Giovanni Villani Biography

A Florentine banker, diplomat, and chronicler, he authored the Nuova Cronica, a history of Florence extending to the year of his death in 1348 during the Black Death. His work provides a detailed look into the life and events of Florence in the early 14th century. The chronicle is valued for its pursuit of objectivity and its depiction of early Renaissance urban life. It remains a key resource for understanding the political and social development of Florence during that era.