DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.36838#0040
6 COUNT BALDASSARE CASTIGLIONE
employed on diplomatic missions. While Gian Gia-
como remained loyal to the exiled Sforzas, his brother
Girolamo embraced the French cause, and was
rewarded with lands and honours by Louis Nil.
Another distinguished member of the family, and
descendant of Franchino the jurist, was Sabba da
Castiglione, the gallant and accomplished Knight of
St. John of Jerusalem, who, after defending Rhodes
against the Turks, returned to spend a peaceful old
age at Faenza and write his famous 'Ricordi.'
All of these Milanese knights and courtiers claimed
the author of the' Cortigiano' as their kinsman, although
he was only remotely connected with their branch of
the house. His great-grandfather, Cristoforo, a cousin
and contemporary of Cardinal Branda, was one of the
foremost lawyers of the age, and filled the chair of
jurisprudence at the University of Pavia. Unlike his
ilhistrious kinsman, he never enjoyed the favour of the
Visconti princes, and after the murder of Duke Gian
Maria in 1412, by his wife's brother, he found it
prudent to leave Pavia and settle at Parma. There
he was treated with the honour due to his learning,
and received the title of Count Palatine from the
Emperor Sigismond, and the confirmation of all the
privileges which had been granted to his kinsman,
Cardinal Branda, for himself and his descendants in
perpetuity. In his old age Cristoforo returned to Pavia
and still pursued his legal studies, although he had
the misfortune to lose his large and valuable library
by fire three times. /^g'777/7. G
was the title bestowed upon him by
his fellow-jurists, and more than a century after his
death his ' Discourses' were published at Venice, in
the year 1560.
Cristoforo s youngest son, Baldassare, embraced the
employed on diplomatic missions. While Gian Gia-
como remained loyal to the exiled Sforzas, his brother
Girolamo embraced the French cause, and was
rewarded with lands and honours by Louis Nil.
Another distinguished member of the family, and
descendant of Franchino the jurist, was Sabba da
Castiglione, the gallant and accomplished Knight of
St. John of Jerusalem, who, after defending Rhodes
against the Turks, returned to spend a peaceful old
age at Faenza and write his famous 'Ricordi.'
All of these Milanese knights and courtiers claimed
the author of the' Cortigiano' as their kinsman, although
he was only remotely connected with their branch of
the house. His great-grandfather, Cristoforo, a cousin
and contemporary of Cardinal Branda, was one of the
foremost lawyers of the age, and filled the chair of
jurisprudence at the University of Pavia. Unlike his
ilhistrious kinsman, he never enjoyed the favour of the
Visconti princes, and after the murder of Duke Gian
Maria in 1412, by his wife's brother, he found it
prudent to leave Pavia and settle at Parma. There
he was treated with the honour due to his learning,
and received the title of Count Palatine from the
Emperor Sigismond, and the confirmation of all the
privileges which had been granted to his kinsman,
Cardinal Branda, for himself and his descendants in
perpetuity. In his old age Cristoforo returned to Pavia
and still pursued his legal studies, although he had
the misfortune to lose his large and valuable library
by fire three times. /^g'777/7. G
was the title bestowed upon him by
his fellow-jurists, and more than a century after his
death his ' Discourses' were published at Venice, in
the year 1560.
Cristoforo s youngest son, Baldassare, embraced the