Gaetano Cozzi (
Zero Branco
Zero Branco is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about southwest of Treviso.
Geography
Zero Branco borders the following municipalities: Mogliano Veneto, M ...
, September 15, 1922 –
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
, 15 March 2001) was an Italian historian, professor at
Padua University
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from B ...
, and researcher with the
Giorgio Cini Foundation and Fondazione Benetton Studi e Ricerche. He was a specialist in Venetian history, with special attention to the institutions, the relationship between law and society and the cultural environment.
[Michele Gottardi, "Il sapere di un gentiluomo", “La Tribuna di Treviso”, March 17, 2001, p. 49]
Biography
Education and period in Milan
He was born in
Zero Branco
Zero Branco is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about southwest of Treviso.
Geography
Zero Branco borders the following municipalities: Mogliano Veneto, M ...
(
Province of Treviso
The Province of Treviso ('' it, Provincia di Treviso'') is a province in the Veneto region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Treviso. The province is surrounded by Belluno in the north, Vicenza in the west, Padua in southwest, Venice in the so ...
,
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
) on 15 September 1922 of Elsa Olivetti and Giovanni Cozzi.
He spent his childhood and adolescence in
Legnano (near
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
). He started
high school
A secondary school describes an institution that provides secondary education and also usually includes the building where this takes place. Some secondary schools provide both '' lower secondary education'' (ages 11 to 14) and ''upper seconda ...
in
Milan
Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...
, then, in 1938, he entered in the military school. In 1939 he entered the
Military Academy of Modena
The Military Academy of Modena ( it, Accademia militare di Modena) is a military university in Modena, northern Italy. Located in the Palazzo Ducale in the historic center of the city, it was the first such military institution to be created in ...
.
["Ibidem", p. 30] In 1942a and three years later, in March 1942, he left it as a Lieutenant of the “Alpini”. A month later, he was affected with paralysis as a consequence of a former fall from his horse. Despite the limitations caused by his illness, Cozzi took part in the Resistance with propaganda activities.
Meanwhile, he prepared his university exams as an external candidate; in 1949 he graduated in history of Italian Law at the
University of Milan
The University of Milan ( it, Università degli Studi di Milano; la, Universitas Studiorum Mediolanensis), known colloquially as UniMi or Statale, is a public research university in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe ...
. His thesis was about
Paolo Sarpi and relationship between Church and State. He was most influenced by the writers
Benedetto Croce and
Adolfo Omodeo
Adolfo Omodeo ( Palermo, 18 August 1889 – Naples, 28 April 1946) was an Italian historian and politician, who served as Minister of Public Education of the Badoglio II Cabinet.
Biography
He graduated in literature and philosophy at the ...
.
Venice and beginning of his historical activity
After the war, he moved to
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
. Soon after, he interrupted his studies on Sarpi and devoted himself to the study of an ancient Venetian Magistracy, the Esecutori contro la Bestemmia, that prosecuted not only political and religious offences, but also any behaviour in conflict with official values.
In this period, he formed a friendship with
Fernand Braudel
Fernand Braudel (; 24 August 1902 – 27 November 1985) was a French historian and leader of the Annales School. His scholarship focused on three main projects: ''The Mediterranean'' (1923–49, then 1949–66), ''Civilization and Capitalism'' ...
, one of the fathers of the “Annales”, who met Cozzi just in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
(even if later he will prefer Lucien Febre's
historical method
Historical method is the collection of techniques and guidelines that historians use to research and write histories of the past. Secondary sources, primary sources and material evidence such as that derived from archaeology may all be drawn ...
). In 1955 when the Institute of History of the Giorgio Cini Foundation was created, he became secretary. In 1958,laid up in bed because of his illness, he wrote his first book about
Nicolò Contarini
Nicolò Contarini (26 September 1553 – 2 April 1631), was the 97th Doge of Venice, reigning from his election on 18 January 1630 until his death 15 months later. Contarini was the Doge who presided over Venice during the Italian plague of 1 ...
, that he dictated to his mother Elsa.”.
University teaching
In 1960 he started teaching at the Faculty of Foreign Languages and Literature in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
. In 1962 he married Luisa Zille., an expert in philology. They collaborated to the publishing in 1969 of the complete works of
Paolo Sarpi, edited by
Ricciardi.
In 1966, he taught medieval and modern history at Faculty of Political Science of
Padua University
The University of Padua ( it, Università degli Studi di Padova, UNIPD) is an Italian university located in the city of Padua, region of Veneto, northern Italy. The University of Padua was founded in 1222 by a group of students and teachers from B ...
, In 1970 he returned to
Ca' Foscari in
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
.
In the late '70s, he promoted among his collaborators and students, a series of researches about State and Justice in the Republic of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
in the modern age. That year, Cozzi received the prestigious
Chabod award for historiography from the
Accademia dei Lincei.
In 1986 the first volume of the history of the Republic of Venice, edited by Cozzi and Michael Knapton, was published by UTET, as part of a History of Italy, directed by
Giuseppe Galasso
Giuseppe Galasso (19 November 1929 – 12 February 2018) was an Italian historian and politician. He has been a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1983 to 1994.Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
and its mainland, and the hegemonic ambitions of
Venice
Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
(competing with the Roman Church), in
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
and in the
Mediterranean Sea
The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean Basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Western and Southern Europe and Anatolia, on the south by North Africa, and on the ...
.
