Giorgio Biandrata
Encyclopedia
Giorgio Biandrata or Blandrata (Saluzzo
, 1515 - Gyulafehérvár, May 5, 1588), was an Italian
physician
and polemicist, who came of the De Biandrate family, powerful from the early part of the 13th century, was born at Saluzzo
, the youngest son of Bernardino Biandrata.
He graduated in arts and medicine at Montpellier
in 1533, and specialized in the functional and nervous disorders of women. In 1544 he made his first trip to Transylvania
; in 1553 he was with Giovanni Paolo Alciati
in the Grisons; in 1557 he spent a year at Geneva
, in constant contact with Calvin
, who distrusted him.
He attended a Jane Stafford, English wife of Count Celso Massimiliano Martinengo, preacher of the Italian church at Geneva, and fostered anti-trinitarian
opinions in that church. In 1558 he found it expedient to move to Poland, where he became a leader of the heretical
party at the synods of Pińczów
(1558) and Książ Wielkopolski
(1560 and 1562). His point was the suppression of extremes of opinion, on the basis of a confession literally drawn from Scripture.
He obtained the position of court physician to the queen dowager, the Milanese Bona Sforza
. She had been instrumental in the burning (1539) of Catharine Weygel, at the age of eighty, for anti-trinitarian opinions; but the writings of Ochino
had altered her views, which were now anti-Catholic
.
In 1563 Biandrata transferred his services to the Transylvanian court, where the daughters of his patroness were married to ruling princes. He revisited Poland (1576) in the train of Stephen Báthory
, whose tolerance permitted the propagation of heresies; and when (1579) Christopher Báthory
introduced the Jesuits into Transylvania, Biandrata found means of conciliating them.
Throughout his career he was accompanied by his two brothers, Ludovico and Alphonso, the former being canon of Saluzzo. In Transylvania, Biandrata co-operated with Francis David (d. 1579), the leader of the Calvinist church, who then became the first anti-trinitarian bishop. Together, they published some polemical writings against Trinitarian belief, particularly De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti cognitione, which is largely a summarized version of Servetus
's Christianismi Restitutio. But in 1578 two circumstances broke the connection. Biandrata was charged immorality and David renounced the necessity of invoking Christ in prayer.
To influence David, Biandrata sent for Faustus Socinus from Basel
. Socinus was David's guest, but the discussion between them led to no result. At the instance of Biandrata, David was tried and condemned to prison at the Fortress of Deva on the charge of "innovation", where he died.
Having amassed a fortune, Biandrata reportedly returned to the communion of Rome
. His end is obscure. According to the Jesuit, Jakub Wujek
, he was strangled by a nephew (Giorgio, son of Alphonso) in May 1588.
Saluzzo
Saluzzo is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont region, Italy.The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc...
, 1515 - Gyulafehérvár, May 5, 1588), was an Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
physician
Physician
A physician is a health care provider who practices the profession of medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, injury and other physical and mental impairments...
and polemicist, who came of the De Biandrate family, powerful from the early part of the 13th century, was born at Saluzzo
Saluzzo
Saluzzo is a town and former principality in the province of Cuneo, Piedmont region, Italy.The city of Saluzzo is built on a hill overlooking a vast, well-cultivated plain. Iron, lead, silver, marble, slate etc...
, the youngest son of Bernardino Biandrata.
He graduated in arts and medicine at Montpellier
University of Montpellier
The University of Montpellier was a French university in Montpellier in the Languedoc-Roussillon région of the south of France. Its present-day successor universities are the University of Montpellier 1, Montpellier 2 University and Paul Valéry University, Montpellier III.-History:The university...
in 1533, and specialized in the functional and nervous disorders of women. In 1544 he made his first trip to Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
; in 1553 he was with Giovanni Paolo Alciati
Giovanni Paolo Alciati
Dr. Giovanni Paolo Alciati della Motta was an Italian Calvinist and friend of Giorgio Biandrata and Giovanni Valentino Gentile, one of the participants of the antitrinitarian Council of Venice in 1550. Like Biandrata and Negri he moved to in Poland.-References:...
in the Grisons; in 1557 he spent a year at Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
, in constant contact with Calvin
John Calvin
John Calvin was an influential French theologian and pastor during the Protestant Reformation. He was a principal figure in the development of the system of Christian theology later called Calvinism. Originally trained as a humanist lawyer, he broke from the Roman Catholic Church around 1530...
