BENEDETTO VARCHI. — Historian, born in Florence on 19 March 1503, died there on 18 December 1565. He completed his legal studies in Pisa and, after several years, returned to Florence, where he was welcomed into the court of Duke Cosimo I de’ Medici.
Varchi’s activities were varied; he translated from the classics, composed sonnets in Petrarchan imitation, including notable pastorals and spiritual poems. Among his commemorative orations, the one on the death of Michelangelo is particularly famous. However, above his other writings—predominantly humanistic, poetic, and literary—stands the *Storia Fiorentina* (Florentine History), in 16 books, which covers events from 1527 to 1538. Varchi’s history, necessarily confined to a particular sphere, has been judged in various ways: some have seen it as a work of flattery toward the house of Cosimo de’ Medici (given its unfavorable judgments on Clement VII and Duke Alessandro), while others have regarded it as an objective expression of an independent line of reasoning.
Varchi’s intention was to narrate events with diligence and truthfulness. The historian is discerning in his selection of sources, even if his style appears diffuse and prolix. Another important work of his is *L’Eroldano*, written in dialogue form, in which he reaffirms the Florentine character of the Italian language; it is rich in learned comparisons and references.