Trajano Boccalini facts for kids

Trajano Boccalini (born 1556 – died 16 November 1613) was an Italian writer famous for his funny and critical writings, known as a satirist. He used humor to point out problems in society and politics.

Who Was Trajano Boccalini?

Trajano Boccalini was born in Loreto, a town in Italy. His father was an architect, and Trajano first followed in his footsteps. However, he later decided to focus on writing. He studied in Rome and became friends with important people like cardinals Gaetano and Borghesi.

These powerful friends helped him get important jobs. He was even chosen by Pope Gregory XIII to be the governor of Benevento, a city in the Papal States. But it seems he had some trouble there and was soon called back to Rome.

His Most Famous Book

After returning to Rome, Boccalini wrote his most important work, called Ragguagli di Parnaso. This title means News-sheet from Parnassus. In this book, he imagined a world where the Greek god Apollo listened to people's complaints. Apollo would then decide what was fair and right for each situation.

The book is a light and imaginative satire. It playfully made fun of the actions and writings of important people of his time. Many of the clever jokes and observations from this book are still remembered today.

Life in Venice and Later Works

Some people say Boccalini moved to Venice to escape from those he had made fun of in his writings. He died in Venice on 16 November 1613. Records from the local church, Santa Maria Formosa, say he died from a stomach illness.

There was a story that he was attacked and killed by Spanish fighters. However, this story does not seem to be true. But it is clear from another one of his books, Pietra del Paragone, that he really disliked the Spanish government. He only spoke kindly about the government of Venice, a city he seemed to love very much.

The Ragguagli was first printed in 1612 and has been printed many times since. Another book by Boccalini, Commentarii sopra Cornelio Tacito, was published after he died in 1669. Many of his writings are still kept today, some of which have never been printed.

See also

In Spanish: Traiano Boccalini para niños