The Adventurous Life of Alberico Gentili

Abstract

AbstractWho was Alberico Gentili? What did he contribute to the early modern law of nations? Why does his work still matter today? What is his legacy for the future of international law? To address these questions, and to examine and critically assess Gentili’s contribution to international law, it is necessary to keep in mind his persona, i.e. his family background, education, and life experience, as well as the historical, political, and cultural context in which he lived. Gentili’s life deserves scrutiny and attention as his thought becomes intelligible only when seen against its historical, political, and cultural context.The life of Alberico Gentili is a compelling story of success with all of the themes of a great narrative: faith, ambition, adventure, and a voyage into unknown lands, as well as conflicts, contradiction, and paradox. Born into a noble family in the Italian town of San Ginesio, Gentili studied law and graduated with a doctorate from the University of Perugia. Because of his Reformed beliefs and in order to escape the Inquisition, he fled to England, transitioning from a world of peril and fear to one of adventure and fame. He was part of an influential network and eventually became Regius Professor at the University of Oxford.To illuminate Alberico Gentili’s contribution to international law, Chapter 2 provides a ‘thick description’ of Gentili’s life by exploring the social, cultural, and political context in which he lived and sets the scene for the subsequent legal inquiry. This chapter tries to avoid portraying Gentili’s life as a series of events unfolding in a linear fashion. Rather, particular attention is given to the elements of discontinuity in the course of his life, i.e. those crucial moments at which he faced difficult choices. The chapter uses different, albeit related, dimensional scales moving from macro- to micro-levels of analysis. At the macro-level, Gentili’s life was permeable to the major political, historical, and social events of his time. Therefore, while examining the trajectory of Gentili’s life, the chapter also briefly considers the main political, cultural, and religious processes of the sixteenth century. At the micro level, the chapter places Gentili within a transnational system of relations that changes according to chronological and geographical variables. Gentili belonged to various political, cultural, and intellectual networks and his life was shaped by his contacts with individuals, networks, and institutions. Such interpersonal linkages can offer useful units of analysis for comprehending Gentili’s complex identity.To map Gentili’s life, the chapter relies on the combined use of literary, historical, and legal sources, as well as the Gentilian Manuscripts at the Bodleian Library in Oxford. The chapter also takes into account recent archival discoveries. The chapter contributes to the existing literature in two ways. First, it makes use of important recently de-classified sources to provide new insights into Gentili’s life. Second, by mapping Gentili’s intellectual network it unveils previously unknown aspects of his personality, life, and work.