, who distrusted him.
He attended a Jane Stafford, English wife of Count Celso Massimiliano Martinengo, preacher of the Italian church at Geneva, and fostered anti-trinitarian
Nontrinitarianism
Nontrinitarianism includes all Christian belief systems that disagree with the doctrine of the Trinity, namely, the teaching that God is three distinct hypostases and yet co-eternal, co-equal, and indivisibly united in one essence or ousia...
opinions in that church. In 1558 he found it expedient to move to Poland, where he became a leader of the heretical
Heresy
Heresy is a controversial or novel change to a system of beliefs, especially a religion, that conflicts with established dogma. It is distinct from apostasy, which is the formal denunciation of one's religion, principles or cause, and blasphemy, which is irreverence toward religion...
party at the synods of Pińczów
Pinczów
Pińczów is a town in Poland, in Świętokrzyskie Voivodship, about 40 km south of Kielce. It is the capital of Pińczów County. Population is 12,304 .-History:...
(1558) and Książ Wielkopolski
Ksiaz Wielkopolski
Książ Wielkopolski is a town in Śrem County, Poland, with 2,663 inhabitants ....
(1560 and 1562). His point was the suppression of extremes of opinion, on the basis of a confession literally drawn from Scripture.
He obtained the position of court physician to the queen dowager, the Milanese Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza
Bona Sforza was a member of the powerful Milanese House of Sforza. In 1518, she became the second wife of Sigismund I the Old, the King of Poland and Grand Duke of Lithuania, and became the Queen of Poland and Grand Duchess of Lithuania.She was the third child of Gian Galeazzo Sforza and his wife...
. She had been instrumental in the burning (1539) of Catharine Weygel, at the age of eighty, for anti-trinitarian opinions; but the writings of Ochino
Bernardino Ochino
Bernardino Ochino was an Italian Reformer.-Biography:Bernardino Ochino was born in Siena son of the barber Domenico Ochino, and at the age of 7 or 8 around 1504 was entrusted to the Minorite order of Franciscan Friars, then from 1510 he studied medicine at Perugia.-1534, transfer to the...
had altered her views, which were now anti-Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
.
In 1563 Biandrata transferred his services to the Transylvanian court, where the daughters of his patroness were married to ruling princes. He revisited Poland (1576) in the train of Stephen Báthory
Stephen Báthory
Stephen Báthory may refer to several noblemen of Hungarian descent:* Stephen III Báthory , Palatine of Hungary* Stephen V Báthory , judge of the Royal Court and Prince of Transylvania...
, whose tolerance permitted the propagation of heresies; and when (1579) Christopher Báthory
Christopher Báthory
Christopher Báthory was a prince of Transylvania. He succeeded his brother Stephen Báthory. He was the father of Sigismund Báthory....
introduced the Jesuits into Transylvania, Biandrata found means of conciliating them.
Throughout his career he was accompanied by his two brothers, Ludovico and Alphonso, the former being canon of Saluzzo. In Transylvania, Biandrata co-operated with Francis David (d. 1579), the leader of the Calvinist church, who then became the first anti-trinitarian bishop. Together, they published some polemical writings against Trinitarian belief, particularly De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti cognitione, which is largely a summarized version of Servetus
Michael Servetus
Michael Servetus was a Spanish theologian, physician, cartographer, and humanist. He was the first European to correctly describe the function of pulmonary circulation...
's Christianismi Restitutio. But in 1578 two circumstances broke the connection. Biandrata was charged immorality and David renounced the necessity of invoking Christ in prayer.
To influence David, Biandrata sent for Faustus Socinus from Basel
Basel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
. Socinus was David's guest, but the discussion between them led to no result. At the instance of Biandrata, David was tried and condemned to prison at the Fortress of Deva on the charge of "innovation", where he died.
Having amassed a fortune, Biandrata reportedly returned to the communion of Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
. His end is obscure. According to the Jesuit, Jakub Wujek
Jakub Wujek
Jakub Wujek son of Maciej Wujek; a Polish Jesuit, religious writer, Doctor of Theology, Vice-Chancellor of the Vilnius Academy and translator of the Bible into Polish.-Life:...
, he was strangled by a nephew (Giorgio, son of Alphonso) in May 1588.