Leggenda di Messer Gianni di Procida
Encyclopedia
The Leggenda di Messer Gianni di Procida ("Legend of Mister John of Procida") is a short medieval Tuscan history of the Sicilian Vespers
, synoptic
with another early Tuscan account, the Liber Jani de Procida et Palialoco
. Both texts focus on the conspiratorial role played by John of Procida
, who is cast as a villain. A contemporaneous Sicilian
writing, Lu rebellamentu di Sichilia
, portrays John as a hero. Both Tuscan versions are later than the Sicilian, but may share the Reballamentu as a source. Conversely, all three may derive from an earlier, now lost source. All three agree on the centrality of John of Procida in the Vespers.
The Leggenda was probably written by a Guelph
of Modena
. Sicilian folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè
first suggested that the Leggenda may have influenced the Florentine
Nuova Cronica
of Giovanni Villani
, but a critical study by German historian Otto Hartwig soon dismissed this. The Leggenda is conserved in a Modenese manuscript. It was published by Lodovico Antonio Muratori in his Raccolta degli storici Italiani, XXXIV.
Sicilian Vespers
The Sicilian Vespers is the name given to the successful rebellion on the island of Sicily that broke out on the Easter of 1282 against the rule of the French/Angevin king Charles I, who had ruled the Kingdom of Sicily since 1266. Within six weeks three thousand French men and women were slain by...
, synoptic
Synoptic
Synoptic is derived from the Greek words σύν and ὄψις , and describes observations that give a broad view of a subject at a particular time. Specific uses include:*Synoptic scale meteorology*Synoptic Gospels*SynOptics...
with another early Tuscan account, the Liber Jani de Procida et Palialoco
Liber Jani de Procida et Palialoco
The Liber Jani de Procida et Palialoco is a medieval Tuscan history of the Sicilian Vespers. It focusses on the conspiratorial role played by John of Procida, cast as the villain. It was almost certainly written in Tuscany and is often considered synoptic with the Leggenda di Messer Gianni di...
. Both texts focus on the conspiratorial role played by John of Procida
John of Procida
John of Procida was an Italian medieval physician and diplomat.He was born at Salerno, educated in the Schola Medica as a physician. He was a noted physician for his age and received at professorial chair at this university...
, who is cast as a villain. A contemporaneous Sicilian
Sicilian language
Sicilian is a Romance language. Its dialects make up the Extreme-Southern Italian language group, which are spoken on the island of Sicily and its satellite islands; in southern and central Calabria ; in the southern parts of Apulia, the Salento ; and Campania, on the Italian mainland, where it is...
writing, Lu rebellamentu di Sichilia
Lu rebellamentu di Sichilia
Lu rebellamentu di Sichilia, fully Cronica di lu rebellamentu di Sichilia contra re Carlu, is a Sicilian historical tract of the War of the Vespers written around 1290. The anonymous Rebellamentu, probably written at Messina, was ascribed to Atanasiu di Iaci by Pasquale Castorina in 1883...
, portrays John as a hero. Both Tuscan versions are later than the Sicilian, but may share the Reballamentu as a source. Conversely, all three may derive from an earlier, now lost source. All three agree on the centrality of John of Procida in the Vespers.
The Leggenda was probably written by a Guelph
Guelphs and Ghibellines
The Guelphs and Ghibellines were factions supporting the Pope and the Holy Roman Emperor, respectively, in central and northern Italy. During the 12th and 13th centuries, the split between these two parties was a particularly important aspect of the internal policy of the Italian city-states...
of Modena
Modena
Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy....
. Sicilian folklorist Giuseppe Pitrè
Giuseppe Pitrè
Giuseppe Pitrè , the great Italian folklorist was also a medical doctor, professor, and senator in Sicily. As a folklorist he is credited with extending the realm of folklore to include all the manifestations of popular life. He was also a forerunner in the field of medical historyPitrè was born in...
first suggested that the Leggenda may have influenced the Florentine
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
Nuova Cronica
Nuova Cronica
The Nuova Cronica or New Chronicles is a 14th century history of Florence created in a year-by-year linear format and written by the Florentine banker and official Giovanni Villani...
of Giovanni Villani
Giovanni Villani
Giovanni Villani was an Italian banker, official, diplomat and chronicler from Florence who wrote the Nuova Cronica on the history of Florence. He was a leading statesman of Florence but later gained an unsavory reputation and served time in prison as a result of the bankruptcy of a trading and...
, but a critical study by German historian Otto Hartwig soon dismissed this. The Leggenda is conserved in a Modenese manuscript. It was published by Lodovico Antonio Muratori in his Raccolta degli storici Italiani, XXXIV.