La biblioteca della Badia Fiorentina. Storia della collezione manoscritta e catalogo dei codici latini (secoli XI-XVI)

In the 15th century, the monastery of Santa Maria Assunta, better known as Badia Fiorentina, was involved in the spread of the reform of the Benedictine Order promoted by the monastery of Santa Giustina in Padua. This turning point marked the beginning of a phase of renewed prestige for the monastic institution, under the leadership of Abbot Gomes Eanes and his connections within both monastic and secular spheres. The generous bequest of 79 Greek manuscripts and over a hundred Latin codices by the humanist Antonio Corbinelli (1376-1425) determined a new course in the cultural life of the monastery. His legacy represented the core of the monastic library which grew to over 700 codices, primarily in Latin, by the early 16th century. However, due to the French and Italian suppressions, in the 19th century, the collection of books and manuscripts left the monastery, was divided, and subsequently dispersed. Nowadays, 210 manuscripts of the Latin codices that once belonged to the Badia Fiorentina, have been found, identified and described. By delving into archival records and studying the Latin codices, this volume offers a detailed account of the library’s evolution, organization, and dispersion, in an attempt to update Rudolf Blum’s 1951 monography in a broader perspective.