WRITER

Lorenzo Valla

1407 - 1457

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Lorenzo Valla (Italian: [loˈrɛntso ˈvalla]; also Latinized as Laurentius; c. 1407 – 1 August 1457) was an Italian Renaissance humanist, rhetorician, educator and scholar. He is best known for his historical-critical textual analysis that proved that the Donation of Constantine was a forgery, therefore attacking and undermining the presumption of temporal power claimed by the papacy. Read more on Wikipedia

Since 2007, the English Wikipedia page of Lorenzo Valla has received more than 312,500 page views. His biography is available in 45 different languages on Wikipedia. Lorenzo Valla is the 337th most popular writer (down from 306th in 2019), the 455th most popular biography from Italy (down from 412th in 2019) and the 27th most popular Italian Writer.

Lorenzo Valla was a humanist who is most famous for his work in exposing the Donation of Constantine as a forgery.

Memorability Metrics

  • 310k

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    Historical Popularity Index (HPI)

  • 45

    Languages Editions (L)

  • 10.58

    Effective Languages (L*)

  • 2.40

    Coefficient of Variation (CV)

Notable Works

On the donation of Constantine
History
Valla (1407 1457) was the leading theorist of the Renaissance humanist movement. In "On the Donation of Constantine" he uses new philological methods to attack the authenticity of the most important document justifying the papacy s claims to temporal rule, in a brilliant analysis that is often seen as marking the beginning of modern textual criticism. This volume provides a new translation with introduction and notes by Bowersock."
2008
De vero falsoque bono
1519
Collatio Novi Testamenti
1970
The treatise of Lorenzo Valla on the Donation of Constantine,
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it. This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work. Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface. We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant.
1922
Treatise of Lorenzo Valla on the donation of Constantine
1993
De falso credita et ementita Constantini donatione declamatio
History
The Donation of Constantine is the most famous forgery in European history. Written in the eighth century, it was allegedly a fourth-century document by which the Emperor Constatine the Great gave extensive privileges and property to Pope Sylvester I. This document was accepted as genuine for seven centuries and was cited by at least ten popes in contentions for the recognition of papal control. Lorenzo Valla's 1440 treatise established the Donation of Constatine was forged, and made him a pioneer of modern historical criticism. The reprint is of the 1922 edition of Valla's treatise and presents the Latin text and English translation of it and the forged donation document on facing pages.
1879

Among WRITERS

Among writers, Lorenzo Valla ranks 337 out of 7,302. Before him are Coen brothers, William Wordsworth, Mikhail Sholokhov, David Woodard, Paul Celan, and Paul Éluard. After him are Wilhelm Grimm, Callimachus, Nâzım Hikmet, Doris Lessing, Arthur Schnitzler, and Luqman.

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Contemporaries

Among people born in 1407, Lorenzo Valla ranks 2. Before him is John Hunyadi. After him are Esen Taishi, Leonello d'Este, Demetrios Palaiologos, Agnes of Burgundy, Duchess of Bourbon, Bartolomeo Bon, Ashikaga Yoshikazu, and Jacob, Margrave of Baden-Baden. Among people deceased in 1457, Lorenzo Valla ranks 3. Before him are Rita of Cascia, and Ladislaus the Posthumous. After him are Jingtai Emperor, Danjong of Joseon, Andrea del Castagno, Francesco Foscari, Ladislaus Hunyadi, Goharshad Begum, Bartolomeu Perestrello, Peter II, Duke of Brittany, and Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza.

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Others Deceased in 1457

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In Italy

Among people born in Italy, Lorenzo Valla ranks 455 out of 5,161. Before him are Fabio Capello (1946), Pope Gregory II (669), Umberto Nobile (1885), Andrea del Sarto (1486), Pope Symmachus (460), and Roberto Rossellini (1906). After him are Pope Zosimus (400), Parmigianino (1503), Pope Agapetus II (900), Gaius Julius Caesar (-135), Pope John IX (850), and Pope John XVII (950).

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Among WRITERS In Italy

Among writers born in Italy, Lorenzo Valla ranks 27. Before him are Sallust (-86), Primo Levi (1919), Alberto Moravia (1907), Marcus Terentius Varro (-116), Gabriele D'Annunzio (1863), and Ludovico Ariosto (1474). After him are Christine de Pizan (1365), Ennius (-239), Grazia Deledda (1871), Theocritus (-315), Cornelius Nepos (-100), and Elena Ferrante (1943).

Italian born Writers

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