Marco Bragadino
Encyclopedia
Marco Bragadino or Marco Bragadini (born ca. 1545 on Cyprus
; died 26 April 1591 in Munich
, Duchy of Bavaria
) was a Venitian
confidence man
who claimed to be an alchemist
. His name at birth is said to have been Mamugna but he impersonated the son of the dead military officer Marco Antonio Bragadin
. He convinced the government of Venice to finance his research into producing gold from base metals.
, his family presumably left the island for Venice like many other Christians. In Venice, Bragadino is thought to have met Hieronymus Scotus from whom he learned the secrets of alchemy
and the tricks of pretending to make gold.
and was in contact with Grand Duchess Bianca Cappello
whom he promised to heal from infertility with the Philosopher's stone
. This business may explain the high amount of money (Minucci writes of at least 40,000 scudi
) that Bragadino was able to spend for a while. Later, Bragadino had to escape his creditors though and moved to Rome
where he became a monk in a Capuchin
monastery. He received the minor consecrations and also a higher one, becoming Subdeacon
. In 1588 he left the cloister without permission and returned to his errant life. He is reported to have visited Geneva
, England
and France
. As he returned to Italy he had to face the Inquisition
who pursued the renegade monk. To protect himself, Bragadino made numerous influential friends with his gold making alchemy. The most prominent of them was the Duke of Mantua who paid 25,000 scudi to him.
.
. In April 1590, Bragadino arrived at the Duke's court on Trausnitz Castle
in Landshut
. He quickly gained the Duke's trust, not only by promising to make copious amounts of gold to erase the Dukes's debts, but also by offering to cure the Duke's severe headache. Moreover he tried to receive a dispensation
of his priestly consecration from the Pope, using the Duke's envoys, but in vain.
His adventurous life provides input for thematic conducted tours in Munich and Landshut.
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
; died 26 April 1591 in Munich
Munich
Munich The city's motto is "" . Before 2006, it was "Weltstadt mit Herz" . Its native name, , is derived from the Old High German Munichen, meaning "by the monks' place". The city's name derives from the monks of the Benedictine order who founded the city; hence the monk depicted on the city's coat...
, Duchy of Bavaria
History of Bavaria
The history of Bavaria stretches from its earliest settlement and its formation as a stem duchy in the 6th century through its inclusion in the Holy Roman Empires to its status as an independent kingdom and, finally, as a large and significant Bundesland of the modern Federal Republic of...
) was a Venitian
Venitian
Venitian or Venitan may refer to:*anything of or relating to Venice*the Venetian languageSee also Venetian ....
confidence man
Confidence trick
A confidence trick is an attempt to defraud a person or group by gaining their confidence. A confidence artist is an individual working alone or in concert with others who exploits characteristics of the human psyche such as dishonesty and honesty, vanity, compassion, credulity, irresponsibility,...
who claimed to be an alchemist
Alchemist
An alchemist is a person who practices alchemy. Alchemist may also refer to:-People and groups:*The Alchemist , a hip hop music producer and rapper*Alchemist , an Australian progressive metal band...
. His name at birth is said to have been Mamugna but he impersonated the son of the dead military officer Marco Antonio Bragadin
Marco Antonio Bragadin
Marco Antonio Bragadin, also Marcantonio Bragadin was an Italian lawyer and military officer of the Republic of Venice....
. He convinced the government of Venice to finance his research into producing gold from base metals.
Life
Almost nothing is known about Bragadino's childhood and youth. After the conquest of Cyprus by the Ottoman empireOttoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, his family presumably left the island for Venice like many other Christians. In Venice, Bragadino is thought to have met Hieronymus Scotus from whom he learned the secrets of alchemy
Alchemy
Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher's stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base...
and the tricks of pretending to make gold.
Journeyman in Italy
It is unknown why Bragadino had to leave Venice but from 1574 to 1579 he stayed in FlorenceFlorence
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....
and was in contact with Grand Duchess Bianca Cappello
Bianca Cappello
Bianca Cappello was an Italian noblewoman who was the mistress, and afterward the second wife, of Francesco I de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany.-Biography:...
whom he promised to heal from infertility with the Philosopher's stone
Philosopher's stone
The philosopher's stone is a legendary alchemical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold or silver. It was also sometimes believed to be an elixir of life, useful for rejuvenation and possibly for achieving immortality. For many centuries, it was the most sought-after goal...
