Lecture Notes: Italian Renaissance History - John Henderson

Introduction

• Introduction by Virginia to John Henderson.
• John Henderson is a professor of Italian Renaissance history at Birkbeck College, University of London, and a research professor at Monash University.
• Currently based at the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at the Monash Centre in Prato.
• Organizing a conference on December 14th: "Representing Infirmity: Diseased Bodies in Renaissance and Early Modern Italy."

Contributions and Publications

• Renowned historian in social, religious, and medical history.
• Key monographs include:
  • Piety and Charity in Late Medieval Florence (Oxford University Press, 1994).
  • The Great Pox: The French Disease in Renaissance Europe (co-authored, Yale, 1997).
  • The Renaissance Hospital: Healing the Body and Healing the Soul (Yale, 2006).
• Co-editor of collections and upcoming works on plague in the city.

Current Research

• Focus on the impact of plague in Florence, specifically 1630-33.
• Upcoming book: "Plague in Early Modern Florence" (Yale, next year).
• Keynote speaker at the Monash Centre Conference on the same topic.

Plague in Florence 1630-33

Initial Outbreak and Response

• Plague arrived in Italy in 1629 during the Italian phase of the 30 Years War.
• Spread south to Tuscany by 1630.
• Significant mortality rates in northern cities like Milan and Padua.
• Florence's outbreak began in August 1630 in a poor district.

Government Response

• Conducted sanitary surveys, focusing on insanitary conditions and poor living standards.
• Measures included replacing bedding, cleaning up environments, and quarantine enforcement.
• Developed from medieval sanitary legislation, emphasizing environment-health links.

Social and Cultural Context

• Plague policies reflected society's view on poverty and disease.
• Measures like cordon sanitaire, isolation hospitals, and market regulations were typical.
• Emphasis on moral and physical cleanliness.

Analysis of Legal Records

Crimes and Punishments

• Analysis of 560 court cases related to plague law breaches in Florence.
• Common crimes: breaking quarantine, theft from locked houses, unlawful work.
• Punishments varied from imprisonment, fines, public humiliation to mild consequences like imprisonment.

Social Reactions and Behavior

• Trials reveal social dynamics, neighborhood relations, and survival strategies.
• People often prioritized family and livelihood over strict adherence to laws.
• Challenges included cramped living conditions and maintaining economic activities.

Examples of Social Life

• Various court cases showed individuals breaking the law for sociability, work, and survival.
• Examples included visiting relatives, working in textile workshops, and social gatherings.

Conclusion

• Trial records offer insights into the lived experiences and social interactions during the plague.
• Highlight the complexity of enforcing laws and the nuanced reactions of society.
• Despite severe laws, many showed resilience and adaptability during crises.

Note: This summary captures key points from a detailed lecture on the history of plague management in Florence, illustrating the social and governmental responses during a significant historical epidemic.