, belonging to the vast world of historical and cultural relations between Italy, Romania and Hungary. They are the Florentine Philip Scolari (1369–1426), alias Pippo Spano, the Venetian Lodovico Gritti (about 1480–1534) and the Dalmatian George Martinuzzi Utyeszenics (1482–1551), better known as Brother George. Philip Scolari from apprentice-merchant became the most trusted adviser of King Sigismund of Luxembourg, rapidly climbing the Hungarian social ladder: he became high treasurer, governor of eight counties, ban of Severin; he distinguished himself as a military leader in the wars against the Turks, the Hussites and the Venetians; he was also a distinguished patron of arts. Lodovico Gritti was the natural son of the Venetian doge Andrea, born in Constantinople to a concubine of his father. He distinguished himself on the Bosphorus for the high profits made from his entrepreneurial activity, so much so that he became one of the richest and most important men in Constantinople. Having entered the court of the king of Hungary John Szapolyai, thanks to his close friendship with the sultan and the grand vizier, he became governor, high treasurer, count of Maramureș, commander-in-chief of Hungarian army. By virtue of his enormous political, military and financial power, he transformed himself into an actual despotic prince. He was therefore beheaded in Mediaş during a revolt of Transylvanian people. George Martinuzzi was bishop of Oradea, primate of Hungary, cardinal, high treasurer, supreme judge and military commander, royal lieutenant in Transylvania. He was a brilliant, cunning, ambitious and powerful character. Accused of connivance with the Turk, he ended up barbarously murdered in his castle of Vinţu de Jos.

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