. This business may explain the high amount of money (Minucci writes of at least 40,000 scudi
Italian scudo
The scudo was the name for a number of coins used in Italy until the 19th century. The name, like that of the French écu and the Spanish and Portuguese escudo, was derived from the Latin scutum . From the 16th century, the name was used in Italy for large silver coins...
) that Bragadino was able to spend for a while. Later, Bragadino had to escape his creditors though and moved to 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...
where he became a monk in a Capuchin
Order of Friars Minor Capuchin
The Order of Friars Minor Capuchin is an Order of friars in the Catholic Church, among the chief offshoots of the Franciscans. The worldwide head of the Order, called the Minister General, is currently Father Mauro Jöhri.-Origins :...
monastery. He received the minor consecrations and also a higher one, becoming Subdeacon
Subdeacon
-Subdeacons in the Orthodox Church:A subdeacon or hypodeacon is the highest of the minor orders of clergy in the Orthodox Church. This order is higher than the reader and lower than the deacon.-Canonical Discipline:...
. In 1588 he left the cloister without permission and returned to his errant life. He is reported to have visited 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...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. As he returned to Italy he had to face the Inquisition
Inquisition
The Inquisition, Inquisitio Haereticae Pravitatis , was the "fight against heretics" by several institutions within the justice-system of the Roman Catholic Church. It started in the 12th century, with the introduction of torture in the persecution of heresy...
who pursued the renegade monk. To protect himself, Bragadino made numerous influential friends with his gold making alchemy. The most prominent of them was the Duke of Mantua who paid 25,000 scudi to him.
Venice
The Republic of Venice invited its former citizen as an official guest to profit from his abilities. On 26 November 1589 Bragadino entered the city as a celebrated alchemist. But because he was not able to "create" any noteworthy amounts of money he escaped Venice in April 1590, heading for PaduaPadua
Padua is a city and comune in the Veneto, northern Italy. It is the capital of the province of Padua and the economic and communications hub of the area. Padua's population is 212,500 . The city is sometimes included, with Venice and Treviso, in the Padua-Treviso-Venice Metropolitan Area, having...
.
Bavaria
In Padua he was called upon by William V, Duke of BavariaWilliam V, Duke of Bavaria
William V, Duke of Bavaria , called the Pious, was Duke of Bavaria from 1579 to 1597.- Education and early life :...
. In April 1590, Bragadino arrived at the Duke's court on Trausnitz Castle
Trausnitz Castle
Trausnitz Castle is a medieval castle situated in Landshut, Bavaria in Germany. It was the home of the Wittelsbach dynasty, and it served as their ducal residence for Lower Bavaria from 1255–1503, and later as hereditary rulers of the whole of Bavaria...
in Landshut
Landshut
Landshut is a city in Bavaria in the south-east of Germany, belonging to both Eastern and Southern Bavaria. Situated on the banks of the River Isar, Landshut is the capital of Lower Bavaria, one of the seven administrative regions of the Free State of Bavaria. It is also the seat of the...
. He quickly gained the Duke's trust, not only by promising to make copious amounts of gold to erase the Dukes's debts, but also by offering to cure the Duke's severe headache. Moreover he tried to receive a dispensation
Dispensation (Catholic Church)
In the canon law of the Roman Catholic Church, a dispensation is the suspension by competent authority of general rules of law in particular cases...
of his priestly consecration from the Pope, using the Duke's envoys, but in vain.
Execution
By order of the Duke, Bragadino was executed by beheading on 26 April 1591 in Munich's Weinmarkt square. The act turned into a disaster as the executioner had to use three strikes with the sword until Bragadino's head was eventually cut off.Legacy
His role as a colourful figure in the history of alchemism is still remembered today in the carnival lecture of the Institute of Anorganic Chemistry at the Technical University Munich.His adventurous life provides input for thematic conducted tours in Munich and Landshut.