Giovanni da Serravalle, also known as Giovanni de Bertoldi (c. 1350 – 1445), was a

Sammarinese Sammarinese () are citizens and people of the Republic of San Marino. Language San Marino recognizes Italian as the official language. The indigenous language, known as Sammarinese, is a variety of Romagnol spoken by approximately 83 percent of ...

Franciscan , image = FrancescoCoA PioM.svg , image_size = 200px , caption = A cross, Christ's arm and Saint Francis's arm, a universal symbol of the Franciscans , abbreviation = OFM , predecessor = , ...

and humanist, who became

bishop of Fermo The Archdiocese of Fermo ( la, Archidioecesis Firmana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical jurisdiction in northern Italy, with its seat in the city of Fermo, Marche. It was established as the Diocese of Fermo in the 3rd century, and elevated to an ...

and

bishop of Fano The Diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola ( la, Dioecesis Fanensis-Forosemproniensis-Calliensis-Pergulana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Italy, created in 1986, when the historical Diocese of Fano was united to the Diocese ...

(1417–1445)."Bishop Giovanni de Bertoldi, O.F.M."
''

Catholic-Hierarchy.org ''Catholic-Hierarchy.org'' is an online database of bishops and dioceses of the Roman Catholic Church and Eastern Catholic Churches. The website is not officially sanctioned by the Church. It is run as a private project by David M. Cheney in Ka ...

''. David M. Cheney. Retrieved October 7, 2016. He is now best known for his commentary on

Dante Dante Alighieri (; – 14 September 1321), probably baptized Durante di Alighiero degli Alighieri and often referred to as Dante (, ), was an Italian people, Italian Italian poetry, poet, writer and philosopher. His ''Divine Comedy'', origin ...

Life

Giovanni de Bertoldi was ordained a priest in the

Order of Friars Minor The Order of Friars Minor (also called the Franciscans, the Franciscan Order, or the Seraphic Order; postnominal abbreviation OFM) is a mendicant Catholic religious order, founded in 1209 by Francis of Assisi. The order adheres to the teachin ...

. In 1385 he was lector at the ''studium'' of St. Croce. From 1387 to 1390 he taught moral philosophy at the

University of Pavia The University of Pavia ( it, Università degli Studi di Pavia, UNIPV or ''Università di Pavia''; la, Alma Ticinensis Universitas) is a university located in Pavia, Lombardy, Italy. There was evidence of teaching as early as 1361, making it on ...

. He taught arts at the

University of Perugia University of Perugia ( Italian ''Università degli Studi di Perugia'') is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale. ...

for a year from 1400. He was appointed bishop of Fermo by

Pope Gregory XII Pope Gregory XII ( la, Gregorius XII; it, Gregorio XII; – 18 October 1417), born Angelo Corraro, Corario," or Correr, was head of the Catholic Church from 30 November 1406 to 4 July 1415. Reigning during the Western Schism, he was oppos ...

, around 1410. On 15 Dec 1417, he was appointed during the papacy of

Pope Martin V Pope Martin V ( la, Martinus V; it, Martino V; January/February 1369 – 20 February 1431), born Otto (or Oddone) Colonna, was the head of the Catholic Church and ruler of the Papal States from 11 November 1417 to his death in February 1431. H ...

Bishop of Fano The Diocese of Fano-Fossombrone-Cagli-Pergola ( la, Dioecesis Fanensis-Forosemproniensis-Calliensis-Pergulana) is a Roman Catholic ecclesiastical territory in Italy, created in 1986, when the historical Diocese of Fano was united to the Diocese ...

. He served as Bishop of Fano until he died there on 15 Feb 1445. While bishop, he was the Principal Co-Consecrator Jean Heysterbach, Auxiliary Bishop of Augsburg (1436).

Works

During the

Council of Constance The Council of Constance was a 15th-century ecumenical council recognized by the Catholic Church, held from 1414 to 1418 in the Bishopric of Constance in present-day Germany. The council ended the Western Schism by deposing or accepting the re ...

he translated the ''

Divine Comedy The ''Divine Comedy'' ( it, Divina Commedia ) is an Italian narrative poem by Dante Alighieri, begun 1308 and completed in around 1321, shortly before the author's death. It is widely considered the pre-eminent work in Italian literature a ...

'' into Latin. He did this largely for the benefit of

Nicholas Bubwith Nicholas Bubwith (1355-1424) was a Bishop of London, Bishop of Salisbury and Bishop of Bath and Wells as well as Lord Privy Seal and Lord High Treasurer of England. Bubwith was collated Archdeacon of Dorset in 1397 and again in 1400.'Archdeacon ...

and

Robert Hallam Robert Hallam ( Alum or Halam; died 4 September 1417) was an English churchman, Bishop of Salisbury and English representative at the Council of Constance. He was Chancellor of the University of Oxford from 1403 to 1405. Hallam was originally ...

, English bishops attending the Council; he was encouraged by

Amedeo Saluzzo Amedeo di Saluzzo (1361 – 28 June 1419) was a cardinal during the Western Schism. He was born as the second son of Frederick II, Marquess of Saluzzo and Beatrice of Geneva. He was nephew of Avignon Pope Clement VII on his mother's side.Mira ...

attending the council, who was a cardinal of the Avignon obedience. Serraville was also a source for stories concerning the young Dante's visits to Paris and Oxford. He lectured at Constance on Dante too, producing later a written commentary. It was strongly influenced by Benvenuto da Imola and Stefano Talice da Ricaldone; and Serravalle revised Benvenuto's glosses, to support the Council's reforming programme.Richard Lansing (editor), ''The Dante Encyclopedia'' (2000), p. 208.

Notes

External links and additional sources

Serravalle's Latin translation of and commentary on the ''Commedia''
* (for Chronology of Bishops) * (for Chronology of Bishops) 1350 births 1445 deaths 15th-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops Bishops appointed by Pope Martin V Italian Franciscans Bishops in le Marche Italian Renaissance humanists {{15C-Italy-RC-bishop-stub