Latest years
Cozzi became Director of the Institute of History of the
Cini Foundation, a member of the
Accademia dei Lincei, and, in 1987, director of the newly formed administrator
FBSR, (Fondazione Benetton Studi e Ricerche). In this institution, initiated a series of researches on his favorite themes: the landscape, the countryside, the emigration and games.
In 1998 his teaching activity ended with a ceremony in his honor at the
Ca' Foscari University of Venice
Ca' Foscari University of Venice ( it, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia, simply Università Ca' Foscari) is a public university in Venice, Italy. Since its foundation in 1868, it has been housed in the Venetian Gothic palace of Ca' Foscari, from ...
where he was given the title of Emeritus Professor.
On 15 March 2001, at the age of 78, he died in Venice. He was buried in the cemetery of
Zero Branco
Zero Branco is a ''comune'' (municipality) in the Province of Treviso in the Italian region Veneto, located about northwest of Venice and about southwest of Treviso.
Geography
Zero Branco borders the following municipalities: Mogliano Veneto, M ...
, next to the companion of his life, Luisa.
An eloquent and touching commemoration of Gaetano Cozzi was given by Professor Gino Benzoni, a lifelong friend, at the “Istituto veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti”, on 23 March 2002.
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Works
* ''Il doge Nicolò Contarini. Ricerche sul patriziato veneziano agli inizi del Seicento'', Venezia-Roma, Istituto per la collaborazione culturale, 1958.
* ''Note su tribunali e procedure penali a Venezia nel ‘700'', in «Rivista Storica Italiana», LXXVII, IV, 1965, pp. 931-952.
* ''Galileo Galilei, Paolo Sarpi e la società veneziana'', Firenze, Barbera, 1965.
* 'Paolo Sarpi, La Repubblica di Venezia la Casa d’Austria e gli Uscocchi. Aggionta e supplimento all’Istoria degli Uscochi. Trattato di pace et accomodamento'', by Gaetano e Luisa Cozzi, Bari, Laterza, 1965.
* ''Paolo Sarpi'', in ''Storia della letteratura italiana'', Vol. V, ''Il Seicento'', direct by Emilio Cecchi and Natalino Sapegno, Milan, Garzanti, 1967, pp. 361-413.
* ''Politica e diritto nei tentativi di riforma del diritto penale veneto nel Settecento'', in ''Sensibilità e razionalità nel Settecento'', by Vittore Branca, II, Firenze, Sansoni, 1967, pp. 373-421.
* ''Religione, moralità e giustizia a Venezia: vicende della magistratura degli Esecutori contro la bestemmia'', Padova, C.L.E.U.P., 1967-1968.
* ''Marin Sanudo il giovane: dalla cronaca alla storia (Nel V centenario della sua nascita)'', «Rivista Storica Italiana», LXXX, II, 1968, pp. 297-314.
* ''Paolo Sarpi, Opere'', by Gaetano and Luisa Cozzi, Milan-Naples, Ricciardi, 1969.
* ''Authority and the Law in Renaissance Venice, in J.R. Hale (ed. by), Renaissance Venice'', London, Faber and Faber, 1973, pp. 293-345.
* ''Voce Sarpi, Paolo'' (1552-1623), in ''Dizionario critico della letteratura italiana'', vol. III, Torino, UTET, 1973, pp. 308-312.
* ''Ambiente veneziano, ambiente veneto'', in Stefano Rocco-Mazzinghi (by), ''L’uomo e il suo ambiente, Firenze'', Sansoni, 1973, pp. 93-146.
* ''Padri, figli e matrimoni clandestini (metà sec. XVI - metà sec. XVIII)'', «La Cultura», XIV, 2-3, 1976, pp. 169-213.
* ''La giustizia e la politica agli albori dell’età moderna'', in Elena Fasano Guarini (by), ''Potere e società negli stati regionali italiani del ‘500 e ‘600'', Bologna, il Mulino, 1978.
* ''Note su Carlo Goldoni, la società veneziana e il suo diritto'', in «Atti dell’Istituto veneto di scienze, lettere ed arti», CXXXVII, 1978–1979, pp. 141–157.
* ''Paolo Sarpi tra Venezia e l’Europa'', Torino, Einaudi, 1979, pp. 135–234.
* ''La donna, l’amore e Tiziano'', in ''Tiziano e Venezia'', Vicenza, Neri Pozza, 1980, pp. 47–63.
* Gaetano Cozzi (a cura di), ''Stato società e giustizia nella Repubblica veneta (sec. XV-XVIII)'', Roma, Jouvence, 1980.
* ''Repubblica di Venezia e Stati italiani. Politica e giustizia dal secolo XVI al secolo XVIII'', Torino, Einaudi, 1982.
* Gaetano Cozzi (a cura di), ''Stato società e giustizia nella Repubblica veneta'' (sec. XV-XVIII), II, Roma, Jouvence, 1985.
* Gaetano Cozzi - Michael Knapton - Giovanni Scarabello (a cura di), ''La Repubblica di Venezia in età moderna. Dal 1517 alla fine della Repubblica'', Torino, UTET, 1992
* Gaetano Cozzi - Paolo Prodi (a cura di), ''Storia di Venezia. Vol. VI. Dal Rinascimento al Barocco'', Roma, Istituto della Enciclopedia Italiana, 1994.
* ''Venezia barocca. Conflitti di uomini e idee nella crisi del Seicento veneziano'', Venezia, Il Cardo, 1995.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cozzi, Gaetano
People from Zero Branco
Writers from Venice
1922 births
2001 deaths
20th-century Italian historians
Corresponding Fellows of the British Academy