Battaglini, Marco

A historian of the councils, b. at Rimini, Italy, 25 March, 1645; d. at Cesena, 19 September, 1717. He studied law at Cesena, both civil and ecclesiastical, and at the age of sixteen he obtained the degree of doctor in both branches. After some years of service in the civil administration of the Papal States, he entered the priesthood, was appointed Bishop of Nocera in Umbria, 1690, and in 1716 was transferred to Cesena. He was greatly esteemed for his learning, and for his generous and frank character. His principal works are: (1) "Il legista filosofo" (Rome, 1680), or the man of law as a philosopher; (2) "Istoria universale di tutti i concilii" (Venice, 1686, 1689, 1696, 1714). The first edition contained the history of only 475 councils; in subsequent editions that of 403 more was added. A valuable supplement was the catalogue of all the ancient and contemporary episcopal sees; (3) "Annali del sacerdozio e dell' imperio intorno all' intero secolo decimo settimo" (Venice, 1701-11; Ancona, 1742), or history of the world during the seventeenth century in the form of annals.