REALATIONE DELLO STATO DELL' IMPERIO. e di tutti li Principi, Marchesi, e Conti della Germania dal 1621 per tutto lnno 1628.

248 leaves. Manuscript in Italian on the History of Germany, and virtually all of Europe, in the momentous era of the 1620's, prepared for Pope Urban VIII (Maffeo Barberini) by the Papal Nuncio to the Holy Roman Emperor. Written in a graceful Italian hand. Folio. 340 mm. Text generally clean, but with scattered mold stains. Remains of old vellum binding. Interesting colorful paste paper end sheets. With the bookplate of Elkin Mathews = Charles Elkin Mathews (1851-1921) London publisher, bookseller, and collector who played an important role in the literary life the English speaking world in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Also with a circular Sneyd family book plate [probably Ralph Sneyd (1793-1870), but perhaps earlier]. This work is often attributed to Carlo Carafa [an incompetent and criminal administrator who was executed for treason at Castel San Angelo on Mar 4, 1561 by Pius IV]. but it is certainly by a later Carlo Carafa, born in Naples in 1611, who was bishop of Aversa and Papal Nuncio to Switzerland, the Republic of Venice, and to the Holy Roman Emperor. The Holy Roman Emperor at this time was Ferdinand II (1578-1637), a member of the House of Habsburg. He was also King of Bohemia, and King of Hungary. His rule coincided with the Thirty Years' War. Ferdinand's aim, as a zealous Catholic, was to restore Catholicism as the only religion in the Empire and suppress Protestantism. The Neapolitan Carafa family produced a large number of bishops, cardinals, and some saints. Cardinals in the Carafa family include (with dates of their elevation to Cardinal): Filippo Carafa (1378); Oliviero Carafa (1467); Gianvincenzo Carafa (1527); Carlo Carafa (1555); Diomede Carafa (1555); Alfonso Carafa (1557); Antonio Carafa (1568); Decio Carafa (1611); Pier Luigi Carafa, seniore (1645); Carlo Carafa della Spina (1664); Fortunato Ilario Carafa della Spina (1686); Carafa di Belvedere (1764-1830); Francesco Carafa della Spina (1773); and Domenico Carafa della Spina (1844). Biographical and bibliographic confusion among them is rampant. UNIQUE. A wonderful item for further scholarly study. Chest 2/4