Baldassare Altieri

Altieri, Baldassarre (also Baldisara, Baltisara in his letters; Baldissera Alchieri in English documents)

Born in L’Aquila at an unknown date, Baldassarre Altieri was a diplomatic and literary figure in the 16th-century religious and political landscape, associated with the Protestant Reformation.

In 1536, with the recommendation of Pietro Aretino, Altieri became secretary to Count C. Rangoni of Modena. Following the count's death in 1537, he joined Sir Edmund Harwell, the English resident in Venice, in 1540. During this period, Altieri became actively involved in supporting Protestant communities in Italy.

In 1542, Altieri reported to Martin Luther and the theologian Viktor Dietrich on the condition of Protestant communities in the Veneto region, particularly in Venice, Vicenza, and Treviso. He requested that the League of Schmalkalden intervene with the Venetian Senate and sought theological clarification on sacramental disputes involving Anabaptists and Anti-Trinitarians. On November 26, he signed letters on behalf of the communities, and on December 6, he wrote to the Church of Geneva on similar matters. Luther responded in June 1543, offering encouragement, books, and prayers while warning against Swiss influences.

Altieri's appeals for intervention largely failed. The Schmalkaldic intercession was limited to the case of Baldo Lupetino and proved ineffective. In 1544, he addressed the Schmalkaldic League assembly in Speyer, proposing a military alliance against the papacy. He also sought to be officially accredited to the Venetian Senate as the League’s representative. Though appointed as Venetian resident for the Landgrave of Hesse and the Elector of Saxony, Altieri’s position was rendered untenable following the League’s dissolution, which alarmed Venice.

After Harwell’s death and the loss of his diplomatic post in Venice, Altieri sought support from the Reformed Swiss Cantons. Despite undertaking a journey to Switzerland in 1549, he received only personal letters of recommendation, not official credentials. Upon his return, he was forced to leave Venice and took refuge near Bergamo with G. A. degli Ugoni.

Altieri faced accusations of bigamy and disloyalty to Harwell but successfully defended himself, securing testimonials from Venice and letters from Heinrich Bullinger. He traveled to Florence, where Cosimo I received him favorably, though he was prohibited from publicly declaring his Lutheran faith. A similar reception awaited him in Ferrara.

Altieri corresponded with prominent Reformation figures, including Aonio Paleario, Celio Secondo Curione, and Heinrich Bullinger. He likely died in August 1550 near Bergamo.

Bibliography

Comba, E., I nostri protestanti, vol. II, Florence, 1897.

Cantimori, D., 'Altieri, Baldassare', Dizionario Bibliografico degli Italiani 2 (1960), p. 559